Kimnach's 1988 IROC-Z

Reverse Glow Gauges


Since I had torn apart the interior to wire the carputer and audio system, I decided to install a 145mph speedometer (had a 115 originally) and a set of reverse-glow halo gauges from Streetracerparts.  While I like the look of the gauges, the folks who designed these may not have had a Camaro instrument cluster (IC) handy while doing so.  The power tab on the battery voltage gauge, in particular, is problematic.  Although they warn against bending the tabs--almost anything can be bent, if done properly and carefully--I decided to bend it instead of cutting the white IC housing.  In spite of having applied a spray adhesive to both the original gauge face and the back of the white gauge, the leverage caused by the bend would slowly cause detachment.  I then dremeled a hole through the IC and all is well.  (The power tab and wire nearly touch the steering column, and that is why I wanted to avoid doing this.  But it's not noticable.  C'est la vie.)

The inverter is mounted under the dash pad, and a hole is drilled through the top of the IC housing for the gauge cluster harness.  The 12Vdc power for the inverter is tapped from the car's light switch harness.  I also used a  nibbler to remove the lip on the factory gauges so that the white face gauges could sit flush.  The controller is adhered to the top of the cigarette lighter pod, which required that I dremel a slot along the adjoining portion of the dashboard.

I have painted the white needles a florescent orange.

Pictures are worth more than words, so that's all you get for now:-)

Interior Removed
Interior removed

Headlight Switch Power Tap
Headlight power tap
12V & ground.  12V from the headlight ON wire (yellow)

Nibbler and Nibbling of Gauges for Power Tabs






Battery Gauge Tab and IC hole
Battery tab too long

Cutout in IC housing

Bench test
test

Inverter and controller
right angle drill attachment Inverter harness access hole
Use right angle attachment to drill hole through the top of the IC mount in the dash.  The white IC housing also has hole drilled, obviously.

Inverter under dashpad
Inverter fits just right....

Controller atop lighter pod

First a bit of paint...
I figured that while the IC is out and based on the darkness of the needle while bench testing it, I'd paint the needles florescent orange.
 
 


Then Install


And now a night shot

Comments, questions, or concerns?  e-mail me at my kimnach.org or at my roadrunner.com address

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