My instrument panel was not operating. The lights did not come on and the gauges worked intermittently. I pulled the panel out and noticed that the plastic backing was absolutely disintegrating. It turns to dust where ever you touch it.
<table ><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7347/9043592556_0a89d806f6.jpg" width="200" /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7334/9043592452_6ce5eaa32c.jpg" width="200" /></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center; font-size: 80%">Dirty and decaying instrument panel
</td><td style="text-align: center;font-size: 80%">Broken bulb socket
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On the advice of Number Dummy and others, I decided to swap out my instrument panel for the Econoline one. Off to the junkyard!

Right there in the first row was an '85 Ford Econoline. &nbsp;Just like we had when I was a kid, it was even a diesel!<br />
<table ><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7376/9041540819_7ba52194f2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7376/9041540819_7ba52194f2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7407/9041540229_9fa359817f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7407/9041540229_9fa359817f.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center;font-size: 80%">1985 Ford van with the 6.9 liter diesel
</td><td style="text-align: center;font-size: 80%">Pristine instrument panel </td></tr></tbody></table>
A lot of these old vans had warning lights instead of oil and amp gauges, but this one had the full set of gauges. &nbsp;I was in and out in about 15 minutes.
<table ><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7451/9041369983_d3d3a44134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7451/9041369983_d3d3a44134.jpg" width="200" /></a></td><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5491/9043592350_b4e8293d9b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5491/9043592350_b4e8293d9b.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center;font-size: 80%">New panel front</td><td style="text-align: center;font-size: 80%">New panel rear. &nbsp;Dirt, but no decay </td></tr></tbody></table>
There were a couple of minor problems. &nbsp;First this van was a diesel, which means the fuel gauge says "DIESEL FUEL ONLY." &nbsp;Second, the odometer reading does not match mine. &nbsp;I decided to switch out the fuel gauges. &nbsp;I don't want someone borrowing the truck and putting diesel in it accidently. &nbsp;The odometer I am just going to leave. &nbsp;The title to the truck lists "99,999" for the mileage ("beyond mechanical limits" basically), so there is no legal issue with an incorrect odometer reading. &nbsp;I documented the readings of both so one could calculate the correct(?) mileage. &nbsp;If I ever sell the truck, I will include the old instrument panel.

The fuel gauge swap was very easy, although old panel was crumbling everywhere.<br /><table><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5519/9041369441_f9ff600b2c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5519/9041369441_f9ff600b2c.jpg" width="200" /></a></td><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3713/9043592916_0595dee677.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3713/9043592916_0595dee677.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center;font-size: 80%">Mid-swap</td><td style="text-align: center;font-size: 80%">Done </td></tr></tbody></table>
Unfortunately, the lights still don't work even though all the blinkers and lamps work. &nbsp;I think I have a problem up stream somewhere (probably a fuse, duh!), but the new panel looks great in the truck. &nbsp;I'll update with some pictures of the finished product.

Thanks for all the great info on this site.

 

1975/79 F100/350, 1975/80 Econoline, 1978/79 Bronco:

The instrument cluster backs were made of a composition material that can TURN TO DUST before your very eyes.


<table><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;">1981: FoMoCo came out with hard plastic cluster backs for Econolines, these were also the service part replacements for the POS composition cluster backs.

E1PZ-10848-A .. Hard Plastic Cluster Back-Use with Oil/Amp GAUGES ~ 1981/91 Econoline, retrofit: 1975/79 F100/350, 1975/80 Econoline, 1978/79 Bronco.

CARPENTER NOS OBSOLETE PARTS in Concord NC has 400 = 800-476-9653.
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E1PZ-10848-B .. Hard Plastic Cluster Back-Use with Oil/Amp WARNING LAMPS ~ 1981/86 Econoline, retrofit-same applications as above.

CARPENTER NOS OBSOLETE PARTS has 50.
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1987/91: All Econolines have Oil/Amp GAUGES.

1976/79 F100/350, 1976/91 Econoline, 1978/79 Bronco with Oil/Amp GAUGES use the same printed circuit board.



















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