Hi,
Dolphin gauges has the analog speedo.

dolphingauges.com

Spike

I will again advocate for using a stock late Beetle Speedo–100 mph–with built-in fuel gauge and an aftermarket chrome bezel. Pair it with a 4 5/8 (nominal 5-inch) tach from Classic Instruments or VDO, and you will have replicated the approximate gauge set that the TDs had. Another excellent choice for a tach, if you can find one, is the Smiths unit from a mid-1960s Volvo. These are also the correct size, electronically actuated and look properly British. They will not be as good as a Classic Instruments though.

They’re not a perfect match. I bought a white gauge face for the speedo and the font is close, but I do wish it was better. One solution would be to make (or have someone make) a custom face to match the tach and print that like a bumper sticker. You have the speedo open anyway. I may yet do this. But for now it’s fine. Accurate. Easy to read. Cheap. And looks “right,” even to an MG guy, from 10 feet away.

I’ve been looking over my options doing some research and the Dolphin gauges look pretty nice. Spike do you have one of their speedometers and does it read accurately with the VW cable and tire size?

Kent, I’d love to see how that project looks once you’ve finished it. Please post some photos when you can. Are the tach and speedo the same size?

TexAg712015-01-15 22:36:34

I haven’t installed the gauges yet. I was told by DOLPHIN the speedo would work. I told them I was replacing a VDO gauge. I bought the 6 gauge set and I’m a bit shy installing the volt and gas gauge. I plan on replacing all the gauges so they match but may be in over my head

Spike

My problem with full gauge sets is that they always seem to include one for water temp instead of oil temp, which is what I’d need for the Lafer’s VW engine.

I’d rather have a voltage gauge in mine rather than the amp gauge but I can’t find one to match my set. And that’s another problem we run across when one gauge craps out…finding a new gauge that matches. Even the new gauge sets at MG Magic are different than the ones I have now.

Ok great to hear about the dolphin gauges, I sent them an email about a “custom” set with the 5″ speedo and tach and a voltmeter, clock, and fuel. He said it would be about $400. 

I think you need to do at least some rewiring to change from an ammeter to a voltmeter.

I always understood that ammeters were wired directly into the primary charging circuit between the battery and the voltage regulator, and have no ground wire. Both legs are hot, and the wire must be a heavy enough gauge to carry the entire charge current of the generator or alternator.

A voltmeter has one hot wire (typically much smaller wire than an ammeter) that wire that connects to that charging circuit. That wire only monitors the voltage in that circuit, it does not carry the charge back to the battery. It also has a separate ground wire that ground to the frame.