Porsche 914 gauges on a bug

Hi RAMVA!

I've been reading some of the tech articles on Germanlook.com and fell in love with one showing how to install a porsche 914 gauge cluster. Checked out on ebay and found a used, condition unknown cluster for a good price. it will need a lot of cleaning, but I can do that without a problem (already restored a lot of bug speedos). The article says the fuel gauge works the same as the one on the bug and the speedo too. But, do I need a longer speedometer cable? if so, what kind of cable should I get? Also. Should I wire the tachometer to the coil just like almost any other tach? Do you have any advice on how to wire the cluster?

Thanks a lot

Karls

Reply to
Karls Vladimir Peña
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Ahh, another question. The porsche tachometer has individual left/right turn lights. I'd like to wire them so they indicate which turn lights are on and both together if i'm using the emergency flasher. How should I wire it?

Karls

Reply to
Karls Vladimir Peña

If it will mount where the present speedo is, then the cable should be the right length. Are tire diameters close enough that calibration won't be affected?

On the Turn signal lights, you *could* wire each lamp to the respective turn signal bulb (Blk/Wh or Blk/Grn wires). To do this, the lamp cluster in the speedo must have a common connection which goes to Ground. In the Beetle, the common is +12V and I don't know what Porsche did.

I imagine Tach can go to Coil (-) just like any other.

The fuel gauge *could* be a problem. I would be surprised if Porsche used the same gauge style as Beetle. I don 't know Porsche cars at all, but I'm betting they used the more "elegant" sender used in Ghias. See the Fuel Gauge article on my web site for info on how they work.

Speedy Jim

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Reply to
Speedy Jim

Thanks a lot Jim.

The speedo is not where the present speedo is. it is mounted to the right of the tachometer, which no ocupies the present speedo location. Tire diameters are sould be pretty close, but I'll fnd that out when it arrives and the testing begins.

About the turn signals. I tought wiring it that way would work. I don't know if they have a common ground, We'll find out soon enough.

Acording to the German look website, the fuel gauge works the same. If not, can I install a ghia sender? it's a '70 bug.

Karls

Reply to
Karls Vladimir Peña

Yes, the Ghia sender will interchange with a '70 Bug. Jim

Reply to
Speedy Jim

Karls, This is amazing. I too are installing the 914 gauges on my bug. Can you tell me how you wired the idiot light for oil and alternator? Also, the clusters lights are dimmed when I turn on the light. I will encounter the same experience with the gas gauge. Any help I will be appreciate.

Thanks,

Reply to
ike1

I haven't started installing them yet. Too much work. But hopefully next monday I'll clean the gauges up and start testing. The idiot lights seem to work the same as the bug's. Just remember, on some lights you'll need isolated lights. Those are the ones with the plastic base and two conectors, so you have to ground them separately.

I'll take pictures of eveything I do. Please do the same and feel free to mail them to me.

Karls

Reply to
Karls Vladimir Peña

i installed 914 guages in a 74 standard years back(the porsche donor gave up its guages and the pedrini wheels, and was a 72 model). the housing for the guages were metal and you had to ground them...the bulbs all got their ground from the housing, if i recall correctly..(i still have a couple guages, but i'm too lazy to go out in the sleet and snow to the basement to look...sorry)

Reply to
Joey Tribiani

BTW, as Speedy Jim suggested, if you mount the speedo in the same place as in the 914 (right side), maybe your stock bug speedo cable will be a little too short to be connected to it. So, I checked ACN's website and found out the 71-74 super beetle speedo cable is 155mm (close to 6") longer than the late model standard bug's. I don't know yet if this is enough to cover the extra distance, but maybe it is. If you are already installing it, measure the extra distance and let me know so I can get a longer cable.

Karls

Reply to
Karls Vladimir Peña

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