History What gauges fit the era? Late 50's til 61 or so..

Haha!

Body will be bluish teal fade paint. Dark almost black around the edges to very light almost white in the middle. White frame, firewall, and upholstery (upper firewall upholstered, as well as wheelwells and inside framehorns). Gold engine.

 

Factory '56-57 (maybe earlier and later too) Corvette gauges are also something you could consider. The gauge clusters were made in pairs. Look at a pic of the dash in the Ala Kart, as an example.

 

Fade paint jobs ****! Especially when you chip it hahahahaha that actually sound awesome..

 

The stephen warling roadster has stewart warner gauges in it, it was built in 1959...I guess you can't go wrong with those.

 

thats right on man...

 

does any one ever look at old car mags of the era or year to see what was selling....just saying....

 

I look at old car mags from the era every day.




Unfortunately when they describe a car it's usually a fuzzy b&w pic with a caption like "A trio of gauges keep things in check..".. There are some ads for shops selling Stewart Warner but not much else..I was just trying to get a real live feel from everyone here.

By the way this truck is ruling my world right now. Of course it's Winfields

 

Good point, I love the Ala Kart!

 

I dig that truck.. I have a color photo of that one or one that looks just like it.. I'll have to dig it up..

 

I like the Corvette idea, but the pairing is wrong for what Dreddybear has envisioned. The 57 vette gauges come in amp/oil, temp/fuel. Off the top of my head, I don't think the pairing could be switched readily. I'm going to lean back on the SW 2 5/8 inch Smoothies. The lines are clean, black with white print and thick chrome bezel. The only issue is that they only made mechanical oil and temp. If you need to use electric (directional toggle switch?), I'd go with the big block logos. What is the upholstery color?

 

Good thread...bookmarked.

 

Upholstery is all white. Thank you for your input, I really appreciate it. Also I'm not opposed to mixing gauges. I know it seems sorta sloppy, but more often than not I see weird things like that on old Hot Rods. My goal is to make this car all showy-like then go drive the snot out of it. Scuffs, chips, dead bugs are inevitable. I guarantee the white seats are gonna have greyish grease stains about 5 minutes after I'm done because I spend the weekends in the garage where I attract dirt and **** and there's no way I'm driving my daily when this car is finished.

 

I think the black faced gauges previously discussed would fit the color scheme the best.

 

Sounds like we're building similar cars....although mine will most likely be grimey before it hits the road I'm afraid....haha

 

I dig those alot where could I get some of those? are they in production still?

 

Not in production.....and even if they were, the new SW stuff kinda ****s in quality.
I "think" these are called Custom Line? Or Twin Blues? I lucked out in finding a set...but they weren't cheap.
I do need to find a full sweep vacuum or water temp to match the full sweep oil pressure for the firewall....the interior ones are all 1/2 sweep....

 

man I love them

 

They are officially known as Twin Blue.

 

good thread

 

Anyone ever seen a '57/'58 SW water temp gauge with a coffin needle? I am having a tough time finding a water temp gauge to match my SW big block flat gl*** coffin needle oil pressure and amp gauge. Lots of BB flat gl*** water temp gauges with the plain needle, cant find one with the coffin needle to match my other two.

 

Heres what the other two look like...

 

Pretty sure the green stripe tach wasn't around in '59, and I have one. Wont be using it in the car thats getting the BB SW's above, circa 1960. Keep in mind that guys are probably using this thread as a reference.

 

So nobodys ever seen a circa '57/'58 SW big logo, flat gl*** coffin needle water temp gauge? Am I gonna be SOL?

 

my large logo SWs mounted from the rear which eliminates a step in the bezel.

 

Those are the straight needle version. I am thinking maybe my amp and oil pressure gauges with the coffin needle are from a truck application?? They are nice looking gauges, but if I cant find a matching water temp gauge, maybe I will need to go in a different direction. I really want 3 matched gauges. The later, small-logo or small-block gauges are common as dirt with the coffin needle, but they are quite a bit different, the needle is straight instead of stepped, and doesnt disappear into a slot in the gauge face like the two I have.

 

i have one....no light.

 

Can you post or pm me a pic?

 

Dreddybear, you sure opened a can of worms, and we all got to 'go fishing'. tommy, great dash. I did a couple this way. Reed Lillard, RIP, machined the first one. It was a work of art. I am, now, a fan of 2 5/8 gauges and need to digest the info about Speedway. May troll Evay for an oil pressure gauge. IMO The clunky plastic pointers ruin the new Wings. Lots of good information, here, in one place.

 

where do i send it?

 

Well, thanks, I appreciate the sentiment, but thats a post 1958, small block or small logo gauge. Easy to find. Look at the size of the square with the SW in it on the pic I posted, and compare. The 'big-block" or large logo Stewart Warners with flat lens are '57/'58, quite a bit harder to find, and most of them have the plain needle. Its the coffin needle on the big-block face that I am looking for.

Thats why I asked for a photo, I was guessing you had an early/mid sixties small logo gauge. Perfectly fine gauge, nothing wrong with it, but not a mate for my gauges.