GTO-ing up the interior a little bit
 

So, with the 64 not really having much in the way of instrumentation, we've added a few things. I added the factory style tachometer for what it is worth, it is hard to see at a glance given the location but is better than no tach. It always bugged me to drive it without an oil pressure gauge so we added an aftermarket gauge. Recently it began to bug me that it didn't have a temperature gauge so we decided to add one to compliment the oil pressure gauge.

I found that it was REAL hard to find a two hole gauge mount for 2-5/8" gauges. Lots of single and triple choices, but two holers seem to be a rarity. Well, eventually I ran across an almost local company that make just such a thing and on top of that they make them out of aluminum with engine turned swirls, just like on the GTO dash panel insert. So, we will be installing this baby to compliment the GTO dash and to have useful gauges.

Also, does anyone know if there is any way to connect a temp gauge and keep the factory temp warning light? In other words, is there a secondary spot where the temp sending unit can be installed on a 64 tripower 389?

Would be interested in learning where you got that engine turned metal 2 gauge pod. I was able to get mine from Summit where I bought my SW Greenline gauges - no problem finding one - but I really like the engine turned metal panel - especially on a '64....;)

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...1&d=1593643692

https://www.fpmmetals.com/

They also sell a bunch of their stuff on ebay under the user name grinchusa. They have a 100% rating there.

Here's the exact one I bought: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Stewart-War...72.m2749.l2649

I don't see a convenient place to install a sending unit on the intake or heads. You could rig a pipe fitting where the heater hose nipple screws into the intake. It wouldn't be pretty, but easily done. I believe that hole is tapped for 3/8 NPT. You could install a brass tee with one male and two female connections and have a spot for a second sending unit.

If there's not already a spot on the engine I could use, I suppose I'll just remove the warning light sending unit and use that hole. I wish these were like later 60's SBCs where there is a spot to use in either cylinder head. Hopefully the hole in the front of the intake is deep enough to accept the gauge's sending unit.

I wonder if there is any way to rig a fitting into the hole typically occupied by the tripower temp control valve? We changed to mechanical linkage so that valve was replaced with a block off plate and all the vacuum junk and linkages were removed.

On the front of the manifold, there's a place next to the idiot light temp sensor where a thermally controlled vacuum switch goes. It sticks into the water passage, and interlocks with operation of the vacuum tripower linkage. If you've converted to mechanical linkage, that thermal switch isn't needed. You could remove it and replace it with a small adapter plate with a hole threaded to match the gauge sending unit.

Edit...you beat me to it by a few minutes. :)

The trick using that spot would be to find or more likely fabricate an adapter for that hole.

Thanks for the link!

I really like the look and supporting a USA manufacturer is a good thing!!!

You guys beat me to it by a day on the water temp switch location for the Tri-Power Vacuum system. Good Job.

Tom V.

GTO Ing up the interior
 

Like this?

Exactly. Did you make that or buy it somewhere? That's exactly what I want to find. The block off plate I have right now is steel, which is good, but it is too thin to provide enough depth for the threads to really catch I'd think.

Here is the new panel and the gauges mounted (temp not hooked up yet). Shown with black bezels and chrome bezels.

It would look just a little better with a panel with slightly smaller swirls and 2-1/6" gauges would look fine too. We chose 2-5/8" gauges so they'd be easier to read at a quick glance.

GTOing up the interior
 

Made it many years ago from aluminum as I recall. It was thick enough that it could be drilled and tapped for the temp probe. I seem to recall I made the hole too big to begin with so I had to install a brass reducing bushing to thread the probe into. Took some fiddling to get a good seal on the probe, but it’s been in there since about 1978 with no leaks.

You can add the exact dash knurling by using the stick on stuff that you get for the dash. Would do it myself but
I used mine without the sticker on it.

I also thought about that front location as I started to read this thread. Way behind you guys. I have the Vac Secondaries so wouldn't work for me. But if running the block off plate, makes perfect sense to me.

Can't tell which sender Terry put where, but if you do that, don't you want the OE idiot light sender to remain in the factory location and the gauge sender at the block off plate? Just saying!

I like that engine turned gauge panel well enough. I have the 3rd Volt gauge.

Just using the standard black Autometer 3 hole panel.

But my plan was to try to duplicate the radio bezel, etc. ribbed look.

Has anybody accomplished that look for an underdash gauge panel?

On the 64s the original dash insert was actual metal. Ours has the original metal dash insert. I looked into stick on stuff, but it was almost as expensive as the actual metal piece I used and didn't look near as nice as the real metal stuff.

Years ago, as an apprentice in the tool room we would make a machine turned finish on our parts we made such as grinding vices or 1-2-3 blocks using a wooden dowel and lapping compound on a Bridgeport. You just have to pick the correct dowel size and spacing for the swirl pattern.

I supposed I should have started a new thread, but we will plug away on this one since it all started here. So, to install the temp gauge sending unit I had a thicker cover made for the vacuum control sensor blanking plate and put a big hole in the middle and tapped it. Terry has some pictures above with how he did it, I pretty much copied it.

I had a local guy make a copy of the blanking plate out of 1/4" steel. He also punched a 9/16" hole in the center. I had to open up the hole a bit with my Dremel so I could get the 3/8" pipe tap started. I went slowly so I didn't tap too deep and make the hole too big.

Here is the new plate and the fitting and then a picture of them screwed together.

Now if InLine tube will get my blanking plate gaskets sent out I could finish this thing up. I got my Greenlee sheetmetal knockout plug punch today. To route the sending unit you have to knock a 7/8" hole in the firewall and put in a supplied grommet around the sending unit cable. The hole has to be big because the sending unit cannot be detached from the cable and it is fairly large, large enough to fit inside the brass fitting showing in the photos.

here is 4 gauge panel i made to look like my 65 dash without fake wood panel, i originally had 2 gauge panel