Dakota Digital RTX OEM Speedo VS. Classic Instruments OEM Style Speedo

[Acwood04]

I am in the market for a new Speedo for my '77. I was really considering the RTX by Dakota but is a bit pricey for a new speedo. I decided to get the VHX and when it got here it just seemed to be of a lower quality than I expected. For example I would have thought the face would have been real glass, not plastic. When I looked at it closely I thought the quality was a little sub-par, and I really realized how much I should have just bit the bullet and gotten the one I really gotten the one I wanted in the first place. They only reason that I went with the lVHX speedo was price, and I'm sure the VHX is a great gauge, but I think I shouldn't cut any corners when it comes to something that I'll be looking at every time I drive the car. I like the RTX and the classic instruments OEM look speedo as well, it looks really clean and VERY close to the original. I am about to return the one that I've already purchased ( not installed yet), for one of these two Speedos. I like the small digital readout on the RTX and and a couple of other features has. I'm running a '77 with a rebuilt 302 and NV 3550 5 spd. I'm not sure if EFI is in the plans right now, but I plan on resto-moding this a little more before I am done with it. I'm on the interior now re-organizing the painless harness that my dad and I installed 10 years ago when I didn't know much about automotive electronics. I have the dash out right now and am organizing the loom and making sure I can get it sitting behind there not looking like spaghetti, and have all the wires with the tags out of a loom and label them when they break off to an instrument.

Any opinions are welcome along with personal experiences with these two gauges, please let me know which you prefer and why.

 

[Shimmy]

when i redo my dash, i'll be going RTX no questions. the gauge is something you'll stare at a lot... might as well get what you want. I agree that the look of the RTX is closer to stock and thats a huge plus for me. albeit the price of the RTX is nearly double that of the VHX. BUT, no one has ever gotten the RTX and thought, "geez, i wish i woulda saved a little and gotten the VHX"

maybe someone will chime in with some other options.

 

[bronco italiano]

One of those cases of, "You got what you paid for". I made that mistake too with not going 4R70W because it was gonna be about 1k more. I love my AOD, but do not have the adjustment capability and always have to be aware of TV line pressure.
The RTX really is slick looking I have to say.

 

[Acwood04]

when i redo my dash, i'll be going RTX no questions. the gauge is something you'll stare at a lot... might as well get what you want. I agree that the look of the RTX is closer to stock and thats a huge plus for me. albeit the price of the RTX is nearly double that of the VHX. BUT, no one has ever gotten the RTX and thought, "geez, i wish i woulda saved a little and gotten the VHX"

maybe someone will chime in with some other options.

Yeah I know what you're saying... I'm saying that now when I drive my '77 Bronco that I put an NV4550 5spd in, and then I get in the Taco and wish i had gotten a stick... But finding an off road or even a sport with a stick and a premium package is rare, and the dealer knows what they have...

For those that have the RTX gauge, is the face plate glass or plastic?

 

[Johnnyb]

My VHX is glass, I wonder when they changed?

 

[DirtDonk]

Maybe it’s just very thin glass, that feels a bit plastic like?
Or is it plastic without a doubt?

Or, if they changed, maybe it’s a safety regulation now for vehicle interiors. Unless they’re gonna pay extra for a safety type of glass, maybe they had to make a change.
Hopefully it’s a high-quality polycarbonate if so.

 

[tripleJs15]

Both my VHX was plastic/plexi, I need to lkook at what the RTX is, I havent even opened it, I like the integration capabilities of Dakota with the Ford PCM and Coyote etc.