Which aftermarket gauges are good these days?

[gzig5]

I hope to be putting the dash back in the car this fall. I'll be freshening up the standard cluster which was all working OK and try to get the clock working correctly to start with. Might convert ammeter to voltmeter. At some point in the future I'd love to have a Dakota Digital setup but it isn't in the budget for a while. In the meantime I think that I could cobble together a relatively nice gauge cluster using aftermarket gauges that would save quite a bit of money. I'd like to use good quality gauges that are accurate and reliable.
I haven't had the opportunity to use any aftermarket analog gauges in decades so I'm looking for input on those topics regarding the various brands. Setup would probably be full size speedometer and tach, then the oil pressure, voltage, and coolant temp. Autometer, Stewart Warner, and VDO appear to be the big dogs but I haven't heard any feedback on their performance.

 

[6PKRTSE]

I have a Racepak data logger in my car along with a Racepak dash. It has 4 screens (24 different gauges). I have 1 screen for my street dash with 6 gauges, 1 screen for at the track on motor only with 6 different gauges and 1 screen when on spray with 6 different gauges and the 4th screen I haven't even used. However, only certain gauges change per screen as I have them set up.

 

[Mopar Nut]

If I was you I would run the original until you could afford Dakota Digital gauges.

 

[gzig5]

If I was you I would run the original until you could afford Dakota Digital gauges.

That's probably a wise choice. Doing it twice is seldom cheaper. Having said that, I do need a good tachometer for the meantime. The one I have seems a bit sketchy. So lets focus on that.

 

[Ricks72Chlgr440]

I hope to be putting the dash back in the car this fall. I'll be freshening up the standard cluster which was all working OK and try to get the clock working correctly to start with. Might convert ammeter to voltmeter. At some point in the future I'd love to have a Dakota Digital setup but it isn't in the budget for a while. In the meantime I think that I could cobble together a relatively nice gauge cluster using aftermarket gauges that would save quite a bit of money. I'd like to use good quality gauges that are accurate and reliable.
I haven't had the opportunity to use any aftermarket analog gauges in decades so I'm looking for input on those topics regarding the various brands. Setup would probably be full size speedometer and tach, then the oil pressure, voltage, and coolant temp. Autometer, Stewart Warner, and VDO appear to be the big dogs but I haven't heard any feedback on their performance.

Pretty hard to beat the DD setup. I bought it during the Summit Racing black friday sale so saved a little. I am on the verge of replacing my standard cluster with the DD rallye setup. Several things that sold me on the DD cluster I got was I could get an electronic fuel pressure sender integrated into my DD display. I really couldn't care less about the clock, but it's part of the cluster. Going from just a basic speedo and gas gauge to the DD will be fantastic. I'm using the bypass setup so the ammeter is non-functional. I don't like hanging gauges below my dash. With the DD I will be able to actually see the voltage in the system, which will be very nice. The other thing that pushed me to the rallye DD is the size of the tach. The standard DD gauge setup had a very small tach that I think looked funny. As was said above, save your shekels and get a nice DD piece instead of trying to cobble something to make things work. You'll be glad you did. If you change to rallye you'll need to buy more pieces, but if you stay with the standard setup it should be very simple.

 

[Mopar Nut]

Having said that, I do need a good tachometer for the meantime.

Aftermarket or used tachometer will be a hit and miss. If you run an electronic ignition you’re gonna need a tack adapter.

 

[Oystercopy]

I just got through converting to original, Analog gauges. Mine were OER as I didn't want the Dakota Digital, not into the look, personally. Mine cost me some $$ to have done, but it was mostly due to the burned wiring under the dash that had to be repaired. I love them though!
OC

 

[Mopar Nut]

They look great.

 

[heminut]

I have a Racepak data logger in my car along with a Racepak dash. It has 4 screens (24 different gauges). I have 1 screen for my street dash with 6 gauges, 1 screen for at the track on motor only with 6 different gauges and 1 screen when on spray with 6 different gauges and the 4th screen I haven't even used. However, only certain gauges change per screen as I have them set up.

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No help at all to the OP's question!

 

[6PKRTSE]

No help at all to the OP's question!

His title says which aftermarket gauges are good these days. I was letting him know what I went with in my car. It is another option.

 

[gzig5]

No help at all to the OP's question!

Not directly, but it did remind me that those programmable solutions are out there. I plan on running road race and Auto-X with the car and while at my level @6PKRTSE Racepack kit is overkill, I do appreciate the flexibility and technical aspect of it. I would probably simplify under dash wiring.
I am not tied to an OEM look, though I do like that Rally dash that @Oystercopy did. I think I would replace the two on the right with 4-6 individual gages, whatever fits best. I will likely be integrating a flat screen into the dash or lower dash somehow. I want to have Carplay available and I can't seem to live without a rear view camera anymore.