Post #68, 2-22-24, Installing a Dakota Digital Instrument Cluster (Dash/Speedometer), in a 1965 Mustang. (1964 & 1966)

1965 Mustang Restoration

Today's post is all about upgrading my 65's instrument cluster (speedometer). This will be the 3rd round of cluster redoing I've had, starting with my original black-faced speedo w/upgraded blue LED lights & removed oem blue diffusers. 

This was how it looked disassembled & after I had applied the white-face decals. The odometer was also reset to 00000 once the restoration was completed, since it was basically a completely new car.

 These are the blue diffusers that I removed when installing new Blue LED lights.

  

And here's the cluster installed in the daytime, and at night. So much easier to see & read. And the white facing also made a huge difference.

With this style of cluster, in order for my Dakota Digital Cruise Control System to work,,, this is the adapter that went between the cluster & the speedo cable.

  After a couple of years though, over the Winter time, I decided to do the major/expensive upgrade to a new Dakota Digital Instrument Cluster (about $750). When I contacted them to custom build my cluster, I told them my mileage, the color of back lighting that I preferred, and a bit more of my preferences & vehicle specs. 

 

  This is how the dash is advertised for day & night time, and there are many things that it can do, for both adjustability & driving preferences. I have been Extremely Happy with this upgrade!  

And this is what all shows up when it arrives. All sorts of goodies to figure out how to route & install. It's not that hard to do, but if you get stuck, just call DD & they will talk you through it.

 

This is the brains of the operation. The key to me, was finding an easily accessible area to mount it. And the spot that seemed like it would work the best for me,, was in the area that was formerly occupied by the speedometer cable.

So I designed a mounting plate for the brain out of cardboard. Then I built it out of thin, but sturdy aluminum. I added 2 small strips of windlace to the sides of the of the aluminum in case it rubbed on any wiring.

There's a mounting tab on both ends of the brain, I just slid the front tab into an opening I created in the bracket, and then a simple little mounting screw in the back. Super easy in & out.

It was very easy routing all of the wiring to this area. Also, this brain is designed to work perfectly with my Dakota Digital Cruise Control setup,, and I now, no longer needed that bulky speedo cable adapter that I previously had to use.

Once everything was installed, I grabbed our Garmin & when on a road test to see if I had to adjust my MPH setting,,, and the info I gave the DD tech guys must have been pretty good,,, cause I'd say I was within a half of a MPH of what Garmin was reading,,, and I did a 10 mile, mile-marker run on the highway, and it was also right on the money,,, so I called it GOOD!

 

Next up will be the redesign of my front lower valance for more air flow to the radiator.  Til then,,,,