My '66 custom cab came with the instrument cluster that had the sweep speedometer and two circular guages-fuel and temp. I noticed other custom cabs came with four circular guages, two of which were located in cluster and two "outside" the cluster. Those two are for volts and oil pressure.

I have now found a four guage cluster that I'd like to swap into my truck. It came with the guages themselves. My question is: Is my truck already set up with wiring for the other two guages, or will I have to get and oil temp sensor and volt sensor and run wiring? If the latter is the case, I would welcome all advice on which sensors to buy, where to get them, and any wiring tips.

Thanks much,

Andrew

 

I also put in ALT and OIL gauges. My amp gauge is induction style and has no actual leads, just a loop on the back that the main power wire runs through. My oil gauge is electric, I would prefer a direct pressure gauge. I think any gauge you hook up will need different wiring and/or sensors than the dummy lights. The dummy light systems are more of an on/off rather than incremental change.

One of the easiest ways to figure out what you need would be to find a 66-76 bronco and look at it. They have the same spedo-cluster. In fact, you can get an all digital spedo-cluster from Tom's Bronco Parts that will fit a Slick - of course it cost about $500!

Eventually I'm going to get the in-cluster amp gauge with the wire leads and a pressure style oil gauge. At least I think I will, I'm sure I've seen them in Bronco parts.

 

Andrew: The 65 and 66 trucks came with two separate types of wiring harnesses to utilize the factory Oil and ALT gauges. One was the factory install, and the other was the dealer aftermarket install - but both were still Ford.
One harness is just the 2 large wires that run to the ALT gauge; the other has the ALT , Oil, Temp and a light bub wire all wrapped and molded together.
You don't have to have the Ford harness, but it helps. You can make your own.
The ALT harness is two large gauge wires whch run from the battery and starter solenoid to the back of the gauge. It has large round eye connectors at the battery end, and two small eyes at the gauge end. You'll need to run the ALT circuit in series from the alternator to the gauge then back to the battery (on the starter side of the solenoid). It is pretty straight forward.
The oil gauge is a little different. Tap a power lead from the backside of the voltage regulator supply to one of the Oil gauge studs. Run a second wire to the Oil pressure sending unit, and you are done.
You must use the larger cannister type gauge sending unit, not the one for the idiot light. You'll need a "T" fitting to use both the idiot lights and the oil gauge simultaneously - which I highly recommend. I don't know which engine you have, but it may be helpful to find an engine of the same family as yours in a boneyard, and look for the "T" fitting.

Good luck!

 

By the way, if you have the factory gauge, Ford didn't use a voltmeter - it is an ammeter. The two are completely different, are wired completely different, and have separate functions.
Make sure it is an ammeter, not a voltmeter.
The volt meter will have the needle all the way to the left or right, and will register anywhere from 10 - 18, in one direction only.
The ammeter will point up in the center, and will have + (plus, positive) numbers on the right and will have - (minus, negative) numbers to the left.
You will find that an ammeter will more accurately diagnose your electrical system on the fly, and is a better indicator of impending trouble than a volmeter.

 

Thanks for the advice. (By the way, you are correct I have the ammeter). Looking forward to the installation. It's going to be a bit though. I sent the cluster out for re-chroming, and I've learned it will take about 8 weeks or so. Should be a nice Christmas present.

Plus there are so many other projects to tackle on the truck. Chief among them some rust and a repaint. Any restoration shops you'd like to steer me to?