Yet another gauge question

[MrPandy]

Once again, my situation - '71 TR6, has speedometer, tach, fuel, water temperature, ammeter, and electric oil pressure gauge (not connected - no sender). All gauges have black bezels.

I want a working oil pressure gauge, and a voltmeter. All of the voltmeters I see are newer and have chrome bezels. Can I put in a complete set of later-model TR6 gauges with chrome bezels, or were there changes made to the speedometers and tachometers over the years and they won't work in a '71? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Thanks

 

[PeterK]

Andy
I expect the bezel would be easily removed and painted or powder coated black. Most of our gauges have a twist off bezel.
PeterK

 

[Andrew Mace]

Instruments will interchange physically (except, of course, that a voltmeter will connect differently than did the ammeter). Mainly, the graphics changed, needles on small gauges pointed upward, and the bezel changed to black & chrome (IIRC). If you were to locate a complete set of later TR6 instruments, the only other big concern is to make sure the "ratio number" (for lack of a better term, but it indicates the turns per mile) on the speedometer is the same as the one you're replacing.

 

[MrPandy]

I didn't really consider that, Peter, and I suppose if I repaint all of them, I'll have a pretty good match. But I do like the look of chrome bezels and was curious about switching them all over.

Andy - what got me thinking about this was a set of instructions from Dan Masters that I stumbled across about switching from an ammeter to a voltmeter. Otherwise, I would probably keep the ammeter and either look for an electric oil pressure sender or a mechanical oil gauge. And having the needles pointing downward does give it a unique look, so I guess I'm really torn between the two options now.

 

[Andrew Mace]

[ QUOTE ]
Once again, my situation - '71 TR6, has speedometer, tach, fuel, water temperature, ammeter, and electric oil pressure gauge (not connected - no sender)...

[/ QUOTE ]Took awhile, but it suddenly hit me. I wasn't aware that any TR6 models HAD an electric oil pressure gauge. Perhaps this is a previous owner's replacement?

TR6 owners, feel free to correct me here. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[RomanH]

Andy,
You are right. The TR6 came with a mechanical oil pressure gauge for the entire model run.

 

[MrPandy]

Andy - that was my guess, since I've never found any electric oil pressure sender for a TR6 on any website or in any catalog. I think the PO had an empty space in the dash and an old gauge that fit, so there it is. The one wire that is attached is clipped off about one inch from the terminal, so I don't think it ever was functional in my car.

I suppose I'll be better off looking for a mechanical gauge rather than an electric sending unit.

 

[Brosky]

Check Ebay. Someone had a bunch of gages for sale and the bids were going all week.

 

[dklawson]

Check eBay but don't limit your search to TR6 parts. Use keywords like "smiths" when searching eBay Motors. (Don't search for Smiths on the main eBay web site, use eBay Motors, or you'll be hit with hundreds of references to a British music group and a couple of other weird things.)eBay Motors will give you about two pages of Smiths gauge and electrical parts to sort through.

On the 52mm (small) Smiths gauges I've seen the black bezels were some form of coating over traditional chrome plating. After removing the bezels a little paint stripper, gentle rubbing, and a little chrome polish result in very nice shiny bezels. The one 4" gauge I've worked with had no chrome on its bezel but was originally painted black over bare steel.

A number of the Jags used volt meters and these show up on eBay frequently. They aren't hard to wire in on any LBC. Like the others, I'm not familiar with Smiths electric oil pressure gauges.

 

[Hayfever]

For a voltmeter with the downward pointing needle for a TR6 look for TVR gauges. Dad stole the one out of my 2500M dash for his 69 TR6 which looked like it was supposed to be there. I took it back and he bought one from a TVR Vixen which was great as well. One of the TVR vendors such as Rich Rock or the TVRCCNA Club Market at Carlisle this weekend should have them for sale.