Different instrument cluster into a bug?

pploco · Post by **pploco** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 2:32 pm

Does anyone have experience fabbing a newer instrument cluster (subaru, mazda etc.) into a bug dash? Provide pics if you have them.

Post by **Marc** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 2:48 pm

Where would it go? Into the trunk area, I suppose - unless you have really short arms or just like driving with the wheel in your chest. The dashboard sheetmetal adds considerable integrity to the cowl area of the body on a bug, if you whacked it all out to make room to install a binnacle from another car you'd want to be sure to add some reinforcement in its place.

pploco · Post by **pploco** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 3:43 pm

Im not talking about the entire dash, just the speedo/tach fuel etc cluster.

everyones a comedian

sideshow · Post by **sideshow** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 5:10 pm

I put OEM VDO from 924/928/??? in my ghia using a hole saw and a welder.
Haven't decided if I am going to keep it that way (fuel sender is different & water temp is broken) speedo needs recalberation but doesn't seem more off than the stock guage (not runnig stock rubber).

pploco · Post by **pploco** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 9:40 am

Got any pics sideshow? Did you say the fuel gauge isn't working?

sideshow · Post by **sideshow** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 10:34 am

No. VDO are self contained and round, so mounting them isn't much harder than any aftermarker gauge.

I don't get full sweep on the fuel, but I can estimate what I got no problem. I'm sure a more expensive sending unit would fix this (and give me a fuel low light).

The other nice thing is that being DIN standard, the wiring is numbered so it is easy to hook up.

pploco · Post by **pploco** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 2:04 pm

Good to know. Did you hook up a tach too?

sideshow · Post by **sideshow** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 7:16 pm

This was a plastic wood grain cover dash from the factory. I pealed it and welded up some of the body stampings, added and removed holes as needed. The tach is my favorite part (it was from a 4-cyl model), works smooth, now all I need is a motor with that high of a red line.

PureC4 · Post by **PureC4** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 10:33 am

sideshow wrote:I put OEM VDO from 924/928/??? in my ghia using a hole saw and a welder.
Haven't decided if I am going to keep it that way (fuel sender is different & water temp is broken) speedo needs recalberation but doesn't seem more off than the stock guage (not runnig stock rubber).

I have the Tach and Guage cluster from a 914 2.0. Can you give me a clue as to the wiring

Mounted the tack in the original hole for the speedo. Want to mount the speedo and cluster in a custom console between dash and floor. Or have a 57 Chevy gauge section could mount speedo in it and mold to dash below the radio area. And use seperate guages around the tach. C-ya OH and by the way its a 66'