First off i want to tell you that i own an automotive repair shop.

I have had it for 8 years now, But have been in the business for 25.

So i know just a little bit about cars lol.


I do have a question on this 66 Charger i bought though.


When i got the car, It was a basket case. The guy had started to restore it, And was unable to finish it.

All the interior is out of it, But i have it all.

I installed the instrument cluster, And have dash lights and the amp gauge works. However, None of the other gauges work.

I pulled a schematic on it, And from what i understand, All the gauges should have a 5 volt reference. And that is where my problem is i think.

I have 12 volts on ALL points on the back of the cluster.

I checked the resistor on the firewall, And it has 12 volts in, And 5 out.

The guy had replaced it, So i thought maybe he hooked a wire up to it wrong. So i disconnected it and i still have 12 volts going to all points on the cluster.

What i want to know is, Where does the cluster get its 5 volt reference from? It obviously isnt the resistor under the hood, So there must be one inside the car that i am not seeing.


Does anyone know where it is? And am i correct about all the gauges having 5 volts going to them rather then 12?


I appreciate any help with this.

I have included a couple pic's of the car.

David.

 

You should have a small silver rectangular voltage limiter plugged into the back of the cluster.

This is a picture of one taken out and replaced by a bridge rectifier.

 

Did some reading and found out it has a set of points built into the back of the fuel gauge.

It also reduces the voltage there. And they are common to go bad.


I took the cluster apart and sure enough, It was burnt in there.


So, I found a guy on the net that rebuilds clusters. Specializing in 66 and 67 Chargers.

Going to get a quote from him to completely restore the cluster.


His name is gaugedoc. Or rather, Thats his email.

Anyone heard of him? He has links on his site showing pics of clusters he has reconditioned, And they look real nice.

 

Im not personally familiar with him but Ive seen his rebuilt gauges in shelby mustang restoration.Try a search on shelby mustang forum or saac.The work was beautiful and 100 perent faithful to original specs.Not shilling for them just remember reading the name.

 

He wants 800 to completely restore the gauges.

That is replacing the fuel gauge setup with newer internal parts. Repainting the gauge face, buffing the plastic covers, And repainting the gauges them selves.


Also, he will rebuild the tach and speedo if necessary.