'Garage Art' FIA Dash Project

[tkb289]

Need gauges, switches & lamps to populate the FIA dash that I recently purchased from David Krikham's epic 'scratch and dent' sale. The goal is to wind up with a piece of unique 'Garage Art'.

Looking for any non functional, surplus or even slightly damaged instruments and parts that are either inexpensive or free. If you have any to sell or donate to the project, please send me a PM and we can arrange the details.

The holes for the tachometer and speedometer are 3-3/8" and the holes for the other instruments are 2-5/8"

Not necessarily looking for 'period correct', just something close enough.

'Garage Art' FIA Dash Project


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Some time ago, I took a photo of the dash of the Gurney car, CSX 2323, and it had the following instruments (left to right)

- water temp
- tach
- oil pressure
- amp
- oil temp
- pressure
- speedo (far right, out of the picture)

The hole pattern is different than the dash I have. I would imagine that there were variations of instrument layouts over the years, especially for racing cars.

I would suspect that a fuel gauge could be substituted for the 'pressure' gauge?

CSX 2323




So … any parts, comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Thanks!

[jeffy]

eBay has lots of used, inexpensive gauges for sale. The Stewart-Warner speedo, the Sun tach and the S-W "pressure" gauge (it was for fuel pressure) are hard to come by, but the other gauges are plentiful.

BTW, that looks like a USRRC dash layout, which often had a Smiths tach.

[Dangerous Doug]

Tim:
I have three (non-functional) gauges gathering dust in my garage---they are yours for the taking:

SW Tachometer (fails at high rpm...which the way I drive is problematic...)
SW Speedometer (speedo works, odometer does not...)
SW Oil Temperature (never seemed to show the correct oil temp, replaced and new one works great).

These are the SW "Classic" series, typical for the ERA FIA Cobras. Wipe the dust off, and they are yours. I always have a hard time throwing stuff out---glad to see them go to something kind of "fun".

DD

[Dangerous Doug]

...think of it as "my contribution to the arts".

[Got the Bug]

Cool project Tim! Look forward to seeing it take shape.

[azfordman]

I have a burnt out amp meter you could have. The needle is loose and would need to be mounted, but you are welcome to it. Mark

[tkb289]

Originally Posted by jeffy

eBay has lots of used, inexpensive gauges for sale. The Stewart-Warner speedo, the Sun tach and the S-W "pressure" gauge (it was for fuel pressure) are hard to come by, but the other gauges are plentiful.

BTW, that looks like a USRRC dash layout, which often had a Smiths tach.

Jeff,

Thanks for the info. The signage with the car stated that CSX 2323 was an FIA car and it also has the trunk dimples … did some of the cars see duty at both FIA and USRRC events ?

- Tim

[tkb289]

Originally Posted by Dangerous Doug

Tim:
I have three (non-functional) gauges gathering dust in my garage---they are yours for the taking:

SW Tachometer (fails at high rpm...which the way I drive is problematic...)
SW Speedometer (speedo works, odometer does not...)
SW Oil Temperature (never seemed to show the correct oil temp, replaced and new one works great).

These are the SW "Classic" series, typical for the ERA FIA Cobras. Wipe the dust off, and they are yours. I always have a hard time throwing stuff out---glad to see them go to something kind of "fun".

DD

Originally Posted by Dangerous Doug

...think of it as "my contribution to the arts".

Doug,

Sounds great!

Those (3) gauges will get me off to a great start. My guess is the Tachometer and Speedometer are the two hardest ones to get. Thank you so much for your contribution to the 'Arts'

- Tim

[tkb289]

Originally Posted by Got the Bug

Cool project Tim! Look forward to seeing it take shape.

Doug,

I'll post updates from time to time as I fill in the dash … need a project to get me warmed up for when my car gets here … which is hopefully soon !

- Tim

[Dangerous Doug]

Once your car arrives you'll be busy...

DD

[tkb289]

Originally Posted by Dangerous Doug

Once your car arrives you'll be busy...

DD

… you got that right … busy trying to keep up with you

[tkb289]

Originally Posted by azfordman

I have a burnt out amp meter you could have. The needle is loose and would need to be mounted, but you are welcome to it. Mark

Mark,

I'll take it … sent you a PM.

Thanks!

- Tim

[Fullchat289]

Tim:

The dash layout you have is the same as the Ken Miles car, csx2431. Here's a link:

http://shelbyamericancollection.org/.../csx2431.shtml

And here's a link to a pic that a CC member took of the dash in the car:

http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/s...g.php/size/big

I know this info b/c I bought the same dash from David during the sale and asked him from what car this layout came from. One of the books I have indicates that Ken had a preference for Jeager instruments and the larg 5" tach in the car was a Jeager, but to me, the photo appears to have a Smiths tach in it. Nisonger is currently reproducing a 5" tach that looks period correct but it's spendy at $450. Plus, I'm not sure that you could fit a 5" tach in the present 3 3/8" tach location:

http://www.nisonger.com/whats-new.htm

- Allen.

[strictlypersonl]

From what I can tell, DD's got a street dash with the 2 1/16" small gauges, not the 2 5/8" gauges of the Comp dash.
Could be wrong...

[Dangerous Doug]

I have the "competition" dash with the "scareometer" (speedometer) in front of the passenger on the far right.

DD