can i use my old gauges...help

well i got a 50 chevy truck i have been working for a bit and love what i have learned on this site ..i would love ues the original gages in the dash.
but the truck was 6volt and now it is 12volts what can i do can ijust use them will it be fine or rebuild them.i do not want to just buy new ones.

 

Get a voltage drop for the gas gauge, the gen gauge doesn't mind the 12v in my experience. The other two guages are mechanical. At least, as long as the trucks are set up the same as the cars of this era..

 

the temp and oil gages are kind of low reading for modern engines, 212 degrees and 30 psi max, right?

One trick is to find gages from a newer vehicle (like a late 50s truck?) and make them fit the original cluster. Or find a catalog and spend big bucks.

 

u may be rigth will have to look at that.. the gas gage is the first one i was wanting to ues 30 psi is kinda low but is better than nothing

 

gas gage will probably work on 12v, but it would be happier at 6v, try a LM7806 electronic voltage regulator

 

Go to oreilly's for a 60's mustang instrument gauge voltage regulator, it reduces the 12 volts to 6 volts and its small and easy to hook up for the gas tank sender.

 

My favorite solution is the Runtz volt drop from Vintiques. Super easy and bullet proof. Can get them from C&G:
https://secure435.hostgator.com/~dlvry40/ufolder/ShowProducts.php?c=1&s=39&g=314&t=1822

 

thanks guys..

 

The fuel gauge definitely needs a voltage drop. We don't us the "runtz" and prefer to build our own. We have modernized many of those clusters to monitor modern power plants. Visit: morrisgauge.com

 

So wouldn't a ballast resistor in teh line going to the gas sender do the trick??

 

Only if the resistance of the ballast resistor is a pretty close match to the resistance of the gage itself.

 

You can buy new individual gauges for the stock cluster. They are about $50 each but cheaper than buying new aftermarket gauges and better looking than retrofitting junkyard stuff.

 

Take a peek in the tech section about making your own voltage reducers cheaply based on the LM7806 and installing them. Send me a pm if you have any additional questions .

-Stefan