79 gauge swap
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From: boones mill,va
79 gauge swap
I friend at work was cleaning out his garage and give me an old cluster complete with speedo,circuit board, fuel and water gauges and idiot lights for oil and alternator. my 79 has oil and amp gauges instead of lights can I swap this unit over by just changing the sending unit for oil and alt or is it more complex like rewire or new harness. the back cover of my cluster is rotted out around all the light sockets so the bulbs won't stay in. I personally would rather have full gauges than lights but this panel was free and the oil pressure switch for the light set up is only six bucks on LMC were as the back cover is $80 which I'll end up buying if I can't find a good one in a junkyard. I'm jsut tired of little or erratic dash lights I want to get those led's from high po too! once I get the a new cluster figured out
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From: boones mill,va
yeah I thought about that but it looks different than the one in my truck I have to pull mine back out but I'm not sure you can add gauges to a gauge/light panel. also I have no idea what model this panel came out of I was told it was pre 79 because the speedo is a 100 MPH were mine is only 80 MPH I think some early/mid 80's vans used a similar panel design.
Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2003
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From: Northern Illinois
AFAIK all the gauges/lights interchange with all of the back covers. Swap all of your internals over to just the cover. Use your circuit board and it will work fine. There is no difference in the way a guage verses light mount in the cover.
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From: boones mill,va
LMC list two different backs one with gauges one with lights/gauges but I 'm gonna pull mine out and see if that swap will work I did notice that there are no holes in the back for the oil and alt gauge studs to go through. I just hate pulling my panel out again and agian. every time its like something else breaks, its really that fragile/rotten I have to handle it like a bomb Ha! but it might work if it won't maybe a I can part it out on eBay and get enough money for the right one.
By the way ranger those are some B.A. trucks in the pic above your signature, I hope mine looks half as good some day
By the way ranger those are some B.A. trucks in the pic above your signature, I hope mine looks half as good some day
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From: boones mill,va
yeah check it out ranger. I didn't even consider the plug bart, once I seen the back was totally different I didn't even try it. I did look around on eBay found several complete panels for 50-75 bucks one is out of an 80's ford van but the seller made a reference to measure the plug and he also listed the part number of the panel it would replace (red printed circuit board which mine is) he says the only thing different on the 80's van panel is that the gauges have symbols instead of letters for the oil,fuel,water, and alt.
I am gonna double check all of this and hit some local junk yards because I know there are a lot of early/mid 80's vans in the boneyard most people around hear have already got to all the good dentsides but there is still some usable stuff off of some of these vans like taillights,marker lights and maybe instrument panels
I am gonna double check all of this and hit some local junk yards because I know there are a lot of early/mid 80's vans in the boneyard most people around hear have already got to all the good dentsides but there is still some usable stuff off of some of these vans like taillights,marker lights and maybe instrument panels
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2001
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From: MD
As you found out the hard way, idiot lights & gauges cluster back do not interchange.
If your truck is a '79, you need a 1976/79 red circuit board with gauges.
I strongly advise you to buy the '80s van cluster, as it's plastic so it won't rot, ever. The older ones were composite and buckled when subjected to frequent heat.
If your truck is a '79, you need a 1976/79 red circuit board with gauges.
I strongly advise you to buy the '80s van cluster, as it's plastic so it won't rot, ever. The older ones were composite and buckled when subjected to frequent heat.
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From: boones mill,va
thanks chad I didn't know there was a difference in the material in the van panels but that's what I'm gonna get for sure now plus I figure if I put those HiPo led's in the new one I'll be set
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Simi Valley, CA
In 1981, Ford replaced the two 1976/79 cluster backs that were made from a composition material that can turn to dust before your very eyes with the plastic cluster backs used on 1981 and later Econolines.
E1PZ10848A .. Cluster Back / Use with Guages.
Fits: 1981/90 E100/350 / FoMoCo replacement for: 1976/79 F100/350 / 1978/79 Bronco / 1976/80 E100/350.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E1PZ10848B .. Cluster Back / Use with Warning Lights.
Fits: 1981/86 E100/350 / FoMoCo replacement for: 1976/79 F100/350 / 1978/79 Bronco / 1976/80 E100/350.
Both these cluster backs are now obsolete because Ford sold their entire stock to Dennis Carpenter (704-786-8139), who has over 100 of each.
GREEN SALES CO. in Cincinnati OH (800-543-4959) has FOUR E1PZ10848A & ONE E1PZ10848B.
NO Ford Dealer or other obsolete parts vendor has any.
(sigh) This is...at the very least...the 100th time I typed this exact same info here on FTE since 11/04/2006.
E1PZ10848A .. Cluster Back / Use with Guages.
Fits: 1981/90 E100/350 / FoMoCo replacement for: 1976/79 F100/350 / 1978/79 Bronco / 1976/80 E100/350.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E1PZ10848B .. Cluster Back / Use with Warning Lights.
Fits: 1981/86 E100/350 / FoMoCo replacement for: 1976/79 F100/350 / 1978/79 Bronco / 1976/80 E100/350.
Both these cluster backs are now obsolete because Ford sold their entire stock to Dennis Carpenter (704-786-8139), who has over 100 of each.
GREEN SALES CO. in Cincinnati OH (800-543-4959) has FOUR E1PZ10848A & ONE E1PZ10848B.
NO Ford Dealer or other obsolete parts vendor has any.
(sigh) This is...at the very least...the 100th time I typed this exact same info here on FTE since 11/04/2006.
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From: boones mill,va
1976/79 cluster backs that were made from a composition material that can turn to dust before your very eyes
while I got your attenntion Bill could you tell me what year range my "free" panel fits, it has a 100mph speedo and a red circuit board I will try to post the part number on the panel tommarow
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Simi Valley, CA
Bill thanks for the info I just got my dennis carpenter catalog in the mail today and I noticed that there panels were a little cheaper than LMC. I have a buddy who has an early 80's E150 out behind his shop with a blown engine that he uses for storage and he told me today that I could have anything off of it that I wanted. sure pays to have some "Blue Oval Buddies"
while I got your attenntion Bill could you tell me what year range my "free" panel fits, it has a 100mph speedo and a red circuit board I will try to post the part number on the panel tommarow
while I got your attenntion Bill could you tell me what year range my "free" panel fits, it has a 100mph speedo and a red circuit board I will try to post the part number on the panel tommarow
Carpenter is selling Genuine Ford cluster backs because he bought Ford's entire inventory several years ago.
Carpenter had...the last time I looked, 154 of the gauge cluster backs, 100 of the warning light cluster backs.
Since no one is reproducing the cluster backs, LMC is buying them from Dennis Carpenter, then marking up the prices.
A 1980's Econoline has a 100 MPH speedo? Not as original it doesn't.
1980/90 Econoline: 85 MPH or 130 KPH was the highest offered.
Post the VIN off that Econoline, or the ID number off the printed circuit.
If the VIN is 17 digits long, it's a 1981 or newer. If 11 digits long, it's a 1975/80.
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From: boones mill,va
sorry Bill the "FREE" panel I was talking about was the one the guy i work with found when he was cleaning out his garage it does have a 100mph speedo and I think it might be a 76-77 not sure? it has a red printed circuit board and it is a warning light panel I think it might fit my friends 77 F150
I haven't got the one from the Econoline yet but the van is an 85 model
sorry for the confusion
I haven't got the one from the Econoline yet but the van is an 85 model
sorry for the confusion