HI TIM,

I GOT MY "SMITHS LOOK ALIKES" FROM RICK ELLIS AT HIGHLAND DAYTONA RACING. hdrcoupe@midrivers.com THE PRICE WAS "VERY" REASONABLE AND THE GAUGES ARE BEAUTIFUL. ALSO, RICK IS A GREAT GUY TO WORK WITH AND HE KNOWS WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT.

AUTO METER MAKES REPLICA SMITHS AND REPLICA S.W. GAUGES. BOTH ARE VERY AUTHENTIC. THE REPLICA S.W. GAUGES ARE THE FIA STYLE. THEY HAVE THE "CS" AS IS IN CARROLL SHELBY LOGO ON THEM. NOT ORIGINAL BUT NOT A BAD TOUCH EITHER. (I'M VERY AMBIVALENT REGARDING THE "SHELBY ARGUMENTS".

THE REPLICA SMITHS GAUGES - THE ONES THAT I GOT - ARE REALLY NICE AND VERY AUTHENTIC - - EXCEPT - - INSTEAD OF THE SMITHS SCRIPT/LOGO THEY HAVE "AUTO METER" PRINTED ON THE FACE. NOT TO WORRY - IF YOU'RE A PURIST (OR EVEN ANAL - LIKE ME), I FOUND A WOMAN IN TEXAS WHO IS GOING TO TAKE MY BRAND NEW GAUGES APART, AIR BRUSH OVER THE "AUTO METER" LETTERING AND APPLY THE "SMITHS" SCRIPT/LOGO ON THE GAUGES, RE-ASSEMBLE THEM AND RETURN THEM TO ME. THE COST ESTIMATE FOR A FULL SET OF GAUGES WAS $200.00 TO 250.00.

I THINK THAT THIS IS A FANTASTIC DEAL. AUTO METER GAUGES ARE PROBABLY THE FINEST AND TOUGHEST GAUGES ON THE MARKET TODAY THEY JUST ALWAYS LOOKED A BIT "KLUNKIE" (THERE'S A TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION FOR YOU!!).

THE NEW SETS REALLY SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I.M.H.O.

I HAVE VDO GAUGES IN MY EXCALIBUR COBRA AND THEY ARE GREAT - NOT ORIGINAL BUT VERY NICE AND VERY SOPHISTICATED.

I HAVE S.W. IN MY ERA COBRA AND IN THE GT-40 AND THEY DRIVE ME "NUCKING FUTS". ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. EVERY DARNED GAUGE LIGHTS UP IN A DIFFERENT COLOR AND A DIFFERENT INTENSITY. THE S.W.'S IN THE GT40 ARE SO BAD THAT I HAVE TO CARRY A PEN LIGHT FLASHLIGHT IN MY POCKET SO THAT I CAN READ THE GAUGES. (67 YEARS OLD NOTWITHSTANDING - - I STILL HAVE 20/20 VISION NEAR AND FAR). NOT ONLY ARE THE A.M. GAUGES TOUGHER AND MORE ACCURATE, THEY ARE ALSO MUCH BETTER ILLUMINATED.

I BOUGHT THE SMITHS REPS FROM RICK ELLIS BEFORE BY HOUSE EXPLODED AND I HAVN'T INSTALLED THEM IN THE ERA COBRA YET. AS SOON AS I GET A MOMENT I'M GOING TO SEND THEM TO THE LADY IN TEXAS FOR THE "DRESS UP". IF THEY WORK AS WELL AS I BELIEVE THEY WILL MY NEXT PROJECT - AFTER I REBUILD MY GARAGE WILL BE TO INSTALL THE S.W. REPLICAS IN THE GT-40.

WHEN I GET THE GAUGES BACK FROM TEXAS I'LL START A NEW THREAD AND "GET THE WORD OUT" TO EVERYONE.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE E-MAIL ME OR CALL ME AT 703-938-6131.

SIDEBAR HERE: DEALING WITH RICK ELLIS CAN GET DOWNRIGHT EXPENSIVE - - - HE ALSO MAKES A GREAT LOOKING DAYTONA COUPE.

Y'ALL HAVE A REALLY GREAT DAY,

BLACKJACK #21