Are you going to clock the gauges so all the needles point straight up to make checking them easier ?
Photography Credit: Chris Tropea
Gotta know what’s going on under the hood, right?
So when we first prepped our 1965 Mustang vintage racer, we decided to explore the Prosport Performance catalog as this company offers a wide range of gauges suitable for both race and street.
Turns out that the first gauges that we installed, from the company’s Performance Series, were actually better suited for the street. We needed something a little easier to read at speed–plus we desired period-correct looks.
Photography Credit: Tim Suddard
Prosport has that type of gauge covered as well. This time we installed gauges from its Clear Lens Waterproof Performance Series White LED gauges 2-1/16” line. These waterproof gauges have a rather basic look: bold white markings on black, with red pointers. Perfect for a track car like our old Mustang.
Photography Credit: Tim Suddard
We fit gauges for temperature, water temperature, oil pressure, voltage and fuel level into our gauge cluster, a replica of the stock piece that we 3D printed with the exact holes for our needs.
[3D printing: What you need to know to get started]
Photography Credit: Tim Suddard
These gauges are legible, lightweight and delivered with clear instructions. Plus they don’t cost much. The fuel level gauge retails for $39, and the others aren’t much more. (Summit Racing‘s website shows the Prosport Performance fuel gauge costing less than almost anything else on the market.)
As the name suggests, these gauges are also waterproof, something important when racing a car without side windows.
Each gauge is secured with a simple, lightweight plastic ring–much simpler than the traditional metal brackets that must be bolted in place.
To wire the gauges, you need switched power, a ground and a lighting circuit that can be daisy-chained together. Then just wire to the appropriate sending unit for each gauge.
[Wiring a race car from scratch doesn’t have to be hard]
Photography Credit: Tim Suddard
Prosport Performance offers sending units as well as repair parts and other cool items–like easy-to-add warning lights for only $20.
We also retained our Prosport Performance 3-¾-inch tachometer. This tach fits nicely on the steering column and can be set to display in red or white. It reads to 10,000 rpm, and the manufacturer says it is reliable enough for racing conditions.
Photography Credit: Tim Suddard
The company also offers a programmable shift light with a built-in tachometer. It measures only 1.5x4.25 inches and retails for just $62–could be useful when space is tight.
Thanks to Prosport Performance, we now have simple, lightweight, easy-to-read gauges in our Mustang–and they also look period correct and didn’t cost us a mint.
Photography Credit: Tim Suddard
Are you going to clock the gauges so all the needles point straight up to make checking them easier ?
Much better than the previous tooner choice. I agree they should be clocked.
This article answers the question that I sent to the magazine a couple of weeks ago about visibility of the dome/convex lens on the modern gauges. The photos tell the story. I am still several months from installing the set if JDM gauges into my early 65 Mustang restomod. I will experiment with the visors that are included with the JDM gauges to minimize reflection. The staff at Prosport is fantastic to work with. This is a mock-up of the cluster that I am making. I have place holders for the JDM series tach and speedo which won't be available for several more months.
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