Since I haven't located aftermarket guage how-to in the sear

[Comanchehumvee]

I have a project that I need to install aftermarket guages in. Even looked at the compact Dakota Digital units. Do they have plug and play for an '86 Comanche?

 

It has a completely reworked dash , and the new opening in that new body/dash is a mere 4 1/2" inches tall by a good 20 inches wide. I need to install the aftermarket guages, because there is no more room for the stock box/panel.

I replaced the wiring loom into the new body....and the old instrumentation is merely a maze of copper impregnated onto plastic.

 

Has anyone ever "mapped" the wires on the connector to the back of the stock guages assembly? A wiring diagram for each wire would be helpful. I tried numerous times and numerous entry wording to get the subject matter...but to no avail.

 

Now I'll jade the pot. Alot of you will remember me as DILLINGER.

 

Here's a couple of pictures of the project that I'm up against.

http://thebulletproofmonk.blogspot.com/ ... t-all.html

It's one hundred percent Comanche unitframe, 3.1 Camaro V6 and 231 TC under the new body. The floor pans are all new, and firewall has been widened to 82" wide.

[kro10000]

Sorry I have no technical info to add here, but I will say that thing is awesome :clapping:

 

Oh yeah and welcome to CC :waving:

[shelbyluvv]

Like the one and only Dillhole? if it is you, you will understand.

[Comanchehumvee]

Yup...it's me.

:thwak:

 

kro..I'm not new here....just changing aliases to reflect the new project.

This thing weighs around 3300 right now, and I don't expect it to go over 3600 lbs.

 

I'm following a couple of builds over on DeiselBombers right now. They've used the Mercedes 5 cylinder diesel engines successfully. That'll be the next step.

[shelbyluvv]

I do not know of any company that makes drop in replacement gauge clusters for the MJ. You could go all aftermarket gauges. But, they will run you $500+ for all of them. You can follow the pins on the connectors to where the go on the gauge with a thin line Sharpie. I did this when I was swapping the ZJ gauges into my 86 Cluster. The 86 gauges are pretty "dumb" gauges. Could you use a YJ cluster for your project?

 

Welcome back Dillinger I ain't heard from you since the long gone JU Off Topic days. Heard anything from Para lately?

[Comanchehumvee]

Is he still kickin, incarcerated , or otherwise?? LOL

Picture in my office of a meet n' greet with me, Para, Frou-frou, HoosXJ and a couple other folks I cannot remember the names of.

Naudeaux used to date my neighbor. I think they're married now.

Joe actually got another forum together...I'm out there occassionally. It's JUOT- something in the URL.

 

As far as the mapping of this thing, I spoke with Dakota today. They confirmed that they do not make a plug in. This is dissappointing, because most trailer recievers and radio aftermarkets do this as a minimum. Told the dude " too bad. You had a unit sold today if you'd just done the minimum to sell it". Guess I'm gonna need the service manual, now.

[Comanchehumvee]

"Could you use a YJ cluster for your project?

THERE's an idea!! Let me look into this. I think it's narrow enough to fit over the steering column and into the limited height of the dash.