Hi Robb, let's assume these are ordinary gau files and not new cabs. Do the following.
1. Get hold of CFGEdit.exe here at SimV. It's a freeware panel design prog
2. Paste the gau files into your FS9 GAUGES folder.
3. Start CFGEdit and set it up so it 'points' to your FS9 gauges folder ie gets its gauges from there . Don't worry that it refers to 'FS2000' - it'll still work fine.
4. Open the panel.cfg file of the panel you want to add the gauges to. You'll see a pic of the panel with all it's gauges shown.
5. Then do Gauge....Add Gauge and then scroll down through your gauges file which it'll open for you until you find the one you put in there earlier.
6. Resize select the gauge so it drops onto your panel. Resize it and move it to where you want.
7. Save the file and try it out.
You'll soon get the idea. It's a lot of fun.
CFGEdit can't see the cab file gauges that started in FS2002 and are used a lot in FS2004. You'll need a payware prog to do that like FS Panel Studio. But you can get round that by using CFGedit to add a gauge of similar type and then editing the panel.cfg file afterwards by hand and changing the name to the name of the cab file gauge. I have done quite a few panels and I only ever use CFGEdit.
Easy when you know how