The Gauge That 'Should Have Been.'

IF, like me, I don't NEED NO STINKING CLOCK.

They keep time Ok-ish ... BUT THEY DRAIN Batteries. And faster than you think. Potentially ruining a battery for a clock is the definition of 'NUTS!'

Instead, CONSIDER THIS ...

The Ferrari 308 Gauge that 'Should Have Been.'

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YEP.

Ferrari 308 Volt Meter Gauges DO EXIST.

About 40 years late ... but, Better Late than Never.

And for LE$$ than you think, but NOT 'Dirt Cheap.'

A fellow FChatter had one made several years ago (thread here somewhere) yet the cost was somewhat prohibitive at least to my wallet at the time. I 'pulled-the-plug' on my clock.

After a few years of looking for a 'Can Do,' Guy/Gal, I had these two together made as a 'Proof of Principle,' and for less than our fellow FChatter's (Prior Excellent Creation, BTW) one.

The actual craftsman of these 'Ferrari/Veglia' gauges is in the USA and handles almost ALL gauge issues/'fixes' from DDs to Concourse Winners, for one of our PRO Tech Members here.

If interested, I'll post a bit more.



*** DISCLAIMER FOLLOWS ***

I have NO INTEREST in any way, shape or form, with the Pro-Tech mentioned or the Craftsman of these Voltmeters other than being a Happy Camper Customer.

 

I moved my oil temp gauge to where the clock was, moved the clock to the "Ferrari Parts" storage facility, and stuck an extra a/c vent where the oil temp gauge was

 

You can just see the vent behind the wheel
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Mark - Great idea - That's way cool!

Looks to be a great replacement for the useless (at least, to me) OEM clock, and the style matches the other Veglia gauges.

I had the exact same replacement idea in mind 15 years ago when I did my VDO swap:

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Mark, I would like more info please and am interested in having some of my other oem gauges looked at. Thanks for posting.

 

I did run across my spare clocks and thought of you but they are both questionable.

My 22127 came with an ammeter there, but that means alternator wiring up and back of a high energy circuit.
I removed it..

 

After seeing Doc’s post, I am getting rid of the tach and speedometer and replacing them with A/C vents. Summer is getting close in Texas.

 

I like

 

They look like 308 gauges because,

They ARE 308 Gauges.

And they ARE 100% OEM Veglia Gauges.

I sent The Wizard two sets of these:

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And I got back the two voltmeters you see in the OP above. I wanted one with an icon and one with lettering just for grins and giggles and because I collect 3x8 Ferrari Gauges and Clocks when my wallet allows which isn't as often as I like.

The real F308 oil gauge donor is just one/two, of several I had lying around collecting dust. I paid about $125.00 for it/them a few years back. A Non-working one should be a good bit LESS and 'YES' they are out there.

The actual donor Veglia voltmeter which is pretty much identical in mounting function, I found in NOS condition, and bought on ebay for less than $70.00 shipped. They too can occasionally be 'had' for less. You obviously want this gauge in Fully-Functional condition.

I AM VERY PLEASED with the End Results.

What I learned or would do differently the next time I 'do' one:

The REAL F308 Donor Gauge:

1) It doesn't HAVE to be an 'oil' gauge nor does it HAVE to work.

2) The visible black plastic surround, the needle and ESPECIALLY the Chrome 'Collar,' the parts you can see when mounted, MUST be in Very Good to Pristine, Condition. They are the parts used to create the 'new' F308 voltmeter gauge. $pend a wee bit More to ensure those parts are in Excellent Condition. Replacements are VERY Few and Very Far In-between and you DO NOT WANT (Stomp, Stomp) to pay the price for teplacing any of those parts individually. Doing so would instantly put the project Firmly into 'FURGITABOUDIT' Land. Unlike Nike, 'JUST DON'T DO IT.'


The Veglia Donor Voltmeter:

1) Make CERTAIN you get one that is the same diameter as your donor F308 gauge, as everything you can't see when it is mounted, internal and external, is from this gauge and used to create the 'new' V-Meter gauge.

2) The gauge MUST Look and be Oriented* the same as the F308 one as well (entire gauge face and function) sans the needle.


The Final Product:

1) To the casual observer or one even fairly familiar with the F308, they will likely notice NOTHING 'Amiss.' These things are THAT DA(RN)MN GOOD.

A realitively new Concourse Judge (Except one coached by RifleDriver) MIGHT even 'miss' it. IF a Judge 'catches it,' just tell him/her it was 'Optional Equipment' from 'Pick a Dealer,' in your car's Delivery Year, much like the radio/cassette player as there was NO OEM for those. Wink, and see what they say. In the end though and with a smile, Reveal the TRUTH. NEVER let a LIE or FIB 'stand' in Competition. Your REP in that venue can't afford 'The HIT.'


IF I was to do this again, I would:

1) Go One Extra Step in the creation and have silkscreened in the upper left of the recessed part of the face BEHIND the needle while 'at rest', 'VOLTS' or 'VOLTS/DC' or 'V/DC' or somthing similar. (See the Ferrari Oil Gauge above for clarification). WHY I didn't have that done is because I WAS AN IDIOT, TOO GIDDY and NOT Paying Attention. NO OTHER REASON. Having this extra step done would add a level of complexity to the project and obviously a bit more $ as another silkscreen would have to be made from scratch. But it would look nearer to 100% OEM than the 98%+/- now. TOTALLY ... MY BAD.

2) I, being wholly anal-retentive at times and found guilty as charged, I would 'shrink' the battery icon, maybe just the height, ever so slightly. 1/4 of a millimeter .... Perhaps? The 'batt' word logo is PERFECT IMO.

3) CO$T ... I gave you the ruff costs of the donor parts I bought and supplied to the project. I cannot give a Price for the work for obvious reasons. But I can say in this Retired Broke-Assed Boy's Opinion, it was VERY Reasonable. Almost 'Too Reasonable,' if there is such a thing. I let The Wizard keep all the leftover parts from both donor gauges as a 'Thank You.'

3) I NEED HELP HERE. ANYONE who knows the likelist bestist way, PLEASE CHIME-IN.

The ISSUE IS, the power to the Clock's Mechanical Circuitry from the car's wiring harness is UNSWITCHED; it has power and RUNS long as the car's battery does. The state of the car, 'Ignition Off and Parked' or 'Engine Running,' is irrelivant. The Clock always runs. Only the Nite Light of the Clock is SWITCHED. Obviously you want the Volt Meter to operate and its internal night light to glow like any other gauge. You do not want the new V-Meter gauge powered all the time and draining the battery.

I BELIEVE there should be NO ISSUE using the Clock's Center Console Harness Plug to get SWITCHED Power to the Nite Light and to One Side (+ or -) of the gauge. The Other Side (- or +) would likely best reguire running a wire coming off an unused SWITCHED terminal from the Fuse Box. My bet is THAT shouldn't take more than 30 minutes tops, to do. But I DON'T KNOW what the Best way to do this on these old cars.

CAN ONE OF YOU SMART GUYS Make a Recommendation? Please?

* Those with a 328 who might want to do this, Veglia makes 'sideways' operating and visual orange V-Meter gauges as well. You would likely be the first ever, so keep that in mind $-Wise.


Well, that is about it. I hope I have given a few here the inspiration to perhaps do this.

If there is still interest, I'll post the Contact Info for 'The Wizard.' He refubishes all types of gauges to include some aircraft ones as I understand it.

 

Please post the wizard’s info!


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Ok Guys,

'The Wizard' can be reached here:

https://momamanufacturing.com/

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.

Ask for 'Joey' (Owner/Operator). HE IS 'The Wizard.'*


Tell him that you're interested in a F308 Volt Meter Creation and 'Mark from Germany turned you on to him.'

Dropping My name will get You Exactly .... NADA.

Dropping My name WON'T get Me ANYTHING either.

What Dropping My name will do is greatly 'speed-up' the process/turnaround time for fabrication of your V-Meter as Joey and I did about 90% of the 'Sausage Making' via email and phone already. In addition to providing him the two donor gauges, you'll just have to let him know of any unique 'quirks' associated with Your particular project. Remember, these gauges NEVER Existed, so, Do What Makes You Happy.


If you want a F328 V-Meter, be prepared to 'make some sausage' and to exchange a fair number of emails and pictures and even a couple of phone calls to adsolutely insure you both have the same 'vision' of the completed project. Question and Ask FOR/ABOUT EVERYTHING. When you think you have given Joey enough detail, DOUBLE IT. Leave NOTHING To Chance.**

Please remember, YOU will likely be the F328 V-Meter 'Lab Rabbit' like I was on the F308 Project. Thus the cost will likely be a little higher as new requirements to make the project work, might have to be fabbed.

What F328 gauge would be the best Donor, I have NO Idea. Sorry. Just get a corrispondingly oriented Veglia V-Meter Gauge. They exist and are not that expensive as I have found them before for around $75.00 on ebay.


Well, that's really all I have. I've given a great deal of detail Joey and I had to hammer-out, to help make your project if you choose to take it on, as 'Easy Peasy' as can be.

If you have any questions other than Costs, which I have already addressed as much as I can, you can post here or PM me.

Happy Volt Metering



* - I dubbed him 'The Wizard' (He would Never be so Pretentious) after I held the gauges in my hand. No pics he sent me (and he sent several), did the actual finished products Justice. I was speechless.

** - I was The Dummy as I missed the stencilled 'Units of measurement,' on the LH recessed face of the gauge. Don't BE Me.

 

i realize it may be very declasse, but i like my plug-in digital voltmeter which goes in place of the cig lighter.
everyone knows a "proper" car has a clock.
besides do you really need to stare at a voltmeter constantly? your cruisin' for a brusin' if you do.
......or any gage for that matter.

 

I find the charging alert light to be adequate enough for monitoring the system. Although I will admit, the volt gauge does look nice.

 

I agree, the charging light is adequate. I LIKE the clock!

 

I had four (4) problems with the whole idea of the clock, which is why I swapped it for a voltmeter when I did the VDO exchange:

1) The clear face of the clock is plastic (due to the need to have a small thru hole in it for the setting stem) vs. the glass face for the other gauges. As a result, it's easily scratched, and the plastic turns cloudy with age.

2) Since the clock understandably runs 24 / 7, that means that there's always going to be a small drain on the battery. And because I regularly have a week or two pass between the opportunities which I have to take the car out for a drive, I disconnect the battery ground via the OEM cut-off in the frunk. So that means that I had to fiddle about and reset the clock every time that I drove the car, as it irritated me to have the clock running, but set to an inaccurate time.

3) I view time spent driving the 308 as 'my' time, and I really don't want to be bothered doing so with one eye on a clock.

4) And if I ever do seriously wonder exactly what time it is while driving, I already wear a watch and/or carry a cellphone.

--------

Even so, different strokes for different folks, so if one likes the clock, there's no worries whatsoever from me.

But I feel that we do owe Mark a big 'thank you' for researching an OEM-appearing option for those who might feel as I do, and for whatever reason like the Veglia gauges.

DM

 

Wow, that is really well done. Like others, I don't think I want to give up any of the current gauges, but I think it would be really nice to add a voltmeter. With a QV, I don't have the gauges in the little pocket down low to the left, but it does seem natural to put it there I suppose. Hmmm.

 

Of course to each his own.

I like the clock too but as Dave said, to me the juice just ain't there for the squeeze.

But remember WHERE the clock started out in the 308GTB/S.

It wasnt in the center console and one could easily have BOTH.

And it all can be reversible, which is a 'Holy-Grail' Requirement for any mod to many folks, me included.

 

I am in the camp of having a gauge. Too many times has a bad battery left me stranded.