If you've been paying any kind of attention to what's been happening in the aftermarket gauge industry lately, you will have undoubtedly noticed a surge of new and stylish gauges as well as gauge panels. One approach that has recently seen an explosion of interest is the use of Art Deco-style ornamentation-from dash inserts to gauge faces, knobs, mirrors, taillights, wheels, and even bodywork. Let's face it, the trend is growing and we say, "Bring it on."
Other fine endeavors spawn from the ever-changing world of the latest, greatest, and more importantly, high-tech car crowd. If you look around close enough, you will be sure to see these two schools of style (nostalgic and high-tech) being subjected to some very interesting ideas.
On the forefront of blending both mentioned styles is Dakota Digital. You might have thought Dakota Digital gauges were only for the contemporary sect, and maybe rightfully so, but times, they are a changin'. No, they haven't started using needles in their gauges, but they have spent some serious time designing a new line of gauge panels that blend state-of-the-art digital readouts with truly hot rod-inspired Art Deco panels. Just take a good look at the RET-2000 panel and you'll notice that the four little windows around the center gauge look very much like the wheel windows of one of the coolest and most popular hot rod wheels ever. You have to admit, even if you never thought digital gauges would look right in a car running a set of old-time wheels like Halibrands, this new panel might change your mind. Especially if said car is running the more contemporary choice of 17-, 18-, or 20-inch Halibrand-style wheels. If you're into that kind of nostalgic/contemporary big wheel crossover, why not transfer that into your interior.
Just about every detail of the new panels from Dakota Digital utilize both hot rod and Art Deco styles. The RET-2001 not only resembles the traditional hot rod oval-shaped panel, but also uses traditional round gauges surrounded by a finned-like ribbed background. The stepped spikes shooting off of each side only add to the early '30s Deco style.
Recently, we had a chance to watch one of the first of these panels from Dakota Digital as it was installed in a '32 roadster. Installation went smooth, as you will soon see, much to the credit of Dakota's Series III control unit. This is the microprocessor-based box that controls every function from the speedo, to telling you what gear you're cruising in. This box is protected with an electronic circuit that resets itself as well as with a limited lifetime warranty. Standard functions include performance calculations (quarter-mile time and speed), adjustable brightness control for day and night driving, adjustable speedo made at the touch of a button to accurately adjust for tire size and gearing, and Dakota's exclusive warning flasher that causes the readout of the water temp, oil pressure, fuel level, and voltage gauges to flash when readings are out of optimum range. Those warning points are adjustable on the water temp and oil pressure gauges to wherever you want.
There is quite a bit more going on in that box, but for now let's check the panels out firsthand so we can all get a close look.