Instrument Panel Swap
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Instrument Panel Swap
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
</td></tr></tbody></table>
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. 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. 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. Dirt, but no decay </td></tr></tbody></table>
There were a couple of minor problems. First this van was a diesel, which means the fuel gauge says "DIESEL FUEL ONLY." Second, the odometer reading does not match mine. I decided to switch out the fuel gauges. I don't want someone borrowing the truck and putting diesel in it accidently. The odometer I am just going to leave. 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. I documented the readings of both so one could calculate the correct(?) mileage. 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. I think I have a problem up stream somewhere (probably a fuse, duh!), but the new panel looks great in the truck. I'll update with some pictures of the finished product.
Thanks for all the great info on this site.
<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
</td></tr></tbody></table>
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. 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. 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. Dirt, but no decay </td></tr></tbody></table>
There were a couple of minor problems. First this van was a diesel, which means the fuel gauge says "DIESEL FUEL ONLY." Second, the odometer reading does not match mine. I decided to switch out the fuel gauges. I don't want someone borrowing the truck and putting diesel in it accidently. The odometer I am just going to leave. 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. I documented the readings of both so one could calculate the correct(?) mileage. 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. I think I have a problem up stream somewhere (probably a fuse, duh!), but the new panel looks great in the truck. I'll update with some pictures of the finished product.
Thanks for all the great info on this site.
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 88,826
Likes: 784
From: Simi Valley, CA
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------
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.
</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center; font-size: 80%;"></td><td style="text-align: center; font-size: 80%;">
</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center; font-size: 80%;">
</td><td style="text-align: center; font-size: 80%;"></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center; font-size: 80%;"></td><td style="text-align: center; font-size: 80%;"></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center; font-size: 80%;"></td><td style="text-align: center; font-size: 80%;"></td></tr></tbody></table>
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------
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.
</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center; font-size: 80%;"></td><td style="text-align: center; font-size: 80%;">
</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center; font-size: 80%;">
</td><td style="text-align: center; font-size: 80%;"></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center; font-size: 80%;"></td><td style="text-align: center; font-size: 80%;"></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center; font-size: 80%;"></td><td style="text-align: center; font-size: 80%;"></td></tr></tbody></table>
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