Different gauge clusters on 1984 Caprice

[RyanCreasia]

I have an old Caprice I like to tinker with. In looking up various things on the web I have noticed two different styles of gauge clusters but cannot figure out what the reason is for the difference. Some have a round speedometer like this:

Some have a rectangular speedometer:

Anyone have know the reasoning?

 

[mrsilv04]

Could be V6 versus V8... 2 door versus 4 door...

The top one reminds me of the one in my grandparent's 1986 Pontiac Parisienne.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Top one has the optional vacuum gauge.

 

[skyactiv]

Do you have a trip odometer? Maybe it was an option in which it came with a round speedo? Your Caprice was built when you could order things separately and the big three offered lots of little neat things on the options list.

 

[RyanCreasia]

I have the rectangular version and do not have the trip odometer. It is the V8 with the 4-speed. I don't know if those options had anything to do with it or not. I do have the original window sticker from the dealer, but that doesn't really tell me anything about this.

 

[Squirrelee]

According to some info I found, in 1984 there was a $64 option called "Gauge Pkg w/Trip Odometer" That looks like the difference right there.

Here is the website link.

 

[Joe_Power]

Love the ol gauges. Those were the days...

 

[nwjones18]

The top cluster is the exact same one that is in my parents 1983 Caprice classic estate wagon.. Except It has an o/d transmission.

 

[bvance554]

I remembering thinking how it was a big deal to 'peg' the speedometer at 85.

 

[eljefino]

Look at that trip reset button, it's like a buck tooth! The orange numbers on the trip section are intriguing, like they didn't trust the drivers to know it from the "real" odo. (On a test drive with very few miles, maybe not!) And both have 1/10 mile increments.

And they cut through the wood grain with a hole saw for the steering column, but went 3/8" too big all round.

They seem like they wanted rally gauges without actually telling the driver anything, like RPM. My mom had an 81 omni that had so few gauges it had a printed chicklet that just read "front wheel drive". As a kid I thought an idiot light would come on if there was a problem with the "front wheel drive".

 

[Kira]

Note the calibration of the temperature gauge.
Each hatch is 30 degrees on the cooler side of 6 o'clock and 10 on the hotter side.

 

[dishdude]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
\My mom had an 81 omni that had so few gauges it had a printed chicklet that just read "front wheel drive". As a kid I thought an idiot light would come on if there was a problem with the "front wheel drive".

LOL I forgot about the Chrysler "Engine" light that would come on if the engine had low oil pressure or was overheating. The driver had no idea which was happening!

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: RyanCreasia
Anyone have know the reasoning?

Having spent many an hour in such vehicles, I'd suggest the reasoning is trim level. All the taxis were four door Caprices/Impalas. I can think of two examples of 1984s that had different clusters. One was a station wagon with all the bells as whistles, and it had the top gauge cluster (round) with the vacuum gauge. A lower end Caprice had the square type.

It looks like Squirrelee found a link. As a side note, the 1984 Caprice Wagon was one of my favorite driving cars of all time, with a phenomenal ride, absolutely wonderful on the highway. Of all the taxis I ever drove, it was my favorite by a long shot.

 

[RyanCreasia]

Thanks everyone for all of the info and insight! It is much appreciated. I am so anxious to get it back on the road.

 

[JTK]

So funny.. Late model Subarus use basically the same "economy gauge".

 

[Jarlaxle]

Chrysler used a vacuum gauge (which they sometimes called a "performance meter") as far back as the lats 1950's.