When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
pardon my ignorance as I've only been a Ford man for 7 days now. I bought a '66 f100 custom cab last week and while it's pretty nice, it needs a few things. I did the customary $1000.00 order from LMC truck for all the little screws/clips/ missing sunvisors and other littel surprises. I've got gauge questions.
first off, the temp gauge does not work. Normally i'd have the volt meter out and I'd be probing everything is sight but in this case, there is literrly no needle present lol. I'm gonna assume the gauge is bad. Trying to locate a stock C5TZ-10883-E gauge is proving very hard.
also, since the truck did not come from the factory with volts or oil pressure and just the idiot lights, I'd like to add gauges on either side of the existing in that dead area of the dash bezel, where the factory optional gauges would have been.
I have no problem replacing the fuel/temp gauges with aftermarket if they look close enough. I feel this might be the path of least resistance since finding NOS gauges that may or may not work sounds daunting. I'd like all 4 to be the same and "stock looking-ish" is stock enough for me. The truck is nice and looks stock from the outside and inside but it's not a points winner by any stretch of the imagination and I want to have the stock vibe within reason.
Or would it be easier to change to the other style cluster and put a Bronco round gauge in with all of the gauges in one? then add the bronco tach they sell?
I'd like it to keep looking stock to the casual observer but I'm not trying to fool anyone who really knows these trucks.
yes, that's not the colum this truck was born with... prob from a 70's truck from what i can gather. I've alreay changed the steering wheel to the exact same one but 15" instead of 17". this truck was converted to power steering previously
Also, if anyone knows what would have gone in the hole 3rd switch from the right, I'd appreciate you letting me know. thanks!!
Last edited by PoolFixer; Aug 23, 2024 at 09:16 AM.
You can take a chance and buy a used gauge cluster on eBay that will have everything, if you are patient one will usually come up at a fair price. Matters not if the bezel is good cosmetically since yours looks good. I don’t know from nothing, but that column looks correct. Nice truck.
There are several members who, preferring the round standard cab gauges, have changed out to those, and, gotta say, they look beautiful, and beat the modern gauges by a mile in the looks department. One of these guys will likely post photos of what they did.
Here is what I did. Had to modify the steel backing "bucket" and trim up slightly the sheet metal bezel behind the glass, but it works. I also MAY have an original temp gauge, can look tonight.
Just FYI - the tin piece around the ***** below the speedometer was originally only installed in 1963 and 1964 Custom Cab trucks so someone added that to your truck. This truck didn't come with emergency flashers which they would have used the empty hole for the switch, and they'd add another one to the left of that as well for the indicator light so 4 items total on that side of the column. But, without that the empty hole would have just been a chrome blanking plate.
The column is from a newer truck. The shift lever is the newer shape with the newer ****, and it has the replaceable plastic pointer instead of the built-in shark-fin pointer on the shift bowl. Also the plastic indicator doesn't have the Green Dot and DRIVE wording.
@PoolFixer - if you want - see if the warranty plate is on the back edge of the drivers door below the latch area and post a picture of it so we can see how your truck was originally equipped. I'll decode it for you and let you know what I can from there.
the tin piece around the ***** below the speedometer was originally only installed in 1963 and 1964 Custom Cab trucks so someone added that to your truck.
I SEE... AND ITS NOT IN GREAT SHAPE. MAYBE ILL REMOVE IT.
This truck didn't come with emergency flashers which they would have used the empty hole for the switch, and they'd add another one to the left of that as well for the indicator light so 4 items total on that side of the column. But, without that the empty hole would have just been a chrome blanking plate.
IRONICALLY, THIS NEWER COLUMN HAS THE FLASHER ON THE RIGHT JUST UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL. SO WELL HIDDEN THAT I DIDNT EVEN KNOW IT WAS THERE TILL I TOOK THE WHEEL OFF TO CHANGE IT. THEY WORK TOO. I WILL TRY TO LOCATE PROPER BLOCKOFF PLATE.
The column is from a newer truck. The shift lever is the newer shape with the newer ****, and it has the replaceable plastic pointer instead of the built-in shark-fin pointer on the shift bowl. Also the plastic indicator doesn't have the Green Dot and DRIVE wording.
YES, THE SELLER TOLD ME HE HAD THE TRUCK CONVERTED TO POWER STEERING MANY YEARS AGO YOU ARE CORRECT DEFINITELY A NEWER COLUMN. JUST WISH I KNEW EXACT YEAR/MODEL IT CAME FROM. PREVIOUS OWNER NOT A MECHANICAL PERSON AND IM SURE HE TOOK IT SOMEWHERE AND SAID I WANT POWER STEERING AND PICKED IT UP AND PAID HIS BILL AND IT HAD POWER STEERING AND HE WAS HAPPY. I DON'T NECESSARILY MIND IT, IT'S NOT TOTALLY OUT OF CHARACTER FOR THE VEHICLE.
I appreciate all the responses. I found different guys name in some other paperwork. I'm going to try and contact him to get some details.
@PoolFixer - if you want - see if the warranty plate is on the back edge of the drivers door below the latch area and post a picture of it so we can see how your truck was originally equipped. I'll decode it for you and let you know what I can from there.
Here is what I did. Had to modify the steel backing "bucket" and trim up slightly the sheet metal bezel behind the glass, but it works. I also MAY have an original temp gauge, can look tonight.
Here's my hunch. Don't take this personally. I believe the truck may not have originally been a Custom Cab.
If you look at my first picture in post #4 you can see the inner door trim and panel on the upper inside of the door. That's never been installed on the drivers door from the one picture of your truck - no holes in the door for it. Could be they welded up the holes or the door was replaced at some point possibly.
The front windshield doesn't have the stainless-steel trim around it - could be they left the trim off and used the non-trim weatherstrip around it at some point.
The front grille is painted. Custom Cab used a shiny anodized aluminum - could be they painted the aluminum or it was replaced with a steel one somewhere along the way - a magnet will tell you if it is steel or aluminum. Ditto for the headlight surrounds. 1964 and newer they were anodized aluminum if it was a Custom Cab. 1963 and older used chromed steel for Custom Cab surrounds. Same part number, they just changed the material starting in 1964. Little nuance few know about.
Standard Cab - Painted steel grille, No stainless trim around windshield, No inner door panel trims and inserts. I'd have to see the warranty plate to tell more.
It does have the Custom Cab nameplates on the outside of the doors but that's not hard to add. So is the chrome horn ring and sweep speedometer with bezel. So, it could go either way. If the warranty plate is missing that would be a shame since it gives all the good info about the truck including if it is a Custom or Standard Cab.
Here's my hunch. Don't take this personally. I believe the truck may not have originally been a Custom Cab.
If you look at my first picture in post #4 you can see the inner door trim and panel on the upper inside of the door. That's never been installed on the drivers door from the one picture of your truck - no holes in the door for it. Could be they welded up the holes or the door was replaced at some point possibly.
The front windshield doesn't have the stainless-steel trim around it - could be they left the trim off and used the non-trim weatherstrip around it at some point.
The front grille is painted. Custom Cab used a shiny anodized aluminum - could be they painted the aluminum or it was replaced with a steel one somewhere along the way - a magnet will tell you if it is steel or aluminum. Ditto for the headlight surrounds. 1964 and newer they were anodized aluminum if it was a Custom Cab. 1963 and older used chromed steel for Custom Cab surrounds. Same part number, they just changed the material starting in 1964. Little nuance few know about.
Standard Cab - Painted steel grille, No stainless trim around windshield, No inner door panel trims and inserts. I'd have to see the warranty plate to tell more.
It does have the Custom Cab nameplates on the outside of the doors but that's not hard to add. So is the chrome horn ring and sweep speedometer with bezel. So, it could go either way. If the warranty plate is missing that would be a shame since it gives all the good info about the truck including if it is a Custom or Standard Cab.
I don't take it personally at all. I appreciate any information is service of getting a better idea of where I'm starting. I actually like the painted bumper and grille so if it isn't a true custom cab,so be it. I didn't even know there was such a thing until a month ago when i started looking at old ford trucks and from the listings you get a vague idea of what the options were. I'm a Mopar guy and have been for 40 years. If I had paid up for an R/T charger and found it wasn't... or thought I was buying a real shelby car and found someone slapped all the shelby stuff on a regular mustang, i'd be pissed lol. As it is, I bought this because it looked how I wanted and it was auto/ps/pb and it's quite easy to drive. It's all good.
She's definitley a mutt but I love it. However, I need working gauges lol. bought it sight unseen one week ago today and drove it home 4 hours and 300 miles after owning it for 15 min- rolling with no temp gauge, no oil press gauge was slightly butt puckering.. I'm still learning ford so thanks for all the info.
Ford called it the Warranty plate back in the day but it's really considered the VIN plate in many states these days. I don't think I'd buy any truck without the VIN plate. Check your driver's door when you get a chance. If it's not there I'd expect two holes where it was. Might be worth contacting with the person you bought it from and just ask if they happen to have it. Some people remove it when they paint a vehicle or have it painted and it doesn't get reinstalled. Or if the drivers door is swapped due to accident sometimes a truck can end up with the VIN plate from another vehicle. Things to watch for.
The plot thickens a little. Spoke to another previous owner who’s name I found on some paperwork that came with the truck.
He just sent me pics of it from prob 10 years ago.
Def a different column than I have now- and it’s bad that incorrect customer can Lower dash piece for a long time. Still looks to have same non customer cab drivers door but pass door has the holes. Shiny bumper and headlight bezels
Ran a magnet over the bezels and grill. Not aluminum. Drives Door has no trim holes. Also missing the warranty plate. Vin is stamped on pass frame. Pass door has holes for upper door panels. I’m assuming this is not a true custom cab and got a new pass door at some point in its life. I ordered upper door panels so that drivers door wont be hole free much longer.
I’m ok with all that. Provenance on an old truck just doesn’t mean much to me and honestly, from what I saw shopping, the price differences look like they were more to do with condition and general configuration like short vs long bed.
Last edited by PoolFixer; Aug 24, 2024 at 01:00 AM.
