Under Dash Help!!!

[devilman96]

As usual I am up to no good...

I am working on laying out my dash but am lacking a key ingredient for measurements.... which would be THE TRUCK!!!

If someone could help I need to know how much clearance I have to work with behind the dash where the "fluid check/shift pattern" plate is usually located. (snap a few pics if your feeling overly zealous)

I have shrunk the gauge panel down to make room for the radios and AC controls and have to relocate my warning lights cause they aint fitting back in the gauge panel anymore!!!

I would like to put the warning lights up in the "fluid check" plate area so they are "in your face" so to speak but I need 4 inches or so of back spacing to do so... Do I have it up there???

I feel ignorant having to ask something so simple but the help would be appreciated!!!!

 

[Recovry4x4]

Hey, that dash looks familiar! Anyway, the parts cabs are all gone but i'm sure you will have the room. The only thing to consider is if you're going to have a defroster. There are some defroster ducts up there. If you don't have a definitive answer by AM, I'll reach under there with a camera and snap a few. Without defroster ducts you absolutely have the rrom. BTW, whats the original color of that dash?

 

[devilman96]

I was going to call and bug you about this but I don't wanna be the local pest!!!

The color im thinking OD but there is a Navy blue under the OD... Im thinking it was a high build prime coat though the grinding marks from the factory were horrific!!!

The defrost is what I am worried about... I don't want to take that out or end up redesigning the stock ducting when its easily avoidable.

 

[Recovry4x4]

I've found plenty of Strata blue all over this truck. I'm convinced it was an Air Force truck. I'll have a looksee in the AM and try to get a pic up before church.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Also, since your modding your dash, you could put the air shift control in the dash like the 900 trucks. Location is all you but here's a pic. Look under the light switch.

 

[devilman96]

Yeah that was something else I was eye balling... I was thinking of getting a spare from Matt (if he is back yet) to get the right cut out dementions... I have a filter guage like the one pictured and a 2" in dash mount jobber but I think Im going to put that under the hood and out of the way...

 

[Recovry4x4]

Matt won't be back until the weekend. Don't know if he has any of them left or not but I have an extra. I'll be outside within the hour trying to get you a pic.

 

[wallew]

Kenneth,
Is that YOUR truck? I like the passenger hand grab above the glove box.

Did it come that way or is it an add on. I could really use something like that and haven't found one yet.

jim

 

[Recovry4x4]

OK, here are 3 pics. The defroster channel is in the way. Could it me modified? Probably. Just as a guide, the defroster channel's bottom edge is just above the lower screws of the shift data plate. Check out the Strata Blue under the dash, looks like the old wrecker was A/F.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Jim, that's an M936 wrecker, way to expensive for me to own. I think that truck sold for around $36,000 but it sure was nice. Note the auto tranny. Mike, I was just reading your post and wanted to ask what warning lights? Of the 3 that are in the dash panel only one is a warning light and that is for the bright headlights, the other 2 actually provide light for your gauges. Will you be retaining factory style gauges or going aftermarket? Aftermarket gauges usually have their own lights. There is a low air warning light kit that some trucks have in the center of the dash, there is also a parking brake idiot light kit (for me). Westach http://www.westach.com/ makes some pretty wild custom gauges with 2 different operations within. Custom built so you can get a pyro and boost in the same gauge. Not elcheapo but very nice.

 

[devilman96]

I think im going to go after market... Lights will be high beam, lock out, and warning for the 12V charge (subject to change at this point)... Thank you for taking those!!! After seeing that I backed off a few inches and lowered the hole location from where I was going to go (see pic) should save me a bunch of work later...

Also Wallen/Ken thanks for the grab bar idea!!! I threw a piece of 3/4 DOM in the tubing bender and presto!!