Kirkham Engineering's New Gauges

[Rick162]

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Here is the layout in a dash of the New Kirkham Engineering Gauges. These are not made by Autometer. However they are manufactured under contract through Kirkham Engineering in here in Provo Utah.

[hauss]

Originally Posted by Rick162

Im sure the engine Mike Lefevers is building for me will help

Its more than just hp

[rsimoes]

Are they the new standard gauges for Kirkham or an option?

[Rick162]

rsimoes

These are the new standard gauges for the 427 Kirkham. What started the development of these gauges came from Tom Kirkham really wanting to have a more accurate and precise set of vintage looking gauges in the car, that had the componets and build quality equal to the car they build.

Not trying to put any other gauge manufacturers down, Kirkham Motorsports has used Autometer and Smiths in the past. For Tom, to take the effort to develop a MUCH better gauge that has a limited lifetime warranty says a lot about the reliability and accuracy of other gauges that were currently available for the Cobra.

If you look in a Jegs catalog and find a speedo with just a basic LCD odometer and trip, (not fuel level which the Kirkham comes with) the gauge is over $400 for the speedo alone. His gauge set quite honestly is a bargin. ( The KK printed on the dial is for his production cars)

Standard sets sold do not have the double KK on them.

By controlling the componets and electronics manufacturing process,Tom has been able keep the the parts and workmanship quallity extremly high (like always) for his own manufacting and install into his current cars.

Lets face it, most of us are putting significant money and time investment into our engines these days (I'm building a new AL427fe with Mike Lefevers at MITECH). The removal , build, dyno, install.....all tremendous time and not to mention money ....to get it right ....just the way each of us want.

I want my Gauges to be Dead Nuts accurate and accurate under G load as well.

The best part for us with the Cobra Bug on our shoulder is..... now we have more options, A Cobra gauge set that is truly a precise instrument

[rsimoes]

Rick,

Is there an option for analog odometer/trip odometer and a fuel lavel instead of a fuel pressure gauge?

[Rick162]

Do you mean mechanical odometer with rolling numbers? the rolling numbers of the mechanical odometer would demand the case size to triple from our very thin 1.5 inch thickness and these parts that drive these wheels are prone to longevity failures. For larger orders we can do this ....but at this time we are sticking to the LCD odometer trip display in the Speedo

Yes we can do a fuel level gauge to substitute fuel pressure if you like. You can call me at (801) 876-8222 to get more details or order

[Murphy]

Rick, I have two Kirkham 427 cars that I recently purchased (Delivered in October) I am using fuel injected motors and have discussed the gauge incompadibility with the Kirkhams. They are aware of my need and I will wait to hear from them however I could not resist to ask the question of you as to the avalibility of a higher pressure fuel display to accomodate fuel injection systems?

[Rick162]

Murphy

You have two fuel psi gauges leaving tomorrow from Tom Kirkham that read 100psi.....thanks

[Murphy]

Anyone who is reading this forum who does not own a Kirkham should take note of the superhuman customer service not to mention the most unbelievable craftsmanship of the Kirkham cars. I recommend you sell whatever you have of value and buy one. Hats off once again. Mike Murphy.

[Rick162]

Kirkham Engineering successfully implemented a product
durability test at a third party location on its gauges (and another competitor) using a shaker table that induces a 2G load at stepped multiple frequencies (HZ) and random burst loads in the laboratory environment and filmed the test with a High Speed video camera @ 1000 frames per second.

The trick, or art, was to run a random
test profile that represents the actual environment. Damage caused by vibration can be the result of either longterm
fatigue or short-duration exposure to high levels of vibration or stress

We left the test very very confident of our gauges and thier ability to hold a reading with out the needle bouncing all over the place. The video will be very revealing

[Rick162]

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[Rick162]

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[Rick162]

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[richsd]

It appears that these gauges are very good however I see it as unfortunate that we continue to move further away from the original design of the car. The original post says that these have "the look and feel of the period correct gauges" which is not true. These gauges would be out of place on an original car. The previous Autometer gauges in the Kirkham car looked pretty close but after close inspection you can see that they are not correct for example they said "Made in the USA" which should not be there. These new gauges are a definite step away from the original look. I have no doubt that these are better gauges than the original Smiths but let's not try to redefine the original car and say that these gauges are made with the look and feel of period correct gauges when they are not. I think that as improvements are made that it is important to stick to the original look. There is an attempt to do that here but unfortunately for those like me that might be interested in a better gauge that keeps the original look this is a few steps further away from the original than the Autometers.

The objective at Kirkham has always been to build the most accurate replicas according to the original design but to explore opportunities for improvement. If this is a technological improvement that's great but let's just say that and not kid ourselves and say that these represent an original look.

[Rick162]

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[Rick162]

In a lot of ways I agree with you.....There are some astetic tweaks we can do to get these a step or two closer. My goal... Perhaps the removal of the turn signal indicators and reduction of the height of the bezel and bringing the face of the smaller gauges closer to the glass,chrome the bezel. These are simple cosmetic adjustments for us.

I guess the question is ....what is more important to you? To have "an asteticly period exact look" or to have an accurate gauge (instrument )for your 30k engine.

Important Here!!!!!
What is the Gauge really telling you? when 210 degrees is Ok for your engine and 220 Degrees isnt. With a 30k Engine??????

If you are restoring an original car you probably want the Smiths. "If you want have gauges like we had you really need to disconnect two of the gauges altogether" (Phil Remington)

We are not trying to redifine the original car....95% of us are dealing with replicas and some manufactures are more correct looking than others, but remember after all they are not 1965 Cobras.

Autometer puts Made in the USA well......because thats the law.

[richsd]

Originally Posted by Rick162

I guess the question is ....what is more important to you? To have "an asteticly period exact look" or to have an accurate gauge (instrument )for your 30k engine.

Good question and I am sure the answers will differ based on the purpose of each car. For me originality is important so if I had the choice between "period exact look" and improved accuracy, which I did, I would select the original Smiths gauges, which I did. I recognize the risk but so far so good. Ideally I would love to have a gauge that has newer technology behind the scenes but is refaced with an original face from Smiths. Until I can figure out how to make that work I am all original and driving with some level of risk. And loving it by the way.

[rsimoes]

I like the idea of all the new gauges for the engine, since they work and the engines are expensive, but the Smiths for the tach and speedo. They have a step in the background of the gauge and mechanical odo and trip odo that I really like. Autometer painted that "step" in the background, but doesn't look as nice.

I like the idea of making them as close in appearance as you can, like you mentioned in your above response.

[rsimoes]

Rick162,

Could you post individual close up, clear pictures of each new gauge on here, so we can really see them more clearly? (including the fuel level gauge)

[Rick162]

Sure thing...I'll be traveling the next 48 hrs ....and will post as soon as I can