Info needed: Ford Instrument Cluster- Correct Gold Colour

[Jacques Reed]

I started to work on remounting the fascia to the instrument cluster.

Couple of interesting points came up. The previous owner who broke off the tabs on the cluster case to remove the bezel, luckily for me, broke off the top tabs. There is a lot more room for screws and nuts to clear the gauges at the top of the cluster than at the bottom. Something to remember if removing the bezel.

This allowed me to use screws through the tab holes and just a small groove filed in the bezel was needed for clearance for the screw.

Some old computer screws that I had salvaged just fit the bill. The heads are not too thick to hold the cluster too far off the instrument panel and their small size kept modifications to the bezel to the minimum. The long nut came in handy in the tight location to fit to the screw.

Now to work on the gasket between the glass and the bezel. I am guessing based on the old remnant that it was a moulded rubber seal conforming to the shape of the bezel. A uniform strip of rubber would not have the backing at the sides to make a tight seal. Cannot find any suppliers of an original style one so a bit of packing will be required at the sides to bring it up to a uniform level for a strip of rubber.

Using the old, hacked fascia to test fit everything. No use risk scratching the restored one until final assembly.

[Ganmain Tony]

Good to see you're chipping away at it Jacques.
I concur with that break at the dash panel. Most Ford 13 Cabs I've seen have cracking in that corner.
Those little tabs are usually broken which is frustrating. You can get away with them not being there due to the way the fascia is assembled.
Your work on correct gold colour and red stripes is a credit to you, as well as taking the time to document it.
I made silly error when I put my cluster back in by not putting some sort of rubber around the bezel. As a result, the glass cracked
I found a round profile rubber 'rope' from Clark rubber. Worked perfectly on the second attempt. Went into the bezel channel perfectly with enough protruding to provide a seal and some cushioning for the glass.

[Jacques Reed]

Hi Tony,

Yes, still working away on it as time and weather permits. At least there is always something to do and if I hit a stumbling block, I go on to something else and return to it later.
I found this works well over the years. Often after a break you see things more clearly and the solution becomes evident.

Thanks for the Clark rubber suggestion for the seal. I looked at their online catalogue but didn't see anything like that, only wide strips. Pays to visit a bricks and mortar shop instead. Obviously not every item they carry is online.

Had another idea to use 3mm x 3mm square O-ring material if available. I Could not find that size online but again a trip to a shop that specializes in seals might show it's available. I got that idea from a square leather bootlace I just replaced. 3mm x 3mm it is and fits perfectly in the bezel. I don't think leather would be the best material to use there, however!

Cheers,

[Lynn Eades]

Jacques, What about "O" ring material?

[Jacques Reed]

Hi Lynn,

Yes, that is what I was trying to source but in a square cross section. Smallest I could find online was 4mm square. Round cross section would probably do too as in Tonys case. I have a company I have dealt with in a nearby town for O-rings so next trip there I will see what they have. I bet square, if available, will be a lot more costly than round. Will also check out Tony suggestion at Clark rubber first.

Cheers,

[Jacques Reed]

Well, I am getting there. I finally went with 3.5mm O-ring cord. The original looked square section but probably from years of being compressed it took on a flat surface at the glass. Corresponding with Hans Wyenendaele on FB, who has restored many Ford clusters, was most helpful. He pointed this out and supplied a lot of good information to me.

He also pointed out that the originals O-rings are two pieces with a gap at the sides. When I looked at an old photo of my bezel, sure enough, there was a gap there. Original designers probably thought it would not be supported there by the curvature of the sides. I took license to pack it out with rubber in my case to make the seal one piece. Actually, I think the O-ring it is more to cushion the glass rather than a seal otherwise why would you leave a gap at the sides?

Hans also pointed that my speedometer had a Stewart Warner face on it, but the case is a Waltham one. "Bubba" must have changed it for some reason long before I acquired the truck. He drilled two extra holes in it to fit the Waltham case. As much as I hate it, I had to drill another hole on the tab at the top of the face so it would fit parallel with the fascia. Bubba missed that.
So now to source a good Waltham speedometer face to get it right.

Almost finished photos: Yes, it should be a 50 PSI oil pressure gauge but the senders for them are scarce. I have a NOS 50 PSI gauge waiting but I have a new 80 PSI sender in the interim for the NOS 80 PSI gauge.

And yes, it should be a Battery indicator, but they are even scarcer. I wired the truck up for a late war round gauge Ammeter so it will be a lot easier to refit a more period correct set of gauges for my 1942 truck with a Ford Ammeter.

The bezel is painted Dulux Colorbond Classic Cream. A good match for original Tacoma Cream (thanks again Hans). A remnant can be seen on the red Trucks's bezel. That is the restored steel one used on the cluster shown. Likewise the before photo of the fascia. Thanks again Euan.

Hope this is of some interest.

Cheers

[Jacques Reed]

Just realized, my engine has the later 80 PSI oil pump fitted. The one with the relieve valve in the pump body. Glad I take photos of everything.

No use trying to fit a 50 PSI sender and gauge to the instrument cluster on that basis. Any thoughts on the matter?

Cheers,