Technical Custom Pontiac Voltmeter

With the engine swap and rewiring of the entire car, I preferred to have voltmeter instead of ammeter for my 50 Pontiac. I couldnt find an affordable ammeter anyway and the face of mine is just rust.

After searching everywhere, I couldn’t find a voltmeter remotely close to the font used by Pontiac.

So I took a picture of the ammeter and put in MSWORD to scale. I then took pictures off the web if voltmeters, changed them to 50% transparency and overlaid them on to the ammeter picture to find one with a similar sweep. The best match was a Faria V4043A voltmeter 10-16 volt sweep. Its on order.

I then imported oil gauge picture into ACAD and traced out the nnmbers to make a gauge face for it as shown in middle picture. This gave me dimensionsl reference to make other numbers I needed for the voltmeter. The one on the left is the four number face to replace the Faria, which has four numbers. That didnt match the 3 number face of the oil pressure gauge. So I made the 3 digit face on the right.

since this was in acad I could make the arc of the dots and numbers perfect for arc of the chrome bezel.

I am going to laminate a set and clear coat a set to see which I like. If niether I will get a sticker made.

If there is interest, I will update when finished.

 

Nice, what did you print it on and with what?


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Just paper and the printer at work, thx

 

Keep the updates coming on this subject. Thanks.

 

I would like to see it done.

 

Ok, first attempt at clear coating paper worked out great...but. I taped it down pulling it tight in six places incase it tried to get wavvy, that worked. I put two very light coats on to limit absorption into paper, that worked. Thrn two medium coats and looked great. I rushed only waiting 2 hrs to flip it over and do the backside. Im doing both sides because of moisture. All went well except it stuck in some places cause I didnt wait long enough.

For the second attempt as shown, I put paste wax on the board first. Did my 4 layers turned out well. I actually like the little bit of orange peel it gives it a nicer look. It did not stick to the board. Im going to let it dry 24 hrs before painting back side. If you wondering way there are three sets of gauges, the numeral colors are each different trying to match the existing. The top row is more of an antique white that matches better than pure white. The center row is too dark.

 

Please keep us updated how you get on.

 

Are you staying with the 6 volt system or did you convert to the 12 volt? I am also working on a 50 Pontiac. My plan is to convert to a 12 volt system and buy new aftermarket gauges that fit the dash. I bought a cheap oil pressure gauge to see how it would fit,

 

I would keep the original gauge front bezel and put the new gauge behind it. No one would know it was not stock and you would keep that 50's look to it. I did that with the Amp meter in my 49 Buick, I put a new aftermarket volt meter behind the stock amp meter face. Now 12 volt is straight up, to the right is more than 12 volts, to the left is less.

 

Nice job. Faria makes excellent gauges. I have an entire auto set from the 90's in my A, unusual because they mostly make boat gauges. Keep us posted.

 

I am converting to 12 volts and I made the voltage drop reducers from another thread on this site. I preferred to keep the original gages it was just the ammeter and fuel were unreadable with rusted faces and Im running a high amp altenater and preferred a voltmeter.

Actually the cheap gage you show in the dash was as close to to stock lettering I could find.

 

Not the current dash, but here's what some of my Farias look like for comparison.

 

Wow,I just started looking at my 49 gauges.I was absolutely clueless about what could be done. Some body had already replaced the temp and and amp gauges with the faces and works from two different brand gauges. I’ve been looking with no success for new gauges that would fit.

 

Yes, that is the gauge I bought. I will take it apart and fit it to the current dash arrangement. If this all works I will make faces for the ammeter, fuel, temperature and speedometer and upload the file for those that want to try it.

I painted the backside today turned out good.

I got some lamination shheets today fir a lamination machine my wife has, but forgot she had it. Im going to do a set then see which I like better.

But anyone can buy $3 worth of clear so thats a good method for allot of people.

 

The painted ones were most clear, but the 3m spray adhesive bled with slight water making. So need to see if another adhesive works.

I decided to got to the next level one the details of the faces to include part numbers. Google the part numbers shown on the voltmeter face!

here are pics of laminated gage faces. Cant get them super clear like clear coat

 

I see I left the cross hairs on the oil gauge and put 18 instead of 16 on voltmeter, embarrassing! I will fix the tomorrow and use these for cutting and fitting dry-run.

 

If the stickers work, I'd love to change my '50 coupe's ammeter to a volt meter. The rest of my gauges are in pretty good shape. Let me know if you plan to sell these. Thanks!

 

Ammeter will be here tomorrow, then I will start taking it apart and figuring it out. If yours is 6 volt, it would need a different face. Not sure who makes a 6 volt gauge. Buy the way, nice car. If mine looked like that when I started I wouldnt have to do all this work!!!

 

So, the volt gauge part number looks like a cylinder firing order. What engine does this refer to?

 

Yep. I needed to make something up. So I did the SBC as the normal number and the LS as the second. I just thought it was funny and stupid at the same time.

 

I cannot find the shifter handle knob as shown in Rocky's interior picture. I was going to resort to making one on the lathe. Anyone have a source for one?

 

I am trying to do something similar with my 56 Ford. I am interested in how you printed the gauge face. I have taken a late model Mustang instrument cluster and cut the individual gauges out and would like to print new faces. What you have done looks very good and will go well with your cars instrument cluster.

 

I printed the paper on a printer at work, but never could quite get the black to be as dark as I wanted. I really had to play around with import settings to go from ACAD to Word and Power point because they offer different import picture options. While the lamination looks good, its not perfect. So I sent the file to a buddy that prints signs and stuff. He is going print me some on heavy vinyl sticker. The nice thing is he has the ability to sharpen and clean up the image and set the colors better than me. I am limited in my capabilities and options. But, don't get me wrong, if you buy high grade paper and use a quality printer, like I did, I do thing is good. But, since I have a contact, I figured I would try him. I did all of the artwork, so price will be fine.

 

I bought a set of Pontiac gauges like that for like 50 cents years ago. Oil and Temp, and I put the fronts on gauges in my roadster. They look neat at night with the Oil and temp lighting up red!

 

Got the voltmeter done. Faria made in usa gauge is a nice unit. I could write a long step by step but its pretty intuitive. Ask any questions.

 

Oh, this was practice so I used to screwed up face with 18 volts on it, LOL

 

Attached are the proofs for two sets of gauges. The purple around the edges is the cut line for the printer. One set is made to be placed on the Faria 2" gauges, but any 2" gauge with the same sweep will work. I looked at allot of the cheaper gauges like the China direct ones on Ebay, Bosch, and Autometer. All have gauges with the same sweep. The second set is for placement on the factor gauges with rusted or screwed up faces. I should have made an ammeter instead of a voltmeter for those, but I'm not using the ammeter. I attached the email address of the fellow that has the files and prints them on vinyl. Contact him directly if you want a set as I am not involved with the sale or any money related to these. I just wanted to provide folks the option to pretty up ugly, but good working gauges. Also note, I did the best job I could to satisfy myself, I am not in the gauge design business so they are what they are. Note, if someone needs the ammeter I can make it and send it to Keith. Keith, [email protected].

 

Finally got around to putting the new gauge stickers on the non-readable old gauges withe the voltage reducer and customized voltmeter. They look really good in the bezels

 

Some very nice fabrication going on- what you have done is what I was initially considering doing if I couldn't remedy the burned windings in my gauges.

Gotta love the font face Pontiac used. They calmed it down a touch for '51.

That's going to look real smart when you're done. Going to incorporate any warning lights?

 

Dash is finished with new gauge faces, paint and polish