Are the four round Stewart Warner gauges found inside the '56-7 Studebaker gauge panel shown below 2-1/16" in diameter, i.e. a "standard" aftermarket gauge body diameter size?
I’d check on the Studebaker Drivers Club website, I’m not familiar with those Stude gauges but all of the Later Hawks used Stewart Warner gauges. If I were to guess I’d say the gauges mount from the backside. I think this is the gauge panel you are thinking of
I would say high probability, because it a lot easier and cheaper for Studebaker to make 2-1/16 holes in a dash panel vs having S-W make non-standard gauge sizes.
Can't answer your dimension question, but a lot of people install S-W and Autometer gauges...2-1/16" dia. in those dashboards. Mike
Thanks. I'll take the chance that the openings in the panel are close enough to 2-1/16 to make standard aftermarket gauges work. It looks like there might even be room to fit 2-5/8" gauges...hmmm.
Hey, Pink; Look like you have the fancy gauge set. Mine only had the 2 inside gauges, & idiot lights on the outside, might be a Scotsman. (?). Anyways, took the gauges out, & inside opening is 2 1/8", 2nd ring is 2 7/16". It'll make sense when you open it up. Like pic shows, gauges are multi-piece, not enclosed in a cup, like the SW Speedster & at least some of the Hawk gauges. Marcus...
The above gauge cluster should arrive this afternoon, but I appreciate you taking the time to measure. As luck would have it, I found this 2-1/16" S-W oil pressure gauge at the ReStore earlier this afternoon:
If you're going to discard the gauges, I'm kinda interested. They're weird enuf I like them. Marcus...
Nope, cheapo here, too. Which, is fine, as I want to run gauges in all four spots anyway. Kind of neat how the arm(?) of both gauges sweeps like any other gauge, but the green/red contrast is different. One shot of the 2-1/16" S-W gauge resting on the outside of the chrome bezel. I think once the factory gl*** lens is removed, the aftermarket gauge would fit nicely in its place: Thanks again for the help, @nrgwizard .
A few updated pics after removing the outer cluster bezel (challenging) and the other two individual gauge opening bezels (easy). The outer tabs are bent over very snugly, so it takes some work with a very small pry tool to work them open. The individual trim rings are softer, and can be bent up straight without any trouble. Here's the Stewart-Warner 2-1/16" gauge in place. Notice there is a recessed step in the gauge opening, even after the trim ring is removed. There was at least 1/16" of wiggle room between the O. D. of the gauge body and the I. D. of the hole, so you would still need to use a bracket on the backside to retain the gauge:
Hey, Pink; The panel that I have is even more plain than yours. No patterned background(just flat & painted black), & only small light bezels, 1" dia for the outside indicator/idiot lights. Inside 2 gauges are the same. These were from the sedans, the Hawks had SW gauges, the Avanti had regular gauges also, though I don't remember which make - SW or Stude. Those are definitely different, & rather interesting... . Looks like you'll need a thin alum(or some other material) sheet ring to center the new gauges to hold 'em tight. Marcus...
Yes, the 2-1/16" aftermarket S-W gauge is almost a prefect fit, just a tad smaller. The embossed overlay piece does come out once the gauge trim rings are removed, as they are the only thing retaining the overlay piece to the main bezel. After removing all of the trim rings and lenses, here's what the raw gauge looks like with the trim ring reinstalled: I think 2-5/8" gauges would fit and look great, but not sure it'd be worth the extra effort.
Yup, the 2 5/8" would fit, & alleviate the need for the trim rings. Which I think you'd need for the 2 1/16" gauges, if for no other reason than to hide the tab-portion of the overlay. Trim rings do give an interesting effect for the gauges, shim stock or even heavy-duty tape will take up the clearance needed. Only other thing I could think of, is to use ss-cups, or br***, maybe from walmart or ikea or somesuch, if they're the correct size for the rolled front edge & as shim-stock, cut the bottom off. If you have the 2 5/8" gauges already, I'd be tempted to at least photo-chop them onto the panel to see. & probably use them then. If not, will/would you be able to duplicate the dbl-trim-ring look for the speedo? For a someday project, I've been gathering parts for couple of dash/gauges concept(s). One of which is, to use 2 - 56->58 speedo head ***emblies side by side so 1 is a speedo & other is a tach. For a twin-barrel effect. Not good enough to make'em look like the chrys electro-lite or even a pair of ****ies( ), but I think it'd be interesting & rather entertaining, what with both being vertical-rotating cylinders. I've often thought about how to do a side-by-side dbl speedo/tach deal in the oem nash dash - modified of course, using the nash speedos, since they are nice looking & decent size. There was a version that came in a stylized cup that was almost free-standing = rather neat. Also contemplating a stacked dual speedo/tach effect, sorta-like a tic-tock-tach, I guess. A large speedo like used on a Tucker would be a good start. Thirdly, similar concept using 2 ~'50 Stude Champ speedos to get a similar effect. Horizontal or vertical, idk, & a couple of variations dance in my head. Lots of doodling to do, maybe photo-chopping(which I can't do - except by printout/tape/penciling/exacto-knife customizing... ). Not to mention, reversing the electrical movements' operation, & eventually, physically doing it. & paying for the re-chroming... "cough, couch, hack, choke, cough... " ;( . How's that Beatles' NowhereMan song go? "Quid Pro Quo, so little Time, so much to Know?..." . (& do...). Got a lot of learnin' to do yet. . Marcus...
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