Covans Classic gauges***BUYER BEWARE**

[86 Silverado LS1]

Read this before spending any money with this company!
I wanted all Autometer gauges for the Silverado. I decided on Covans Classic with all large Autometer phantoms ($1000). I contacted Covans and they assured me the quality was top of the line and if I wasn't satisfied they would take them back. When the gauges came in I was satisfied with the gauges. Very nice. But the panel ($250) to mount them is was junk! A cheap looking piece of plastic. The fit is a joke, it was very flimsy, and the gauges point at your waist. Much lower quality than the factory piece. So I called Covans about returning them and they wouldn't because I had opened the gauges. I emailed the owner and customer support about this and neither ever responded. I saw the owner at his booth at Super Chevy and discussed this with him. Of course he never saw the email but was familiar with the problems and showed me the new design of that panel. It was a little better. He said he would swap it for mine if I would send mine back and it looked ok. I sent it back over 1 month ago and still no panel. No one at Covans will return my call or send me a panel. Very poor product and even worse service!
Covan's Classic Automotive Specialties Shopping Cart - Product description

[HarleyDave]

Wow, that is to bad I had considered the same set up for my '86 but now not so sure.

[86 Silverado LS1]

Here is the email I sent them twice with no response.


I have a problem with your gauge panel package 130-73-50011 for my 86 Silverado. The auto meter gauges are great. The problem is with the black plastic panel. The quality of this piece is VERY LOW!!!!!! It is nowhere near the quality of the factory panel. It is flimsy, the cuts are bad, the fit is terrible and they point right at your waist. My eyes are not in my waist. They need to angle toward your head like the factory ones do. The fit around the dash (a new pad from GM) is way off. This is a very nice restored truck and this panel sticks out like a sore thumb. I have talked to some people who have installed this piece and they had the same problem and reported it back to you so I know you are aware of this problem. I find it hard to believe you sell this piece at top shelf prices with this level of quality. For a grand in gauges you expect so much more. The strength, fit, look and function should be far above the factory piece for that price. People buy this package to have Auto Meter gauges in a factory looking panel. Yours looks like a cheap piece of plastic. The panel needs to be thick, strong plastic with a brushed aluminum face just like the truck came with.

So far, I have not made this problem public and if you have a fair solution I will not. But, rest assured, if I am stuck with this problem it will be public.

[HarleyDave]

Haneline has a nice looking engine turned that I was also considering.

[86 Silverado LS1]

I looked at the Haneline setup when I was shopping around. If I'm remembering right 72 is the newest panel they offer. Trust me, before I spent a grand on this setup I shopped it. I never got to see the Covans setup in person. If I had it would not have even been considered. They would have been turned down on quality alone. This customer service garbage is just insult to injury.

[1BADC10]

Sorry you havin' this trouble. I looked at Covan's too, but wasn't happy about the price. I cut corners on my install, and hacked up my OEM bezel to fit the gauges as a temp solution. I'm still hunting for a panel that's perfect, but not rushing to buy anything.

As bad as I think my hack-job looks, I still get complimented on my gauges. Good luck!

[ls182]

Here is my setup. I dont remember the exact total but I damn sure dont have anywhere near a grand in it. Its just a billet overlay with the same gauges you are showing. I know what you mean about the gauges pointing a little downwards. It gets annoying sometimes. Autometer has some rings that help point them upwards a little but I dont know how good they will look with the black plastic showing between the ring on the gauge and the insert.

[LS1GMCTruck]

The problem with using angled gauge bezels is they require every gauge hole to be enlarged, are a larger diameter than the gauges rims causing crowding & coverage of your nice billet panel engraved lines, etc. Is there any way to recess your entire exsisting panels deeper into the dash & angleing them back at the same time?

[HarleyDave]

LS182 that's a sweet set up I was planning on going the same route, but do you have any issue with how much reflection you get on it being polished? Did you do the Tweed on the dashpad?Great job. I contacted haneline they do made it for our trucks but their website catalog don't show them. Instead of an beveled ring, I wonder if you could shim the whole billet plate? I think the issue after looking at your is the gages are for a flat mount and our trucks dash is slanted down, so 1/4 to 1/2 spacers could changes the angle?

[HarleyDave]

Don't mean to jack the thread, but while we are on gages for these trucks anyone seen a pillar gage pod for the 73-87 trucks?