49 f1 instrument cluster mounting
 

What do the fasteners look like that mount the cluster into the dash?

They are metal stand-offs with 10-32 machine screw studs, and are spot welded to the backside of the dash.

The mounting holes in the cluster are about 1/4" in diameter, way larger then 10-32, are there rubber bushings or special nuts?

Hope you can see the stand off screw with nut
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...d5a13de36c.jpg


Pic of dash can you make out the nut?

Wow! Totally different than mine. I'll try to get a pic today.

Mixer man, you are right, different year, same studs though but the hole in the cluster is the size of the nut. Something is missing, ie a washer or bushing.

Here is the backside of my panel before I refurbished it. The gauge studs are #10 for reference. There were no bushings or isolators of any kind. It was a ridgid attachment with lock washers and nuts.



https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...ee1473a9bf.jpg

I installed my cluster, chrome bezel sticking out the opening a bit, and the nuts on the back side hardly go on the studs. The cluster is bottomed out on the dash and there still is a space between the cluster tangs and the bottom of the stud. I measured it and the mounting tangs will never sit at the base of the studs, its just free floating and I dont believe thats how it was designed. Some piece is either missing or it has to be jamb nutted. If thats how it was designed it gives this mechanical engineer a bad rash.

From one engineer to another, I hate rashes. Is it possible that the standoff's the studs are mounted to somehow got bent back into the dash? You could also, very carefully, put a dog-leg bend in the cluster mounting tabs. Also, there are threaded screw nuts with a head that screw down over the studs, much like the ones that hold a photo album together. You may have to enlarge the cluster tab holes slightly.

I can tell you are an engineer because I thought of those same things BUT I am a purist and tend not to stray from Henrys designs. Those engineers back then were damn smart, no doubt about it. The tangs/studs look fine and in the right location but if you decided to crank down on the nuts you would distort the tangs on the cluster, no way an engineer with a brain would design that, especially back in the day where men were men. Would be nice to see a virgin dash from behind that has never been touched. Also, my tabs on the cluster show no washer or nut marks.

Can you show us a picture of your cluster and your dash, Johnfin1??

The mounting tabs on the cluster don't bottom out against the back of the dash. There is also no bushing to take up the space between the back of the cluster tabs and the dash. Use 10-32 nuts and shake-proof (star) lock washers and they will be fine. No need to use jam nuts. You could use nyloc nuts if you were concerned with them coming loose, but I've never seen that happen.

cluster
 

Ross, its the correct one like mixer man has shown. Seems like everything is so solid on this truck, to have something not tighten down is like having something soggy in my shorts, doesnt feel right. I might do the nylon nuts and be done with it.

Bahahahaha! :-fire
I'm speculating that why the cluster is not tightened hard and fast is to allow for some minute movement and vibration absorption, and not have too much pressure against the plate glass.