After doing some research I discovered my block is from a 72 vette, (no big deal), however the vette is a 77. So here is the delima, the prior owner had the engine built as I have stated in prior posts(350, 40 b.o.w/350+h.p., argh, argh![8D]). So what he did'nt have done was have the factory gauges hooked back up. I have no tach(I am guessing due to distributer selection), the oil pressure gauge is mounted in the engine compartment(direct pressure w/tube, not electric), and the coolant is a copper cable with a coiled spring sheath running to a gauge mounted between my legs under the dash. I also have no gas gauge and volt meter. I really want to get all the factory stuff to work. So from the motor stand point, how do I get 72 technology to communicate with 77? I am currently tracing whare wires have been snipped. I have whole dash appart except speedo and tach which is coming out today.

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I am not sure if the other pics uploaded so here they are again, any help is appreciated.

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well you have several options you can find all the original wires from factory guages and find out how they were connected to the engine and then replace whats missing, or you could find aftermarket guages that hook up the same as the ones you have working now that will fit in the guage cluster to look as though they are factory.
As far as the tach there is a place on the hei dist just for the tach and from your pictures it looks as though there is a wire hooked to it? it is next to the battery connection/pluggin on the side of the distributor.
the tube oil pressureguage is probably more accurate and better than the factory electrical one for sure!!
there really shouldnt be any differance in how the guages hooked to the motor from a 72 to a 77 blocks are prettty much the same. but an aftermarket intake and a factory one may have different locations for things such as water temp etc..

hope this helps somewhat!!

 

Water temperature and oil pressure should be real easy to re-connect, these are both electric gages with threaded sending units. The water temp sending unit threads into the left head about 1/3 from the front, single green wire hook-up. The oil pressure sending unit threads in near the oil filter, single pink or brown wire hook-up, you'll need the proper sending unit for the oil gage based on if it's a 60psi or 80psi gage. The tach will depend on the type of distributor your running, HEI will plug into your factory wire harness but if your running the '72 distributor it will be a cable drive and not compatible with the '77 tach.

 

They should be real easy, but....this is not the case. I have removed the entire dash, gauges, speedo and tach cluster. All of my origional harness seems to be there and intact. As far as the engine is concerned......let me warm up my fingers. The place down by the oil filter for the oil pressure switch has been plugged, and the plug is flush with the block, you know real easy to remove!The current gauge is mountedon the fire wall and has a tube from the top of the block for a direct pressure measurement. I did locate the temp sender at left front and hooked up green wire, now I will need to capoff the copper wire by the thermostat for the jerry-rigged gauge. The distributor is a Accel HEI Super coil, I did find the brown plug that hadtucked away, however, I can't find the pink wire that goesfrom the battery plug-in to the ign. spoton the fuse panel.(tach is digital).Would it be easier to just buy a 72 oil pressure gauge a run a longer tube and then add it to the factory spot in my cluster?

 

You may have enough room at the oil pressure port on the top rear of the block to plumb in the sending unit, if need be you can use elbows, nipples, and a coupler to plumb to an area where the sending unit will fit, the port is 1/8 inch pipe thread, you can get 1/8 inch fittings at the parts store in brass or at a hardware store in brass or iron, the iron fittings are less expensive but your only going to have a few bucks in it either way. I'd stay with the factory gage for a cleaner job all around, let me run out to the vette and investigate a little more and i'll get back to you.

 

Here's the deal Snookkrook ,if you can't get the pipe plug out of the block near the oil filter you should have enough room on the top rear for a sending unit, my stock 78 has the sending unit by the filter but if your block IS a 72 then that plug is probably factory installed and they are next to impossible to remove, just plumb in a sender on top and use the electrc gage. As for the tach, hopefully all the wires and connectors are still on the car and you can sort them out and plug 'em in. I would think the ACCEL would be HEI ready with factory connections. When you remove the mechanical water temp gage you can plug the t-stat housing hole with a 1/4 inch pipe plug or replace the housing with no ports.

 

Thanks Buckshot, I think your right about the plug in the block, it looks like it would have to be drilled, then tapped, and then stipped then you cuss and then its not coming out. As far as the top of the block I may have to use a 45 degree elbow to get the sending unit around the HEI. I will post how things are going, thanks for all the help.

 

OK, I was able to mount the oil temp switch on the 45 elbow on the top of the block, I now have working gauges (oil, gas, temp)!!!!. Whare is IGN1, it is not the same as IGN on the main fuse panel? I get response from the tach, but it must ground out because moter wont start with it plugged in there. I also have no response on volt gauge.[:@] There is a barrel fuse under the driver's by kick panel which has a black neg. wire attatched to each side, the fuse has deteriated over time and is torn appart. I is an old style fuse that is wrapped is a type of toilet paper roll material(for lack of a better term), any clue to what this is and for? So I am still looking for IGN1 for tach, and how to get volt meter to register. All in all, I am happy with what I have accomplished so far. I am not a mechanic by any sense of the word, but I can read and learn with help from all you guys here in the forum. All help is much appreciated.

 

I can't tell from your photo if the ACCEL has the same wire colors as factory, I'll describe my factory wiring, yours should be identical. There are three plug-in connectors at the distributor, one is black w/three wires all coming from the dist. base, it plugs into the HEI cap and marked c- ign b+, then there's a dark brown connector w/one dark brown wire that plugs into the space marked TACH, the third is a white connector w/one 12 gage red wire, this is the hot lead that feeds the ignition system, it plugs into the space marked BATT, if all of your stock wiring is still functional this should get you fired up.