9/11/2023 0 Comments 1988 silverado dash stock photo![]() ![]() And for early GMT400 owners they change the entire look of the dash and bring something designed in the mid-1980s as far into the 21 st century as possible. Featuring digitally-controlled analog readouts with modern info centers, these new clusters totally change the look of any dash they’re installed in. Tachometers had redlines under 5000 RPM, and the speedos maxed out at 85 mph.ĭakota Digital has changed the aftermarket gauge world its line of VHX and HDX direct-fit gauge clusters. The other had a factory tach in a Siamese-type layout in the middle with all four accessory gauges moved in a single line above the main two gauges. ![]() One was a non-tachometer equipped with a large center speedometer flanked by two accessory gauges on each side. Both styles had two clusters and layouts. While an improvement at the time, these also haven’t aged well. 1992-94 trucks saw an update that used the same layout, but regular indicators with needles were used. Early trucks (88-90) used a very 80s-style gauge design that had moving bars for indicators instead of typical needle-style gauges. The early GMT400s (88-94) used a command center design that had all the gauges in one single unit in the dash. One point in particular to stick out was the gauge cluster. Or were just odd from the beginning, such as the mid-dash mounted tape player. Being heavily influenced by early- to mid-80s GM design philosophies and creativity (the quality of which can be debated hotly) meant these trucks had interior designs that didn’t age well. One of the biggest weak spots for the 1988-94 models was the interior. Today you have full suspension upgrade systems for them, four-link and IRS conversions for the rear, brake upgrades, and mechanically everything you need to install just about any powerplant in one short of an old Packard Merlin V12. But those are true no longer.Īftermarket support for the GMT400 series has grown by leaps and bounds. What wasn’t present was strong interest and diverse aftermarket support for anything beyond decorative items and lowering springs and spindles. The basic factors were there large production numbers (literally millions), excellent affordability, factory V8 options and easy to work on. Our mission is to supply the consumer with a quality product at the lowest possible price.Ask anyone 5-10 years ago, no one would’ve told you the 1988-98 GMT400 series Chevy and GMC trucks would be seeing such a surge in popularity. Since our trademark Coverlay became recognized throughout the automotive industry, we officially changed our name to Coverlay Manufacturing, Inc. moved to its present location in San Angelo, Texas. In 1992, after battling lost production from snow days, needing more space and a centralized location for shipping purposes, Import Auto Products, Ltd. We proudly displayed our first twelve dash covers and we were overwhelmed by the response from the automotive industry. In November 1983, we attended the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) Trade Show in Las Vegas as an exhibitor. ![]() Six months later, we had the first dash cover we could sell. The typical response was "That's great! Do you have a dash cover for my vehicle?" Being confident and ambitious we declared "Those dash covers can't be hard to make - bet we can do it". At that show we discovered a formed plastic dash cover for the Datsun 240Z. In the spring of 1982, we attended a trade show seeking new suppliers. Our original purpose, at the time of incorporation, was to import aftermarket auto body parts from Taiwan and Italy and sell them to body shops in the Denver area. originated in Denver, Colorado in 1982 and incorporated as Import Auto Products, Ltd., a Colorado corporation. ![]()
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