How to: Low buck engine turned gauge panel!

So, I've always liked the look of the vintage Stewart Warner engine turned gauge panels. I've got a budget 32 project in the works (more on that at a later date) and I need a gauge cluster or instrument panel that does not break the bank. Here's what I came up with if anyone is interested.

Here's one that I think was out of a boat but cool none the less. This one brought over $400 on Ebay and didn't sell. That kinda money could go a long way on other parts of the car so I'm gonna attempt to build my own.

Let me know what you think...

Thanks in advance.

-Ron

 

Love it!

Do it!

JH

 

So... I've had my 66 Chevy truck since I was 16 and I'm 41 now. Needless to say I've collected quite a few spare parts and things over the years. About 15 years ago I needed a fuel gauge and my dad found an entire instrument cluster at a junk yard cheap. We robbed the gas gauge and the rest of it has been in my storage shed since then.

Got to thinking the other night and this idea popped into my head.

First you need a cheap cluster or at least a bezel out of a 60's Chevy or GMC truck. 64-66 are the same as what I used but you might be able to use the 60-63 as well with some small changes.

 

Seperate the bezel from the gauges but hang on to the plastic lens and the black metal frame that goes over the instruments. You need them for patterns later.

 

would look good. i cut mine out and attached it with quarter turns. not near as eloquent as that example though.

 

This bezel has a flat mounting surface around the outside edge in spite of what it looks like in the photo's. It also has the provisions for all the things you'll need later like ignition switch, headlight switch, choke cable, wiper switch, and even a cigarette lighter or power point, whatever you use it for.

To get the panels made to mount the conventional style gauges you'll have to do some trimming. These little nubs have to be ground down so get out the grinder or cut off wheel.

You'll also need some thin plywood (luan, or what ever it's called is what I used) or Plexiglas may work too. Just needs to be about 2/8 (aka 1/4) inch thick. Take your gauge cluster and trace it on your plywood or plexi. You fancier guys could probably use aluminum plate or diamond plate even.

Don't forget to mark the screw holes and drill them out as well.

 

You'll need to cut 2 plywood panels. The first is the outer panel I made in the pic's above that was traced by the gauges. The second is an inner panel that is traced from the clear lens. I didn't take a pic of that but you get the idea. Place the panel cut from the clear lens first, then the panel cut from the gauges on the back and mock it up.

The 2 panels will be fastened together later.

 

I stripped the bezel down with paint stripper and found a small crack on the center screw hole. No big deal as we'll fix it later. For now I just clamped it in a vice to flush it back up.

 

Now we need to cut the gauge holes. I turned the gauges upside down and played with the lay out a bit and decided less is more here. You may want to add more but I'll be using only 4 in this cluster. Speedo and tach in the middle and then probably the coolant temp and oil pressure or vacuum on the sides. I have an amp gauge but am not sure I want to run it. I'll probably run the fuel and volt gauges down at the bottom of the dash in their own pod, or something like that.

I used a tube of seam sealant and an old paint can to trace the holes.

 

I didn't have a large hole saw bit but had a small one that fit perfect. I didn't want to buy a large bit for just 2 holes so I just used a jig saw and made some relief cuts. Cut the small holes with the bit I had. Also, I had a small chip at the left top so I bonded it up and sanded it smooth.

It get's a little more interesting from here on out so hang in there.

 

Let's wrap it up.

When I traded for the chassis I'm building it came with a set of Stewart Warners gauges. Not sure what year they're from but the price was right so I went with them.

 

I shot a little silver paint on the bezel at this point but decided it would look better polished. So... I stripped it back down, sanded it with 2000 grit and polished it up. Also added some stainless bolts that I polished up to add some interest and keep the panels together. Polished up a stainless screw and fender washer to cover up the crack at the bottom as well.

Went searching for some engine turned aluminum and found a good alternative by accident. Found a guy that sells engine turned vinyl that comes in 12 inch rolls for about 3 bucks a foot. I was skeptical at first but I have applied alot of this kind of stuff through the years and thought I'd give it a shot. Ordered up about 20 bucks worth just to see what it was.

Turns out it's really neat stuff! It's real engine turned aluminum only it's paper thin with an adhesive backing. It even has the grooves in it when you run your finger nail across it. From the front it's practically indistinguishable from the real thing.

I cut a piece to size and layed it down and trimmed it with a razor blade.

 

Here's the finished product for now. Truthfully, I'm not sure I'm gonna run it but it was fun to play with for a few hours in the afternoon. I may tweak it some more or chrome the bezel when I send some other stuff out next week.

From left to right the holes for the switches are: Headlamp, wiper, choke, ignition, lighter. It'll be interesting to see how it looks with all the holes filled with switches.

Maybe you can get some ideas from it for another project...

 

Looks damn good. My '66 F100 has that pattern on it but its plastic. I'd like to do that to mine but it has some tricky curves and such, it'd be a challange. I might could do the flat portion and then paint the rest a different color.

 

Good basic tech thread. Looks good.

I was going to build some engine turned panels for my 55. Cut some aluminum panels to fit, but I wanted to see what they would look like before I went to the work of turning them. I bought some of the engine turned vinyl and tried it. It looks good enough that I won't mind running the dash panels the way they are until I get the time to do the "real thing".
Larry T

 

That looks really good!!!

60-64 Corvair glovebox doors work too... I used mother-of-pearl drum wrap/pick guard material... $80 for a 3'x5' roll.



I actually used mine in a Corvair dash, but they would work on a flat dash too.

 

That looks nice, but I was really disappointed when that vinyl made its entrance, you know they also have diamond plate in a vinyl, blue metallic, red metallic, also gold engine turned. You could use a nice piece of burled walnut veneer in vinyl, very nuremburg ish, like a Mercedes.

 

Oh come on Larry, you know that vinyl is for floors. Hell, go for it and do the floors, headliner, and the damn door panels in vinyl !!! Wonder how long it will last in the HOT Texas summer? ( just kiddin' man )

 

Who makes the vinyl engine turn and where can you buy it?

 

If you don't have the patience to do your own engine turning, you can get some ready-made sheets in stainless or aluminum from: www.fpmmetals.com. Here's what it looks like on the firewall of my Healey:



They have smaller size circles for dashes.

 

Found mine on E-Bay.

I think Haneline sells sheets of turned stainless too. It's a little higher. (G)
Larry T

 

This is the Ebay store:

http://stores.ebay.com/MetroSellers-Vinyl-Express

 

Vinyl is really a misnomer. It actually is engine turned aluminum it's just paper thin.The cool thing is you can try several different arrangements with this stuff for cheap then cut the real thing later.

 

Way too cool. Now, the only problem is, whether I'd rather have engine turned inserts in my truck's dash, or pearloid (and fit all switches with Telecaster knobs).

Subscribed.

-Bill

 

i'm sittin here starin at my telecaster thinkin "why didnt i think of that?".. wonder if our local music store sells tele replacement parts?...

 

Made mine ,Engine turning is bought and I trimmed it Ebay item,I also had plan b in mind .Vinyl engine turned .

 

I made a panel out of an old damaged traffic sign, and covered it with the same material you did (I have no pix.). The only problem is that mine is not in a frame and I am worried that the edges may eventually peel, so far OK though.

 

Ken.
Just now saw your post.
Can you imagine the car with engine turned vinyl everywhere! It'd be like sitting in a microwave oven.
You'd better watch it, I hear they make pinstriping decals too. LOL
Talk to you later,
Larry T

 

I think it looks fantastic

 

Gonna buy me some- Also,I like the 2/8s measurement! Told the newbie at the shop one time to get me a 8/8s wrench-looked everywhere and finally came to me w/a 7/8 as said that's all we got.

Which product did you purchase xactly? I see they have lots.