I blew apart the old cluster. This sure did bring back memories! I did the initial cluster design for these back in '83-'84... I had forgotten how much **** we packed into these...
http://images42.fotki.com/v664/photo...MVC011F-vi.jpg
With the lens removed.
http://images52.fotki.com/v637/photo...MVC013F-vi.jpg
What I am going to do is remove all of the original gauges and light pipe and replace them with a flat panel and Autometers' Pro-Comp 5" speedo and tach.
Here is the back of the light pipe where all of the gauges are mounted. Once this is removed the cluster case itself is an empty shell...
http://images24.fotki.com/v874/photo...MVC017F-vi.jpg
I took everything off the back and used the light pipe as a pattern to make a foam board blank. I used that 5 dollar saw to cut this out...
http://images55.fotki.com/v268/photo...MVC010F-vi.jpg
I used the scroll saw again to cut out some more foam core to make the speedo and tach. I used these to mock up the gage positions in the cluster.
http://images16.fotki.com/v377/photo...MVC011F-vi.jpg
As you can tell I am not going to have a lot of room for the fuel level gage so I may make a tunnel in the upper shroud so I can push the gage higher in the cluster. there is nothing up there so there is plenty of room as long as I don't block the gage with the upper bezel.
Here is the basic layout of the instrument cluster and center stack gage cluster.
http://images55.fotki.com/v608/photo...MVC013F-vi.jpg