Well... After another call to NVU about exactly what their Direct Fit package includes and what it doesn't, I restored my Summit order.
The gauges arrived about three hours ago. Following are my initial impressions.
NVU 73-87 Direct Fit - List Price: $899 - Summit Price: $799.
Packaging: Sucks.
They arrived with next to no padding in a larger than necessary box. NVU uses one brass nut to connect the gauge coupler on the back of the large gauges, to their card board holder. The Speedometer did not have a nut attached. Consequently, the Speedometer was flopping to hell and back inside the NVU box and inside the Summit box. The net result: The Tach has 8-10 nicks and scratches in the black bezel. No telling what will show when the Dash Bezel is installed.
THERE IS NO WAY THE SHOP MONKEY AT NVU DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE SPEEDOMETER WAS TOSSED INTO THEIR BOX... LOOSE! There was bubble wrap but it wasn't even wrapped around the gauge cluster, it was tucked in behind the cluster with the hardware bag. Perhaps it was a customer return and no one bothered to repackage it properly, who knows.
Quality: Middle of the road. 6.5-7 out of 10
The coupler's on the back of the large gauges, are held on by two tiny brass nuts tightened onto threaded screw ends sticking out of the back of the gauge housing. The coupler's are injection moulded plastic that have several 'legs' that are designed to press evenly against the back of the gauge when installed, distributing the holding pressure around the full diameter of the gauge.
However, these 'legs' are all different lengths and were cut from the mould with dykes... leaving pointy ends needing trimming. Because of the poor quality, you will most likely run into the same issue I had - the threaded rod will not project far enough through the coupler to take the washer, lock washer and nut. So, you will have to trim all the legs shorter and file them flat. Totally unacceptable.
Instructions: Poor. What instructions?
The installation instructions are a one page affair with a poor quality black and white photo. There are some small text areas and arrows pointing to areas on the back of a gauge cluster that are decipherable with some effort.
It shows the High Beam wiring going to the Tachometer even though the kit does not have a provision for High Beam, according to NVU.
There is no information for the shift indicator, even though there is a provision for one on the housing.
The contents listing states that there is a "GM Speed Sender" which is not true, according to NVU. You have to purchase one for $40-$50 additional cost.
Installation instructions simply state:
Remove original panel and gauges.
Install new gauges in panel in any position.
Install on back of original panel as shown using fasteners included in kit.
The 'kit' consists of a plastic bag full of a variety of hardware. Over time I suspect I will be able to determine what goes where.
They go on to say that if your 'direct fit' kit isn't so 'direct fit' you might need to get a heat gun and do your own bending... Okaay Dokeey, how about a discount on the $900 Direct Fit?
Wiring: Can you say "I am an electrical engineer?"
There is next to nothing in the instructions as to how to wire the gauge cluster into your OEM or Aftermarket Harness. There are a lot of loose wires that need to terminate somewhere. This will most likely be the single largest time consuming area. A color coded schematic identifying wires and connections to harnesses would have been the minimum expectation.
All in all, I am going to hold the line on my 6.5-7 out of 10 initial impression.
- NVU could have taken a lot better care packaging my $900 gauge cluster....
- NVU could do some serious improvement in their documentation accuracy...
- NVU could do a better job of providing more detailed and comprehensive instructions. Not everyone is an electrical engineer.
- NVU needs to update their documentation to be more application specific and less generic - one size fits all.
- NVU needs to seriously improve their QC. Their Injection Moulding sucks.
In some instances you DON"T get what you pay for... or expect.