Gauges: Auto Meter vs. Stewart Warner

[Blaze86Vic]

For a true race car, having all electric is the safest way. less lines to fail. I just don't see the need to be more than 2-3 degree acurate on a temp gauge. I mean come on, does it really matter that the engine is 198 vs 201? No. Cost is really the detirmining factor. I did an electric water temp gauge, because the water temp sensor is in the open and gets bumped a lot on my car, so another orifice one could break just like my old one. I kept the mechanical oil pressure gauge because I have never in my life had any issues with it, and it's a nylon line covered in a rubber hose. The same line has been through 3 gauges and almost 10 years. I keep thinking about replacing it, but it's in great shape, no drying or heat fatique. If you use mechanical oil pressure line, either go copper of cover in a small hose.

[Embassy]

I chose VDO because of their OEM appearance.

[DanHool]

i know nothing about guages, but i have drven busses with well over 1,000,000 miles that have Stewart warner guages, as well as a few busses with VDO guages

[gadget73]

I personally have Sunpro in the car, and Faria on the boat. Porsche OEM are VDO guages, and a lot of 80s performance boats used VDO. I've really seldom had to replace instrumentation even on boats, so I can't say any particular brand seems to show a high rate of failure. Tempo brand marine guages seem to be pretty much crap but nothing else stands out as being garbage. Its probably all a matter of personal preference. Get what you think looks good.

[85crownHPP]

I like electric - like jonny said they dont need to be exact measurmeents.

I went with the cheapest ones possible that dont look like crap, the Sunpro. I cant imaging spending 50-100 just for one gauge...
At 25-35$ per gauge and $35 for a mini tach, you cant beat the value of sunpro, and you can get black ones or chrome w/whiteface too in that price range.

Ive had mine for about 4 years now... all still working fine.

[FatNasty]

I wanted to get 2 guages, at least for now. What would the most useful two be in your opinions. I was thinking a temp. for sure, then either a tach or oil pressure, but i really have no clue. BTW whats the best place to pickup sunpro guages for cheap pete?

[Grand Marquis GT]

I wanted to get 2 guages, at least for now. What would the most useful two be in your opinions. I was thinking a temp. for sure, then either a tach or oil pressure, but i really have no clue. BTW whats the best place to pickup sunpro guages for cheap pete?

I like three.

Oil Pressure, Temp, and Voltage...

[Blaze86Vic]

Yeah, those three are the really important ones. I don't have a volt gauge now, but I hope to soon.

[85crownHPP]

you can get them at advance and autozone - they might not have the ones you want on the shelf, so aske them to get you the catalouge and you can see all of them.

Also there is an Ebay seller selling them in buy-it-now auctions for a little cheaper, Ill look him up if you want.