Installing Dakota Digital Gauge System - What's Olds Is New Again

The front acrylic lens, rear ABS plastic subpanel, and mounting brackets....

.....are then cut using the same AutoCAD program as the paper templates.

Circuit boards are then modified and assembled to fit.....

......the confines of the Olds gauge housing.

Once cut and engraved by the laser, the acrylic lens is test fit to the housing.

Satisfied, the lens is then painted sequentially in order....

.....to create the proper viewing windows and visible enunciators.

Since the stock Olds gauge cluster has a curved front lens,....

......brackets are made to hold the lens in place and hug the contours tightly.

RTV adhesive is used between the mounting brackets for additional strength.

The gauge cluster and housing is then checked for fitment.

The circuit boards are mated to the subpanel and await installation into the original housing.

Unlike traditional gauge clusters, a Dakota Digital conversion features a single ribbon display system connector that connects to the control box.

Prior to final assembly, all features of the new gauge cluster are tested and adjusted for proper viewing angle for each individual function.

The cluster is then installed into the housing a final time.

Powered up, the clear digital images are easy to read and constantly updated to give the driver accurate information of the vehicle. The fuel readout is in percent (shown here at roughly half tank) while the volts, water temperature, speedometer, and oil pressure are presented in the traditional configuration. With the displays shown, all the readouts look good, but you might want to slow it down a little!

The new gauge cluster is ready to be installed and is shipped with the control box, appropriate senders, hardware, and instructions to ensure a worry-free installation.