356 VDO gauge retrofit for VS

LfepardoSeattle, WA, 2013 VS

Guys, has anyone with a VS done a Chinese gauge to 356 VDO gauge retrofit?

I have a Kirk built 2013 VS with Chinese replica 105mm diameter gauge, installed in 112mm diameter hole. Larger hole than I expected. .... but the caliper doesn't lie! VS uses a rubber gasket to secure the chinese gauge to the larger hole.

I want to install original VDO gauges 100mm diameter into the HUGE VS 112mm hole.

I have a mesage out to Carey (special edition) to purchase the rubber 911 rubber gasket he uses to fit his new 100mm VDO gauge installation into the larger holes Cut for Chinese replicas.

I hear this early 911 gauge gasket can fill up to 10mm... Possibly up to 15mm... Is this correct?

Has anyone done this retrofit, and have pictures and "lessons learned" they can share?

Teby has shared the pictures of his retrofit, and it looks AWESOME... But I'm wondering whether he must have started out with smaller that 111mm gage holes, because his new VDO gauges looks perfect... no vupissual sign of rubber gaskets.

Attahed is a picture of my VS car today (the starting point)... Chinese 105mm gauge installed into a 112mm hole... You can see the black rubber spacer gasket that Kirk uses behind the chrome bezel....

This second picture is also my car with a 356 VDO 100mm gauge Mocked up into the hole... No rubber gasket installed... bIg gap...+10mm! Plenty of room for the cables. You can actually push the gauge through the hole.

- Will the 911 rubber gasket fill the gap? And what will it look like? I hear the 911 gasket can fill up to 15mm...

-- I'm curious if anyone can confirm this. And can share any pictures of a 100mm gauge installed in the larger hole ... And can you remember what was the diameter of the hole in your cars.

The third picture is Teby's car... looks AWESOME. no sign of rubber gasket, but he did use one, which he got from North Holliwood who restored his original 356 original gauges. Also very cool that at only 2800 rpm, he is running at nearly 80mph!

I assuming the hole had to be not much larger than 105mm since the chrome lip on the 356 gauge is ~2.8 mm beyond the 100mm gauge box ( total exterior diameter of ~106mm....). ...And you don't see the rubber gasket!!

Fouth picture, the rubber gasket Kirk uses to hold in place his Chinese replicas.

- Does anyone have a picture of the gasket that Carey sells?

i just returned to rainy seattle, and am looking forward to start the retrofit now that the rainy season is upon us.....

cheers,

luis

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11/3/151:16 PM

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Trevor P.

I had exactly the same issues when trying to replace my Vintage Speedster China gauges with the new VDO gauges from Carey at Special Edition.

New VDO Gauges: 809_VDO_3_Instruments_3

My Vintage Speedster gauge hole openings were 110mm in diameter. The China replica gauges are 105mm inside the chrome lip, and the rubber gaskets take up the additional 5mm. So, now they measure 110mm inside the rubber lip and fit the 110mm holes.

The new VDO gauges are 100mm inside the chrome lip, same as real 356 gauges. So, even with the rubber gaskets, now measuring 105mm, they still fall right through the 110mm holes.

So, I found a set of 100mm to 108mm plastic hub centric wheel mounting rings:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-Plas...00-108-/151734088240

I sanded down the plastic flares and an extra 3mm so they became perfect 100mm inner diameter and 105mm outer diameter rings. Slid the rings over the gauges, then the rubber gaskets over the rings (the rubber stretches easily). Now, starting at 105mm plus the extra 5mm of the rubber gasket, I was able to fill and fit snugly in the 110mm holes.

There is a bit more black showing around the gauges, however the incredibly smooth gas needle, RPM needle, and temp needle make up for it! Not to mention perfectly accurate GPS speed.

By the way, the 911 rubber gauge gaskets that Carey sells are exactly the same as the rubber gauge gaskets that Kirk at Vintage sells/uses. Your picture of the rubber gasket above is one I took. :-)

Hope this helps.

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11/3/154:41 PM

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WOLFGANG'89 CMC FWB, FL Supporting Member

WOW - great solution and write-up

11/3/154:58 PM

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LfepardoSeattle, WA, 2013 VS

elegant idea.... This really helps.

Million thanks

11/3/155:26 PM

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aircooled(Bruce) Supporting Member

This is one of the best presentations I have ever seen on this site! Thank-you Lfepardo! I'm going to try to follow your example....Again....Thanks.....Bruce

11/3/158:23 PM

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fuguboy

My VS tach just quit , does the rubber just slide off the back ? Thanks for any advice before I go back under the dash .

11/8/158:24 PM

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WOLFGANG'89 CMC FWB, FL Supporting Member

You should be able to push gauge from back to you. Gasket holds around edges. Check trigger wire on coil first BUT the Chinese tachs are troublesome.

11/9/156:29 AM

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fuguboy

Thanks Wolfgang will try this week. I was looking for brackets on thumbscrews in the back and only saw a rubber band thingy . Thanks again I'm glad I read this post .

11/9/1510:11 PM

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Gordon NicholsMassachusetts 1993 CMC Supporting Member

Fuguboy: Remember; before you go to all of the trouble of removing the tach and all (and I'm not saying that it is OK, just looking to eliminate the easier stuff first) Find a dwell meter or technician's test tachometer and connect it to driver terminal of your tach to see if it shows life. If it does, then remove the tach. If it doesn't show rpm life at the back of the tach, then the problem is in the driver signal circuit, not the tach.

11/10/158:54 AM

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LfepardoSeattle, WA, 2013 VS

As someone w/ 0 electrical know how... where would the driver signal circuit be located?

Million thanks

11/10/152:45 PM

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WOLFGANG'89 CMC FWB, FL Supporting Member

Should be a tach trigger wire to the + coil terminal. Might have popped off or bad crimp/solder connection. Maybe simple ground issue to gauge.

11/10/154:32 PM

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