Holley 6.86 Pro Dash: layouts you can read at a glance

How big is the Holley 6.86 dash?

Holley lists the 6.86 inch Pro Dash at about 7.6 inches wide by 3.4 inches tall, around the size of a phone turned sideways. It mounts with four threaded holes on the back, and like the 12.3, it comes with a template for either a surface mount or a recessed flush mount.

Same screen, smaller everything

Here's the part most people don't expect: the 6.86 and 12.3 dashes have the same screen resolution. A layout made for one loads on the other. But on the 6.86, every gauge, number and label shows up at a little over half the size.

That's why some owners say the small dash is hard to read, especially the fine print. A layout copied straight from a 12.3 often has labels you can't read from the driver's seat.

Tips for a 6.86 layout that works

• Use fewer, bigger gauges. One big tach or speedometer plus four small gauges reads better than eight tiny ones.
• Keep numbers big. Show every other number on the scale if you have to.
• Go digital for the small stuff. A large digital readout for voltage or air/fuel is easier to read than a tiny needle.
• Pick high contrast. White faces with black numbers or black faces with white numbers beat busy backgrounds.
• Use warning lights. A light that turns red when oil pressure drops gets your attention faster than a small gauge.

Design for the 6.86 in Gauge Garage

In the designer, switch the screen size to 6.86 at the top. It warns you about text that will be too small on the smaller dash, and the Real size preview shows roughly how big the layout will look in the car. The Heritage Five template is a good start: one big tach, four small gauges, nothing crowded.

Have the big dash instead? See the Holley 12.3 Pro Dash guide.