What Classic Instruments does

Classic Instruments is a U.S.-based designer, assembler, and calibrator of aftermarket automotive gauges and instrument clusters, focused on the classic vehicle, street rod, hot rod, and muscle car restoration market. Founded in 1977 and operating from a single headquarters at 826 Moll Drive, Boyne City, Michigan, the company produces vehicle-specific direct-fit gauge packages for dozens of classic American nameplates (e.g., 1933-'34 Ford Car, 1966-'67 Chevelle, 1969-'70 Mustang, 1973-'87 Chevy/GMC Square Body, 1988-'94 OBS Chevy Truck, plus Corvette, GTO, Nova, Mustang, Mopar, and Econoline variants), standalone performance gauges across 18 design styles (AutoCross, Velocity, Hot Rod, G-Stock, White Hot, Classic, Esquire, etc.), and proprietary interface hardware including Zeus Speedometer Technology, Zeus-Link CAN module, CI-DRIVE, and Fuel Link senders.

Underlying technology centers on all-electric cluster design with rugged air-core movements, Hybrid LED perimeter/back lighting, OLED information screens, and CAN-bus integration with Holley ECUs (Dominator, HP, Terminator X, Sniper families) and GM OBDII; the engineering approach emphasizes plug-in compatibility and elimination of external control boxes. The product roadmap has accelerated in 2023-2026 with multiple new direct-fit packages, the March 2024 launch of Zeus-Link, the March 2024 Corvette retro-fit service launch, the 2025 Holley Pro Dash & Racepak customization services, and the February 2026 OLED digital gear indicator.

Revenue is generated primarily through hardware sales of direct-fit clusters, individual gauges, and interface modules, supplemented by quote-priced professional services (custom gauge builds, retrofits, and Holley Pro Dash customization) and sold through three channels: a direct e-commerce storefront at shop.classicinstruments.com, an authorized dealer network with international coverage (locator by zip code), and a distribution/sales arrangement via Holley.com. Customer segments are enthusiast- and SMB-led (street rod builders, classic restoration shops, performance/racing enthusiasts) with a hybrid segmentation approach. The privately held firm is owned and led by president John McLeod III and runs an active trade-show, print-advertising, and social-media marketing program anchored at Goodguys, SEMA, NSRA, and other automotive events.

Name

Classic Instruments

Legal name

Classic Instruments

Website

https://classicinstruments.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Classic Instruments designs, assembles, and calibrates aftermarket automotive gauges and direct-fit instrument clusters for classic car, hot rod, street rod, and muscle truck restorers, sold direct, through authorized dealers, and via Holley.com from Boyne City, Michigan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Instrumentation

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Electrical and Electronic Equipment Manufacturing (33632), Motor Vehicle Electrical and Electronic Equipment Manufacturing (336320), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600), Electronic Components & Accessories (3670)

akta.pro primary industry

Automotive Instrument Clusters, Displays & HMI Electronics Manufacturing (IMACAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Automotive Infotainment, Telematics & Connectivity Hardware Manufacturing (TCU/V2X/GNSS) (IMACAJAH), Automotive ECUs/Control Modules & Embedded Electronics Manufacturing (IMACAJAC)

Keywords

• Automotive gauges
• Instrument clusters
• Vehicle instrumentation
• Classic car restoration
• Performance gauges

Headquarters

HQ city

Boyne City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct-fit Gauge Clusters: Complete instrument clusters designed for specific classic vehicle models (e.g., 1966-67 Chevelle, 1988-94 OBS Chevy Truck). All-electric clusters featuring speedometer, tachometer, fuel, oil, temp, and volt gauges in OE style. Sold as ready-to-install packages.
2. Individual Performance Gauges: Full-sweep and short-sweep gauges available in various sizes (2 1/8", 2 5/8") across 18 design styles. Includes speedometers, tachometers, fuel level, temperature, oil pressure, volt gauges, and specialty gauges like exhaust gas temperature and cylinder head temperature.
3. Customization Services: Service to customize Holley Pro Dash screens and Racepaks with custom colors, logos, graphics, and programming. Three levels of customization from pre-designed OE styles to complete custom design and programming.
4. Custom and Retrofit Services: Custom gauge building to customer specifications and retrofit services for original gauges, including retro-fit packages for vehicles like 1963-67 Corvettes.
5. Interface Modules and Accessories: Supporting products including Zeus-Link gauge interface modules, Fuel Link senders, CI-DRIVE speedometer interfaces, gear position sending units, and sending unit kits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Classic Instruments designs, assembles, and calibrates vehicle-specific direct-fit instrument clusters and individual performance gauges for classic cars, muscle cars, trucks, and hot rods. The company also produces electronic interface modules (Zeus-Link, CI-DRIVE, Fuel Link, Zeus Speedometer Technology) that connect gauges to modern ECUs and OBDII systems, and offers customization and retrofit services for Holley Pro Dash displays and vintage gauge restorations.

Product overview

Classic Instruments is a US-based manufacturer of automotive gauges and instrument clusters for classic and custom vehicles. The product portfolio centers on direct-fit gauge packages — vehicle-specific, pre-assembled clusters (speedometer, tachometer, fuel, temp, oil pressure, volt) for cars and trucks from the 1930s through the 1980s — supplemented by standalone performance gauges (AutoCross, Velocity, Classic, Esquire series), electronic interface modules (Zeus-Link, CI-DRIVE, Zeus Speedometer Technology, Fuel Link), and value-add services (custom builds, retrofits, Holley Pro Dash customization). The direct-fit packages form the core product line, while gauges and modules serve as both add-on components and independent offerings. Products are sold direct and through authorized dealers including Holley.com.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 1933-'34 Ford Car Package
• 1966-'67 Chevelle Package
• 1966-'67 Nova Package
• 1964-'67 GTO Package
• 1969-'70 Mustang Package
• 1978-'88 Chevy G-Body Package
• 1988-'94 OBS Chevy Truck Package
• 1973-'87 Square Body Package
• 1964-'66 Chevy Truck Package
• 1960-'63 Chevy Truck Direct-Fit Cluster
• 1947-'53 GM Pick-Up Package
• 1957-'60 Ford Truck Package
• 1961-'66 Ford Econoline Van Package
• 1973-'79 Ford Truck Package
• Bel Era III Package
• 1987-'89 Ford Fox Body Cluster
• OLED Digital Gear Indicator
• Holley Pro Dash & Racepak Customization Service
• Zeus-Link Gauge Interface Module
• CI-DRIVE Speedometer Interface
• Performance Gauge Series
• Speedometer with Information Screen
• Custom Gauge Build Service
• Gauge Retrofit Service
• 1963-'67 Corvette Retro-fit Service
• Fuel Link

Quantifiable outcome

• No external control boxes required - simplified installation
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• HolleycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 July 2025Classic Instruments offers customization services for Holley Pro Dash screens (6.8" and 12.3") and Racepaks. Three levels of customization available: Level 1 (pre-designed OE styles, logos, color changes), Level 2 (customer-specific layouts, car wrap graphics), and Level 3 (complete custom design and programming). Products available through Holley.com. Zeus-Link module also connects to Holley ECUs including Dominator, HP, Terminator X, Terminator X Max, Sniper, and Sniper II.
• Classic DashminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 15 April 2019Partnership to offer Mopar Dash Insert Kits containing Classic Dash inserts and Classic Instruments six-gauge sets. Two kits released for Mopar applications: 1967-74 Mopar A-Body and 1967-76 Mopar B-Body. Combined offering provides complete dashboard solution for classic Mopar vehicles.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Intellitronix: LED and digital gauge maker offering direct-fit clusters for classic American vehicles. Directly comparable product category targeting the same restoration/hot rod customer with modern digital instrumentation.
• Accutach: Niche aftermarket tachometer and gauge specialist for hot rod, custom, and racing applications. Comparable in performance-gauge focus but with a narrower product line than Classic Instruments.
• NVU (Next Vintage Unique): Smaller specialty gauge maker offering direct-fit and retrofit clusters for classic GM, Ford, and Mopar vehicles. Competes in the same direct-fit cluster niche but with a narrower product range than Classic Instruments.

Broad incumbents

• Auto Meter: Larger aftermarket gauge manufacturer serving performance, motorsport, and OE-style applications. Broader portfolio of individual gauges and clusters that competes with Classic Instruments' performance series in the same enthusiast channel.
• Stewart Warner: Heritage gauge and instrument manufacturer serving classic, performance, and industrial markets. Comparable in product family (analog gauges, speedometers, tachometers) with broader industrial reach than Classic Instruments.
• VDO (Continental): Global Tier-1 supplier of instrument clusters and gauges to OE and aftermarket channels. Provides automotive instrumentation at industrial scale, serving as a benchmark for broader gauge manufacturing capability.
• Holley: Dominant aftermarket performance products company and Classic Instruments' strategic partner. Overlaps through Holley Pro Dash displays, ECU ecosystem, and broader performance parts catalog serving the same enthusiast base.

Direct peers

• Racepak: Specialist in motorsport and high-performance digital data acquisition displays and gauges. Distributed through Classic Instruments and bundled with their Holley Pro Dash customization service, creating direct overlap in performance instrument offerings.
• Dakota Digital: Direct competitor specializing in digital and analog instrument systems for classic cars, hot rods, and custom vehicles. Most analogous peer given overlapping direct-fit cluster, VHX/HDX series, and similar vehicle-specific offerings.
• Classic Dash: Manufacturer of reproduction dashboard panels for classic vehicles and active partner via Mopar Dash Insert Kits. Directly adjacent product offering for the same classic-car restoration customer, often co-sold with Classic Instruments gauges.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GaugeGuru
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCGmAcrTH3xh9ZTwdHDP_hUA
• Facebookfacebook.com/ClassicInstruments
• Instagraminstagram.com/explore/locations/347245591

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Classic Instruments