I have a '59 that came with alternator from the previous owner. I'm a beginner and a have been reading up on how to convert from 6 to 12 volts so I can check if the conversion thats been done is all right. I've got it pretty well figured out but not clear on CVR for gauges. My gas and temp gauges don't work but all cluster lights do. I pulled out the original cluster and plugged the CVR and gas gauge from another cluster I have in. Turned the truck on and the gas gauge climbed past full with a little smoke and burning smell. I was very proud of myself since I had managed to drop and break the only undamaged instrument panel glass I have too. Anyway, does the factory voltage regulator behind the instrument panel do the job with a 12 volt system? I understand Ford ran 6 volt gauges for quite some time but not sure if the CVR for the 1959 6 volt system works with 12 volts...or do I need a newer year model CVR or?

Since I have a couple panels I'll eventually cut and replace the idiot lights with gauges along with the existing gauges as seen on other posts in this forum. Just looking for quick fix so I can put my gauges back together before I break another glass. Thank you for any advice you can offer!

 

Is there a voltage regulator for 6 volt trucks?

 

ALL 1956 and newer FoMoCo vehicles are 12V negative ground // 1928/55 FoMoCo vehicles are 6V positive ground.

B9MZ-10804-C .. ICVR = Instrument Cluster Voltage Regulator (Motorcraft GR-508) / Obsolete ~ Available NOS & from auto parts stores.

1957/66 F100/1100 / 1961/66 Thunderbird / 1965/66 Mustang / 1966/77 Bronco.

 

Ok, probably why I can cant find anything on how to covert a '59 to 12 volts. I guess then I should just replace the CVR as it is allowing too mulch voltage to get to the gauges? Thank you for the responses.

 

Salutations B.W.;

It seems you're under the misconception that your "Orphan Years Truck" was originally a 6 Volt when manufactured.

You're so misinformed it isn't even funny.

The last of the 6 Volt FoMoCo's (ford/Lincoln/mercury), were in '55, as the '56s were the first of the 12 Volt systems.

You also should've asked before cutting any of your Dash Panels up & asked about Original FoMoCo Gauges that were Options for our trucks, because some of us have extras that we could've sold you.

 

Thanks for the information in the last line. You can keep the criticism though! If you actually had read my post you would see I was thinking about doing the modification for the non factory gauges. Theres another post on this forum that gave me the idea. But good to find out there's a factory option. Pretty sure I mentioned I'm learning. Just assumed generator=6 volt system. They stopped using generators in fords before I was born...I think. Anyway, you can bet your a#$ I got it now! Just figuring it out as I go along and with help from you guys. Col Flashman, you have some gauges you want to sell?

 

Those voltage regulators do fail, but they get replaced a lot for no good reason I'd wager. They are mechanical, so the voltage output is chopped. There is a tiny bimetallic strip inside that makes and breaks contact as it heats up. So 12 volts in is chopped in half, roughly.

The gauges themselves have a very slow response, so it works. If you try to measure the voltage with a modern DVM it probably will toggle excessively or read way high? The "average" voltage will be around 6 volts though.

 

The original gas and temp gauges, with the copper colored face & black speedometer, didn't mark at all. When I plugged in the spare gauges, with the silver face, and the gas went way past full I figured they were getting too much voltage. I thought the original set had gotten cooked with too much voltage and the spare just about. Thats what got me to the questions about the 12 volt system. I've ordered a NOS regulator now which may fix the spare '60 gauge set I have. I read somewhere that sometimes when the regulator fails the gauges go past normal levels because they are getting closer to 12 volts continuously. I better read up on how to test voltage/continuity on that system and try to sort out what is actually going on. Hopefully I can fix and keep the original '59 instrument cluster.

 

Just stating Facts, & yes I Actually Read Your Post Several Times before responding.

You Need to Do Your Research BEFORE you start on a Project & not do it after you have already started into it.

If you'd have asked 1st, we could've saved you a lot of potential headaches as a few of us, especially Number Dummy, could've Posted Pix of the pages from the Options & Parts Catalogs showing you what exactly you needed for your project.

Never Assume anything, as one makes an ****.....

You willing to pay fair market value for them?
As they are rather scarce these days.

 

Yes, fair is fair.

I had the panel out to fix some of the loose, melted and cracked wires around the ignition and headlight switch. I'm looking into repairing the instrument panel now since its out already and neither of the gauges worked. The problem may be in the sending unit or wiring and I still have to test those.

Any idea what the part numbers are for the gauges in a '59 truck and if they are specific for that year and color? I've done some looking on the internet and have come up with several PN but not sure what is accurate. The part of the panel that currently holds the gas & temp gauges with the oil and amp lights will have to be changed to swap to gauges, right?

 

I'm loving this discussion as I installed oil press and amp gages lovingly (way before the wonders of internet research) by dissecting S/W gages and mounting the movements from behind the panel after enlarging the idiot light holes. Preserving what I felt the 'Stock Look'. Much later, still way before this forum/ info was available to me I discovered (by poking around any Ford truck I could find un guarded that it appeared lots of larger HD/SD trucks (even after our vintage disappeared) to use the same inst cluster as ours but with full instrumentation. But is it really true that this was an avail. factory option for our light duty trucks? I'd really like to know...Number Dummy?? Anyone seen it?

P.S. Sometime after this pict. I replaced the Funky looking vac gage with a larger S/W one mounted from behind so just the small chrome ring protrudes looks a little better but not as good as the HD truck cluster with vac brakes.

 

That is a nice looking cluster 59pu. Since the original gauges are kinda junk anyway, I also would recommend a hole saw and some good old time SW gauges. Although I like the large sweep better. A PO installed an amp and oil pressure gauge in my 59 but also left the idiot lights. And an amp gauge that actually works, which Ford ones seldom do. If I was doing it, I'd go with a volt-meter though.

 

Well Colonel: You're a little hard on a young fella. If you read as much as you said, you might have noticed Bill had already pointed out that pre '56 Fords were 6 volt, and '56 up were 12 volt. At any rate, Ben took it nicely.

Ben, if the ICVR you ordered is truly NOS, it should work well for you. I purchased a reproduction for my cluster, and noticed the gauges react rather slowly. On all older Fords I've owned, the fuel gauge would move rapidly when the key energized the cluster, and retracted to empty very slowly when power was removed. The reproduction ICVR I installed doesn't heat up as quickly and the fuel gauge moves as slowly on power up as power down. Sometimes I'm half a mile down the road before the fuel gauge reaches the correct reading. Other than that, no problems. I hope yours works a little better.

 

Hanging under dash to left of steering column is the volt meter. I agree that both are helpful to know more about what is going on in the electrical system but don't want to clutter up the original cluster.

 

[QUOTE=hardlyrider;17787226]Well Colonel: You're a little hard on a young fella. If you read as much as you said, you might have noticed Bill had already pointed out that pre '56 Fords were 6 volt, and '56 up were 12 volt. At any rate, Ben took it nicely.

Ben, lots of us here welcome all posts and all questions. No one knows everything and these forums are for asking questions and getting advice. If you were expected to already have done research and had answers for your questions, why would there be a need for a forum? So ask away. Many friends will answer. Just ignore the critical posts.....