I've got a ? for all of you. I have a 69 F-250 4x4 and want to get rid of the stock gauge cluster. I was wondering if there is any way to swap in a cluster from a 70'ish Ford large truck, like the 700' or F-750. They look like they shoud fit right in. If so, is it possible to swap the stock gauges in this cluster for aftermarket guages? I know they are round and I was wondering if a person could just swap in some new round gauges? IF any one has done this, please extend some of your knowledge.

Thanks Ben from Montana

 

I have an F600 insturment panel. I have looked for new gauges that would fit without hacking up the face of the panel and have been unsuccesful finding any. I like the way the middle ones are sunk back behind the panel. I would like to stay with that look. Auto Meter is the closet thing I have found. I believe that most of the people have stayed with the stock center gauges and used after market tachs and vac gauges. Yes, the F500, F600, & F700 panels with fit your dash. I know there are some wiring issues with the amp gauge. I am not sure what the fix is. I haven't had time to install mine yet. My neighbor was messing with his. Not sure how far he has gotten. If you want, email me and I will get his phone number or what ever and you two can talk.

 

I think we are all tired of the old cluster dask unit that don't do much good. I would like to keep the speedometer but Amp,Oil don't work. temp works very little. I like most guy have the after market ones hanging on the lower dash foe the ones that don't work. I'ed like to see a few pictures. I've been thinking about hacking mind up and putting in two ga. on each side of the speedometer..
orich

 

Because of the design of the gauge pod on the back of the panel, it's either all or nothing. If you choose to install small aftermarket gauges on each side of the speedometer, you'll also have to replace the speedo with an aftermarket unit. You can't just add the smaller gauges and keep the speedo. Regardless, you'll have to 'hack up' your panel. You can get 1-1/2" gauges to just barely fit into the existing holes, but the gauges are really too small to be effective. Standard 2-1/16" gauges will fit just fine after enlarging the holes a bit, but because aftermarket gauges are deeper than the stock units, they can't be used with the pod on the back without some major mods to that pod to allow the deeper gauges to clear. And then you still have to figure out how to allow the use of the turn signal indicators above the speedo.

Bottom line: either live with the marginal factory gauges and add an aftermarket setup up under the dash, or be prepared to do some fab work to get aftermarket gauges in the panel, including the speedo and turn signal indicators. The easiest way would be to simply discard the gauge pod off the back of the panel and install all new gauges into the panel (after enlarging the holes), including the speedo, and to drill out the turn signal arrows and replace with small round surface-mount indicator lights.