Connect gauges in 53 Chevy pickup with T-350
 

I'm restoring a 53 Chevy pickup and I'm trying to hookup the gauges. Does anyone know what speedometer cable I need to go from my original speedo to a turbo 350 transmission. Also I have the original gas tank/sending unit still behind my seat. Anyone know how to hook it up to the original gas gauge. I believe you ground one wire, and one wire goes from the gauge to the gas tank sender unit? Is this correct? Thanks for the help!

The fuel tank sender is grounded near the tank. At the gauge there will be ignition-switched 12 volts on one side of the gauge, and the wire on the other side runs from the gauge to the sending unit. When power is applied to the gauge it is grounded through the sending unit, so it measures the resistance of the sending unit (which is proportional to the gas in the tank).

TH350 is a very common speedometer cable connection, but I don't know about the other side where it connects to the speedometer head.

Bruce

I think you can use most any early 70's speedo cable to connect from speedo to trans for the 350. You just need to make sure what you get is long enough to reach. Use a tape measure or piece of wire to measure from trans to dash, then take that with you to the parts store and ask for a 70 Chevelle, Camaro, Impala, truck, etc. cable. Then just see which is long enough.

Thanks for the info. Definitely still confused about hookig up the file gauge. On the back of the gauge there are 2 screws. One has a red cardboard piece under the nuts. So is that the one that goes to my ignition, and the other to my original gas tanks sending unit? And what about the sending unit. Is that the only wire you hook up to it, is from the gauge? Thanks for the help, just tired of cruising and never bowing how much gas I have!

Find your local speedometer shop and they can make any cable you desire...there are also plenty on-line that can do the same. Most also work on gauges... you will need to have the gas gauge converted to 12 volt and buy a new sending unit.

BTW... you are modifying or hot rodding your truck... if you were restoring it you'd be using all stock components...

Ive been reading stuff online and some have said that you don't need to convert it, that the gas guage will work with 12v. But I have also heard that you can put in a voltage reducer from 12 to 6v and that will work. Who knows! I guess I'll just start trying different things since there is no straight forward simple instructions to get or follow.

Well you can TRY it with 12v but I can 99% guarantee you will fry it... a resistor will do the job. Hook it up on the positive side of the gauge...they are called "Runtz" resistors and are available from joints like www.riwire.com or most old car supply places.