Both my oil and battery gauges are a light gauge but the ones they show for sale in catalogs are needle gauges. I was wondering if there were different instrument panels in 53-55 f100's.

 

i had a 53 - 55 gauge panel i took apart and can't find in the black hole that had an oil and ammeter in it , instead of the idiot lights . still looking too as i want to use 'em !! then i got another that did not have a temp gauge just a idiot light that was blank , seems to be all sorts of weird stuff when you start looking at other stuff . if i cant find mine , i got a set from a 63 1 ton , ammeter and oil that will fit and work in my panel with a real minor tweek . oh and my stock panel had the idgit lights in it ... although it has two temp gauges now one for each side of the flatty !!

 

I had to go look. On my 56 the batt and oil are idiot lights. The fuel and temp are gauges.

I think it is probably random or something.

Everything in my cluster works, but...

Mine is not a restoration, nor a show truck. Its just a driver.I didn't want to drill holes in the dash...so I put autometer gauges in. Dad made me some brackets that fasten underneath.

 

'53s had full gauges '54 and after went to "idiot" lights.

 

I have a 54 and it came with four gauges. They all fit in the same holes. If you get new ones they come with new sending units. Either will be fine it is in the eye of the beholder.
Max E

 

HI,

All the panels themselves are common (physical dimensions, cut outs etc) from 53-55 with the exception of the lights added as referenced above.

I replaced the idiot lights with gauges in my 55. If you look at the gauges at LMC, on page 31, you will notice that some have little "Stars" to indicate position and some have little "Lines." Just be sure to get the right ones. Also note that they are for 12 volt systems only. If you are still running 6 volt power they will not work. If you are running or plan to change to 12 volt, you can reduce the gas/temp gauges with the little voltage reducer that I've posted on your other thread, just buy the oil pressure at 12 volts and not reduce it, and as I mentioned, a 6 volt induction loop ammeter will work just fine with your 12 volt conversion. There are tons of ammeters on e-bay cheep and also new at the parts houses.

The gauges are all the same physical size and screw into the spots where the idiot lights are without conversion (except perhaps to unbolt the mounting plate an flip it around) You can go two routs here 1. buy a used 53 package somewhere like e-bay (and be prepared to pay because everyone want to do the same thing) then reduce them all when you convert to 12 volt, or buy the 12 vold gauges from LMC withthe correct sending units, and not have to fool with them. I'd opt for the latter personally.

Here is the gauge page at LMC:

LMC Truck Parts - Page 31

Also, here is a link to e-bay - a 53 set with all the gauges:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1953-...QQcmdZViewItem

And an Amp gauge for half of LMCs price.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NOS-1...2em118Q2el1247

Remember to ask the guy with the dash if he has the sending unit for the oil pressure gauge - if not you can buy them, and I think I have an old one I'll give you to try if I can find it.


Good luck,
Julie

 

Is there any ford truck you don't know everything about? not that it is bad, just different...

 

FOFL!!!!!!

I have a 2002 Ranger that is running like pure garbage right now (I figure it's firing on about 3 or 4 out of 6) and I can't figure out whats wrong to save my life! Screw it - it's going to the dealer.

I was the son my father never had, and "became" interested in mechanical things at a very young age.

Got an education to be an engineer, and was thinking about the Service and being a pilot (again following in Dads footsteps)but didn't do it. Worked as an engineer for about a year but couldn't stand the environment and politics. So here I am.

I've completely restored a 55 F-100 (about 25 years ago when in my late teens), a 56 in the late 90s and now a doing 51.

But one advantage I do have is that my dad kept complete references and pictures of all my restorations and his, so I have a pretty good technical library to draw from - about 100 CDs . It's all plagurism. The photographic memory and Evelyn Wood help a lot too - it makes it easy to find things you've seen somewhere. - Tee hee.

And one thing you will notice about FTE is that there are only about 30 different subjects ever posted - the more common problems, and they keep getting reposted and reasked. Eventually you know where to go to copy the URLs and bring them back up.

Best,
Julie!

Ps I also learn a great deal by reading the inputs of others here. The amount of technical knowledge that circulates on FTE is really pretty incredible - a benchmark for sure!

 

Ps I also learn a great deal by reading the inputs of others here. The amount of technical knowledge that circulates on FTE is really pretty incredible - a benchmark for sure!


Amen Brother, I mean Sister! HaHa!

 

So, exactly what is it that you are wanting to do? In 53, everything was gauges. In 54, idiot lights came standard on the F-100, and gauges were optional. The ones with the stars are correct for the 53-55. The 56 has blocks and lines. The 56 gauge will fit into a 53-55 housing, if you change the backing plate. The idiot light can be replaced with a gauge, using the light wire as the wire to the sending unit, and the other post would then run to the ignition switch. Are you staying 6 volt and wanting new gauges? Curious as to exactly what you are looking for here. LMC is typically, but not always, the most expensive supplier of our parts. If you are just wanting the gauges for 6 volt, I have a perfect full set of 6 volt gauges from a 53. They are flawless and have excellent paint still too. I have to go 12 volt on my truck, so my 6 volt items are now useless to me. I use 56 gauges for all my 12 volt conversions.

 

So wmjoe,

Looks like he only needs to replace the two idiot lights with gauges. Since the ammeter is senderless and pretty much universal, do you have the correct sender for your oil pressure gauge to go with the gauges? I haven't done business with Mid fifties because I am restoring a Bonus Built. So, I'm not sure if they have the gauges or not. LMC is the only supplier I use who carries them - not meaning someone else doesn't.

You canbuy gauges on e-bay as well but for the oil pressure gauge you need the correct sending unit as well and that's where the LMC gauges work because the come as matches sets.

What you are proposing sounds like a very generous offer!

J!

 

To people know have said the 53 came with all gauges and the 54 used idiot lights. So has some one missed titled my truck or put in 54 dash panel? What I want to do is have all stock type gauges. Right now the only thing working is the fuel gauge and it is not right completely. PO put in aftermarket gauges below the dash for temp, oil and battery. My truck has been converted to 12v. Would like to put in 12v gauges but they are expensive. So I am thinking about adding the voltage reducers two gauges at a time as the reducers are a little expensive themselves and money is tight right now.

 

That sounds like a good plan to me!!!!!!

Do you have the stock engine in the truck, or has it been re engined. IOW, do youhave the correct sending ubit for the temp gauge? That may be why it's not working (might not even be hooked up because of that).

If that's the case all you would need is the Temp sending unit, Oil Pressure gauge with sending unit, and the Amp Gauge,and 3 reducers (or the one unit mid fifties supposedly sells).

J!

 

J!, my truck has a sbc in it. It is weird, even though there is an aftermarket below the dash, I notice the needle on the stock temp gauge goes from cold all the way to hot when I first turn the key on. Will the correct sending unit fit the sbc and work?

 

I know alot of people don't care for this look but its a cheap and easy alternative to 12 volt gauges in the original dash cluster.