I've been trying to carry on a conservation with Dennis Carpenter Reproductions concerning the instrument cluster in our 73-79 trucks and bronco's. What I'v been asking about is the white back piece that all the gauges and everything mounts on. Anybody I've ever met and any I've seen have the same problem, they're deteriorating and especially the bulb holders won't stay in place. Maybe if enough people requested this part it would make a difference. Any ideas?

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 14-Nov-02 AT 01:23 AM (EST)]Try an instrument cluster from an 70's van. I did this in my 79 bronco and the attaching points for the bulbs are much better. All that is necessary is to swap the gauges and the flat electrical mat?!? on the cluster back. I did this swap about 4-5 years ago, so my memory is not crystal clear on the swap. Just make sure to match guages to guages and not idiot lights to guages. Good luck.

Chris

 

I think the clusters out of the 80's vans fit also. There have been a few of the plastic parts as NOS on eBay also. The "mat" is called a flex circuit.

Slept a few times since then? Your memory is not crystal clear? Kinda foggy? -Join the club! :-)


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Check down in the archives, about the 4th or 5th page, I asked the same question recently. Message title is instrument panel back plate. The posters were very helpful. The piece is still serviced by Ford. One of the posters, teschwab, had ordered one and was able to help me out. I just haven't gotten around to ordering one for my 77 yet.

Jason

1993 F-150 300 I-6 w/5-Spd.
1977 F-250 351M w/4-Spd.

 

yeegads!!! i can tell you why carpenter is not very helpful.... they will never make the part and just don't want to hurt your feelings! i made some plastic parts for them and i can tell you that a plastic injection mold for a **** can cost thousands, that dash piece scares even me! if the mold cost a penny less than $10,000 i would be stunned. how many do you think they would have to sell to make a profit? i can tell you that the mold and a batch of 300 ***** for a 1940 ford heater switch cost 5400.00 and the ***** were unfinished at that stage. they still had to be heat stamped, drilled, and packaged which probably cost another $500.00. now we are into 300 units for just a hair under 6K. that puts the cost per unit at 20.00 normal retail markup on slow moving items is 100 percent or more. how many of you would be willing to pay 40.00 per **** for a dash ****? the volume on these was so low (and i think you would sell more 1940 ford parts!) that the price was raised to 50.00 to recover the actual expenses and it took a couple of years to sell the first run. now take a lower demand item that cost a lot more to manufacture and i think you will understand why you are not getting anywhere. they will make a lot of odd stuff but that dash plastic part is a hopeless cause. hawkrod

 

our '90 ford e-350 rescue van has the same instrament pannel...

 

check out ebay, they usually have a couple on there for about $15 or $20 bucks for the whole cluster. that's what I did...

 

Be very carefull about ordering one of these boxes. There are a ton of variations by year, idiot light and maybe even statesold in. The connectors can be different even the placement of some of the indicator lights. Believe me I've got three or four in the attic that don't fit my application.
I find it hard to believe that Ford would still service this part but if so grab one now as most salvage yard pieces aren't in too good a shape.

 

I went through this same problem with my 77 F1504x4.I can tell you that this piece is DEFINITELY available from Ford[at least it was 4 months ago].It was around $35.If anyone wants,I can dig up the Ford part # and post it here.I was told several years ago that it was obsolete but on a whim I asked my Ford partsman and a week later I had one.As far as other years,I'm not certain.

 

 

If I'm not mistaken, If you just want a new insturment cluster, they are sold right here a motorhaven, might want to check it out. I think i stumbled upon them once.