Swapping OEM for VDO gauges

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VanillaThunder
Posts: 36
Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2014 7:24 pm
Your car is a: 1982 Sipder Pinnafarina 2000 FI

Swapping OEM for VDO gauges

Postby VanillaThunder » Thu May 19, 2016 8:27 pm

I'm thinking of upgrading the entire dash on my Spider, looking at Mark's one piece dash, and would like to swap out the original gauges for some new VDO gauges. For those who have done this, what are things I need to look for? I understand these won't be "plug and play", so what should I expect? I've read through the forum and have seen mention of senders, but I'm not sure what this all means. Also, one of the new gauges will be a volt meter, does this just run off of any switched 12v line? Thanks in advance for the help... This is one area I know nothing about. :D

t24todd
Posts: 14
Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2015 7:49 pm
Your car is a: 76 fiat 124 stripped bumperless

Re: Swapping OEM for VDO gauges

Postby t24todd » Sat Oct 22, 2016 8:05 am

Just got done converting most of mine. I took out the clock and put in a voltmeter, coolant temp under, retained my speedometer and tach, oil pressure in the middle, need to get a gas gauge as my new sender still doesn't make the needle move. All were straight forward, standard 2in gauges slip right in. Don't trust readings on 40+ Italian gauges as most of mine were quite off compared to the new. Pm me any questions.

vandor
Posts: 3996
Joined: Sat May 23, 2009 1:23 pm
Your car is a: 1971 124 Spider
Location: Texas, USA

Re: Swapping OEM for VDO gauges

Postby vandor » Tue Oct 25, 2016 11:00 pm

You will have to make adapter for both the oil and the temp senders, as VDO senders are different thread size from Fiat.
Csaba
'71 124 Spider, much modified
'17 124 Abarth, silver
http://italiancarclub.com/csaba/
Co-owner of the best dang Fiat parts place in town

vdesigner99
Posts: 91
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 6:28 pm
Your car is a: 1984 Pinanfarina spyder
Location: Sacramento Ca
Contact:

Re: Swapping OEM for VDO gauges

Postby vdesigner99 » Wed Oct 26, 2016 6:34 pm

Hello has anybody actually made a conversion from the VDO to fiat fittings. I think the VDO's are ASE and of course fiats are metric.
I haven't been able to locate an adapter. I would love this info as Id like to add a mechanical oil pressure guage as a test to the electric one.
Thanks!

Victor
1971 MGB Roadster (sold)
1977 fiat 124 (sold)
2010 Prius
2001 Sequoia
2006 20' REgal bowrider boat.
1984 Pinanfarina

t24todd
Posts: 14
Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2015 7:49 pm
Your car is a: 76 fiat 124 stripped bumperless

Re: Swapping OEM for VDO gauges

Postby t24todd » Thu Nov 03, 2016 8:12 pm

Retain the senders, 9 x out of 10 it's the gauge that isn't reading properly. I retained coolant sender, and used a autometer adapter fitting laying around from an old project for my oil pressure sender. It's m14x1.5 to 1/8npt like most senders accept. Now my gauges are nice and bright/ weigh less, and accurate.


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