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I've also been thinking about permanently replacing my oil pressure idiot light for a real gauge.
Don't *replace* the idiot light. Just add a pressure gauge. Your eyes will notice a warning light faster than you can see and recognize a low gauge reading. Unscrew the switch and install a close nipple and tee. Reinstall the switch in the end of the tee and the gauge sender in the side fitting.For a street car an electric gauge is just fine. Use wire that has insulation rated for the ambient under-hood temperatures, and protect it in a corrugated sleeve.
My experience has been that mechanical gauge tubing is always a problem. The nylon tubing gets brittle and leaks, and metal tubing will fatigue and crack. If you use nylon tubing, plan on replacing it every 2-3 years, whether it needs it or not. Be especially careful of routing the tubing under the dash. Protect it and secure it so that it won't vibrate against anything. Oil on the carpet is a pita to clean up. Always secure the tubing to the engine within a few inches of the end, and leave a generous length between the last engine support point and the first body support point. You need at least 2 support points reasonably close together on each side of the body-engine segment to limit any motion to that segment.
Ken
