When the Chevrolet Camaro debuted for the 1967 model year, it had two goals to achieve. One was to successfully enter the pony car market, replacing the maligned Corvair as the small, sporty offering in Chevrolet's lineup, and the other was to go after the Ford Mustang in just about every possible way. Those early F-bodies are some of the most loved examples of the Camaro, but if there was one fault that truly could be found, it would be the gauges. These cars had two main tunneled gauges...the left side housed the speedometer, and the right gauge housed either a fuel gauge or the "Tic-Toc-Tach" tachometer/clock combination gauge. If the tachometer was ordered, the volt, temperature, fuel and oil pressure gauges were relegated to small, hard-to-read gauges situated in front of the shifter on the console. Not a prime location for the driver who wants to be fully aware of what is going on with their vehicle. And after over fifty years, accuracy is something to be concerned with.
In The Garage Media recently showcased the installation of Classic Instruments' Direct Fit G-Stock instrument cluster into an LT-swapped 1968 Camaro. With David Stoker of Stoker's Hot Rod Factory performing the work on the ex-drag racer, you are able to see the difference in this Camaro's interior. The leap from having just a speedometer and fuel gauge and "idiot lights" to having all of the information right in front of the driver, behind the steering wheel might seem vain to non-car people, but to drivers and gearheads alike, that information is critical. Add in that the G-Stock cluster's faces are reminiscent of lot of late 1960s Chevrolet clusters, such as the 1969 Chevelle and early C3 Corvettes, and the decision is a winner all around.
The difference is night and day. The stock gauges did tell you how fast you were going and how much fuel was left in the tank, but that was it. The Classic Instruments gauges combine the speedometer and tachometer into one gauge, while the fuel level, oil pressure, engine temperature, and voltmeter gauges all reside in the second pod. No more hanging aftermarket gauges, no more guessing how the engine is performing.