C5/C6 Chassis Build for my C2 1964 Corvette Roadster Resto Mod About to begin!!! by Vetterodder com

3 minute(s) of a 65 minute read

As a crazy man, I decided to re-chrome my 1964 Dash Cluster. This was quite an ordeal and although I am happy now, the last month and a half dealing with the chrome shop was challenging. The following shows the restoration of the dash cluster and the installation of the custom AutoMeter gauges using the clever installation hardware developed by Joe Lutz at Hot Rod Dynamics (thanks Joe).

The bezels were pitted so I bead blasted the cluster to assess the overall condition. At this point I had decided for the chrome versus just painting the bezels. Unfortunately, the chrome shop went a bit overboard on the copper in an effort to fill in the pits. Working with the shop, I brought in the gauges to show how they would not even fit in the holes. The shop was willing to work with me and began to grind and shape this cluster back into shape.

This is what it looked like after the copper bath without the grinding/shaping:

After much work, here is what the cluster looks like after the chrome process:

Time to mask it up, prime and paint:

These are my custom AutoMeter Gauges for the 1964 RestoMod. I also had the clock modified to match the gauges:

Here you can see part of the Hot Rod Dynamics kit that allows the installation of the AutoMeter gauges. It consists of 3 stainless plates that are perfectly fabricated to fit the back of the dash cluster using existing mount locations. The kit comes with all the mounting hardware, spacers, and a complete set of instructions to make this install very straight forward:

Given the chrome build up, for my installation I needed to eliminate the use of the provided spacers in order to have the spacing allowing the instruments to properly screw into the brackets.

And here is the finished product: