Dakota Digital has been on a roll lately releasing several new products over the past year that make fitting a variety of vehicles from street rods and muscle cars to classic trucks and four wheel drives with high tech gauges.
We stopped by to take a look at a variety of these new high-tech products and talked with the Dakota Digital’s Scott Johnson about these new products that are making it easier for enthusiasts to both run high-tech new gauges and retrofit newer overdrive transmissions into their classic vehicles.
ECD-100
The ECD-100 is a product that according to Johnson has been requested by customers for quite some time. What this product allows owners to do is retrofit a newer transmission that uses an electronic speed sensor into an older vehicle and retain the cable driven speedometer. An electric motor within the unit drives the speedometer cable. “We take the signal from the speed sensor and translate that into a mechanical movement so someone wanting to retain that original speedometer and look can do so,” says Johnson.
Johnson also says the ECD-100 can also be calibrated to compensate for changes not only due to the gearing of the modern transmission but also for changes in rear differential ring and pinion. “Instead of changing gears in the transmission, owners can push a button, drive a measured mile and the ECD-100 will self-calibrate,” Johnson says.
The ECD-100 received the runner up award for best new product at this year’s SEMA show as well, cementing what we already knew, that this will be an important and popular Dakota Digital product for years to come.
High-Frequency 128k GM Pulse Generator
Another cool new item from Dakota Digital is the High-Frequency 128k GM Pulse Generator, part number SEN-01-128. This item is ideal for anyone installing an older GM transmission into a newer vehicle. For instance a TH350 or Powerglide, that lacks provision for a GM high frequency speed sensor. These sensors are often necessary for certain computer control operations, this also makes the part ideal for LS swaps where owners might retain the use of an older transmission.
The 7/8-inch female thread on fitting fits all GM transmissions with a mechanical speedometer cable outlet.
VHX-1100
The VHX-1100 system is based around Dakota Digital’s popular line of VHX instruments. While Dakota Digital has worked to develop a variety of OE style gauges, there are applications where a direct fit is not yet available or a fitment other than original might be more useful. That’s where the VHX-1100 comes in.
With performance and racing enthusiasts in mind, this system offers the benefits, accuracy, and options of the VHX instruments, in a system that can easily be installed in a variety of applications. With multiple styles available, quality stepper motor movements, and the ability to add on additional modules, the VHX-1100 makes a great solution for any number of high performance applications.
1933-1940 Ford Car VHX Instruments
While earlier Ford’s are vastly popular in the street rodding and hot rodding set, the 33-38 Ford cars are gaining ground as an affordable and different alternative. Dakota Digital is now offering two different instrument systems that have a stock style bezel to fit the stock dash openings on 33-34, 35-36 and 37-38 Ford cars. These VHX gauges are available in red or blue lighting with black or silver faces in red, white or blue illumination.. VHX controls bring the gauge technology into the 21st century, while maintaining a classic hot rod appearance.
Classic Toyota FJ-40
Classic 1962-1984 Toyota FJ owners now have a direct fit solution available as well. Offering an instrument system that updates the looks and function over the original gauges. This new system for FJ’s also works on the VHX package and modernizes the sensor system as well.
Now there’s no need to build a custom bezel for aftermarket gauges for an FJ, rework old gauges, or worse cut the dash of that classic four wheel drive.
Climate Control
Vintage Air gen-four climate control systems are incredibly popular with the street rod and classic market. Dakota digital is offering a variety of controllers for these systems.
The controllers range from a dial style, the DCC-3000, to the DCC-2500, and DCC-2400 which would match other Dakota Digital products installed.
These control systems allow owners to set the temperature and they could then set the fan speed to their liking or auto as well as the position the air is moving out of the dash, floor, or defrost.
Dakota Digital continues to be on the cutting edge of gauge and control systems and we look forward to seeing what they come up with as they continue to innovate in 2014.