Other than the top of the hood, what do we look at the most while sitting in/driving our old trucks or any vehicle for that matter? That's right, the gauges and instrument panel nestled in the dashboard. Since it's something that's on the inside of the truck, we don't really think about it until we are behind the wheel, but maybe we should.
Not only are the gauges essential for checking on your truck's vital signs, but it's imperative that the gauges work properly. In many cases, trucks came with bare-bones instrumentation and featured little more than a speedometer, gas gauge, and hopefully something besides just an "idiot" light for the oil, water, and volt gauges. Add roughly 40 years of sun and use (or misuse) to the original set of gauges and even if they are still working, they probably don't look so good by now.
Luckily, there are many options out there for gauge and panel replacements and Classic Instruments can handle just about any of them. From stock-style replacement gauges, retrofitting obsolete gauges, to making custom gauges, Classic Instruments knows their instruments. They recently came out with an all-new panel and gauge package for the ever classic '67-72 Chevy and GMC trucks. This combo comes in a handsome stock-style six-gauge panel and your choice of nine different gauges to fill it, from a stock-looking gauge (as shown) to more subtle black and white or bold white- and black-faced gauges.
The nice thing about this package is that the panel comes assembled with all the gauges wired using a new harness with easy-to-use multiple-pin connectors. Basically it comes ready to run just short of them sending someone to attach the end of their harness into your stock one. Which by the way is all you really have to do, a couple of snips, some butt connectors, and bingo. You'll have a gauge panel with modern internals and classic looks. Classic Instruments includes sending units and has most all the parts you might need for any engine and transmission combo, including parts to make the gauges work with modern powerplants including the LS engine in our '72 C-10 as shown in the pages that follow. We do recommend you pick up a stock wiring diagram for your truck to decipher any mystery wires should the need arise, other than that the detailed instructions and helpful tech line from Classic Instruments should be all you need. It's an easy way to take your trucks interior space to a whole new and striking level!
