Replacing Dummy Lights With Gauges
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Feb 2011
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From: Townsend, MT
Replacing Dummy Lights With Gauges
Right now my truck has the round speedo with "ALT" and "OIL" dummy lights and "ALT" and "OIL" gauges in the two outer holes of the bezel. Can I just buy the Bronco (or big truck) oil and alt gauges and put in my speedometer cluster? Or are the housing different?
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2012
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The housings are different. They are available reproduction. There may be some wiring modification though which I'm not sure of. When I changed my '69 to all gauges, I lucked out and found an NOS wire harness that connects to the gauge feed harness and then back to the individual lights and gauges. Not sure if the 73-79 has this setup as both my '74 & '77 are all gauges in the dash. Some electrical whiz on here will be able to answer that for you.
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2012
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Oops I opened my mouth too soon. I thought you had a later truck, SORRY I often don't proofread sometimes. Anyway an early Bronco or big truck instrument housing should work. My '62 has a 1967 F700 full gauge instrument housing in it. The alternator gauge is available new thru LMC. I found a big truck oil gauge---same facing, fits the hole but it is a mechanical gauge which is far more accurate that an electrical gauge. They usually pop up on ebay NOS quite frequently. Then get an oil line kit at the parts store.
Not all Bronco instrument housings will be a direct fit. The F series went to a printed circuit in 1970. I don't know about when the Broncos did. Your existing light bulbs won't fit unless you enlarge the holes (did that once too, lol)
Not all Bronco instrument housings will be a direct fit. The F series went to a printed circuit in 1970. I don't know about when the Broncos did. Your existing light bulbs won't fit unless you enlarge the holes (did that once too, lol)
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Feb 2011
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From: Townsend, MT
Oops I opened my mouth too soon. I thought you had a later truck, SORRY I often don't proofread sometimes. Anyway an early Bronco or big truck instrument housing should work. My '62 has a 1967 F700 full gauge instrument housing in it. The alternator gauge is available new thru LMC. I found a big truck oil gauge---same facing, fits the hole but it is a mechanical gauge which is far more accurate that an electrical gauge. They usually pop up on ebay NOS quite frequently. Then get an oil line kit at the parts store.
Not all Bronco instrument housings will be a direct fit. The F series went to a printed circuit in 1970. I don't know about when the Broncos did. Your existing light bulbs won't fit unless you enlarge the holes (did that once too, lol)
Not all Bronco instrument housings will be a direct fit. The F series went to a printed circuit in 1970. I don't know about when the Broncos did. Your existing light bulbs won't fit unless you enlarge the holes (did that once too, lol)
But can I use my current instrument housing to put the gauges in?
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2012
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If your current housing only has the idiot lights, the answer is likely no. It would be more trouble than its worth. You would need a hole saw and have to drill a hole for your alternator and oil gauges and then two small holes each for the mounting screws and you measurements would have to be precise.
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Feb 2011
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From: Townsend, MT
Could you give me a couple detailed shots of the back of the speedometer housing so that I can compare it to mine? Thanks.
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Feb 2011
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From: Townsend, MT
If your current housing only has the idiot lights, the answer is likely no. It would be more trouble than its worth. You would need a hole saw and have to drill a hole for your alternator and oil gauges and then two small holes each for the mounting screws and you measurements would have to be precise.
Rant over.
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Posting Guru
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From: Colville, Washington
It's a good thing I work for cheap then. If I didn't do what everyone else told me "would be more trouble than it's worth" I wouldn't have a Clark 5 Speed in an old ford, I wouldn't have a F350 powered by a 4BT that can pull 15,000 and then turn around and get 25 miles to the gallon, I wouldn't have an extra fuel tank in my '66 that I built with a stick welder, my transfer case bushings would still eat themselves out every six months, and my truck wouldn't keep cool 'cause I wouldn't have a super-cooling radiator out of a dent - and the list goes on.
Rant over.
Rant over.
Forgot to mention, I have the OE oil and ammeter gauges out of my truck, I replaced all my gauges with Autometer, it is shown in my avatar pic.
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2012
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Awesome! That is what you need to have all gauges. The only difference is the temperature and fuel gauges are in a different hole on the big truck housing so just place accordingly. If you decide to replace them with NOS you just might have to re-use the backing plates from your old gauges. No biggy.
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2012
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Oh---forgot, the 61-66 smaller truck speedo will fit as facing and architecture is the same. Some big trucks had a million mile speedometer with no tenths rather than 99,999 & tenths. I got lucky and found an NOS on e-pay for $100. Would have cost more to rebuild the frozen original.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,109
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From: Thornton, Colorado
I put the Speedo cluster in my 66 out of a mid 70's Bronco. I know that because it said "Unleaded Fuel Only" at the bottom of the speedo. I covered it with a Ford Sticker. The Oil pressure is easy, just get a Sensor for a 77 Bronco, and it works great. The Amp guage is a little weird, it uses a flow by system. I hooked the main wire from the Alternator to the fuse panel to the wire, so all power flows through this little fuse looking thing. The gauge picks up the flowing electricity and shows it on the gauge. The one out of a big truck above clearly uses a different system for that.
As for the speedo, and other gauges, I hooked them up the same as the old cluster and they have worked fine for 5 years.
As for the speedo, and other gauges, I hooked them up the same as the old cluster and they have worked fine for 5 years.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,109
Likes: 9
From: Thornton, Colorado
As person who once put a 312 out of a 1956 Thunderbird, in a 1964 F250, I am not a believer that anything can't be done. I have even really liked watching the thread on the eco slick. That being said from what I know about these gauge clusters you are spending a lot of time to preserve a cluster that no one will know you worked that hard to preserve. Plus I think the only way you can get the gauges you want is to get a full cluster, and then remove them from it.