Diary of a Restore (Thread)

[AmericanSavage]

81-F150-Explorer wrote

That cluster is for a circa 1992-1999 F-series medium duty truck. F-600/FT-900 etc...

The Cluster plastic surround piece should work for our trucks as well as the lens piece for non-trip odometer.

The speedometer is electronic, and will not work with our trucks. (or at least without serious modification)

The gauges (Oil Temp Fuel Charge) are the same as ours.

The tach might be for a gas truck, as the F-600-up has different values to the tach. (I cannot tell from the picture which though).

During this era, the fuel used would be printed on the tach itself below the RPM mark.

Thank you.  I wondered, The person in question has this incorrectly listed then!

[AmericanSavage]

Here is another one--looks better to me...thoughts?

[81-F150-Explorer]

That one looks like the right one for our trucks. And that one is a gas tach for sure.

Is that for a 1980 with green printed circuit, or a 1981-1986 with red printed circuit?

They are not plug and play compatible with each other, although they can be made to work by re-pinning two wires in the cluster connector.

[AmericanSavage]

81-F150-Explorer wrote

That one looks like the right one for our trucks. And that one is a gas tach for sure.

Is that for a 1980 with green printed circuit, or a 1981-1986 with red printed circuit?

They are not plug and play compatible with each other, although they can be made to work by re-pinning two wires in the cluster connector.

Says this:  FROM A 1984 f150


I thought they were all plug and play through 86?  Is there a sticky here on the repining?  I looked and must be blind.  

[Gary Lewis]

It is well hidden.  Try our page at Documentation/Electrical/Gauges and then go to the Printed Circuit Pinouts tab.  There you'll find a link to HOWTO: 81-86 gauge cluster in 80 model (gauge models ONLY!).  That will take you back to FTE where member Paul/Rogue_Wulff wrote a good article on how to make the change.  I didn't see the need to port that over here so just provided a link.

(That reminds me that I need to contact Paul and let him know about the show.  He's not on here very often, but was active back in the day and sometimes brings his 80 with a Cummings to the show.)

[ArdWrknTrk]

Cummins.....  
(or Fummins, as it's in a Ford)

It would be great to hear from Paul.

[Gary Lewis]

Right.  Cummins or Fummins.  

I texted him the flyer and told him I'd just referred someone to his write-up.  Hope he can make it.

That guy is a wealth of knowledge.  First time I met him he told me why my tach was reading low - I had a 6 cylinder DS-II harness with no ground.

A few years later Eli was here for the show and told us he couldn't run vacuum advance because every time he hooked vacuum up the engine died.  Immediately Paul said "The insulation on the pickup module in the dizzy is bad and a wire is shorting to ground when the plate moves."  Sure enough it was!  

[AmericanSavage]

Thank you Gary.  I MAY make an offer on that last unit—it is going for around 240 not counting shipping…not sure if that is high or low, but how often does one find a tach that fits the dash for our trucks?

Checking out the link…..thank you!

[AmericanSavage]

Thanks to Gary and my review of the site he sent me too, I should have the cluster backing like the one in the pic, with the raised area for the tach.  That would leave me needing a tach AND a new printed circuit.  That is IF I have the same white cluster housing.  I am not sure since I have not looked, but from what I gather from the pages, I should.  I have all normal gauges, so….I know LMC has this circuit…(but I do loathe their website).  I see that I should not have to arrange pins in my situation just the tach and new printed circuit (assuming I have the correct white dash cluster).

I figure since I will have the seat out, and the dash, tackling this falls into the category of…”since I am here….”  

However, I am not sure I am going to pull the trigger on the cluster I posted above. Still thinking in it.  

I will also have to paint the parts of the dash that need painting. I ran a test on some old kick panels and the P side with laquer thinner—most prescribe a much stronger Aircraft thinner.  I went with the less strong lacquer and wiped with a dry cloth, and then soap and water.  It worked, but it also turned the dash part pink after it took off the black, and took the red off too.  The kick panels must be dyed, they came out in original red after getting the black paint off.  

Either way, this is going to be tedious.

I still have no word on the grille replace, and so am looking into fabbing something up…of course it not be near as good looking.  I know my skills and I also have no 3D printer.

I have the SEM paint and prep ordered and the Polyvance filler (not the hot iron tho)--(finally!) and now have to save for the upholstery of the seat.  I am about 2 weeks behind in this already.  But in this economy..well, I will leave it at that…..

Once I have all the parts assembled, I will start tearing into it.

1980 Ford XLT F350
400 Engine (rebuilt to 406)
Holley 2300 500 CFM manual Choke Carb
Under Restore (1st time)

[AmericanSavage]

Holy Smokes!  Found this for 80.  Part Number seems to match up.  I made offer.

[Gary Lewis]

Good find!  That does look like the right one.  

[AmericanSavage]

Well what a way to start a Saturday.  😡
 

I made offer.  Late last night after I was in bed, he accepted offer. BUT he did not send the offer through ebay to me directly…he simply changed the price on the bid/ad so everyone could see.  SOMEONE ELSE bought it!  Needless to say….I was not happy.  Apparently, he told me after I wrote him expressing my displeasure, it went to Canada.

So, I found a cluster from an 86 for 200—speedo has trip meter.  Wiring plug comes with too. So maybe I have some extra backup for the future?  Not sure if the speedo with Trip fits, though, but I am not going to change that out.  Yet I sure might consider it if it works.  But, the unit as a whole is really in excellent condition.  

Pics follow:  What is that white hose looking thing coming from the bottom of it?  Is that for the oil?  I am just curious, but that I am not going to install the entire unit—I just want the tach.

OH, and JBG has printed circuits for 1980 with gauges and tach for 65—I post pic last.  They look a lot different from LMC:

[81-F150-Explorer]

That hose looking thing might be what is left of the automatic transmission selector cable and sheath, after it's been cut.


That new printed circuit for the 1980 will keep you from having to re-pin your cluster connector.

Everything else should work with your truck.  Just be extra careful taking the gauges out to replace the printed circuit, as the posts can come apart from the gauges internal wiring making them fail to work.

I've repaired such gauges with soldering the internal wire back to the post, but it's a pain.  

[Gary Lewis]

I agree with all Ralph said.  

On removing gauges, what typically happens is when you turn the nut holding the gauge's stud to the circuit board the nut & stud turn instead of the nut only turning.  So I now very careful and would considering using something to prevent the stud from turning.  Perhaps soft-jawed pliers?

[AmericanSavage]

Thank you Ralph and Gary.  Doh, I should have guessed it was going to the selector!

Ordered the Printed Circuit from JBG as well—cheaper to ship than LMC.  

Only two things left to order—The upholstery and a bucket of Lokweld  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N8RRKEY/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=A1BUZ9XWFQIYGB&psc=1

Dunno if you all know about this stuff, BUT, it works on foam, headliner, and even seat foam repair jobs. Lots of professionals use it, and it is rather CHEAP.  It beats out ALL spray adhesives, which get kicked by the heat in the vehicle and fail. This does not fail.  

It can be sprayed or brushed on.

Here is a little bit on that from a guy who uses it—I clipped to the relevant spot to save you time:  

https://youtu.be/dODSTA6C0m8?t=1158

[Gary Lewis]

I hadn't heard of Lockweld, but it looks like it really works.  

[BigBrother-84]

AmericanSavage wrote

Apparently, he told me after I wrote him expressing my displeasure, it went to Canada.

Erik, it's not me, I swear!

[AmericanSavage]

Jeff, now I am suspicious! 😉
There is another contact adhesive that the pros use, and it is way more expensive, and it seems you cannot get it by the quart like with Lokweld, here it is.  A gallon will run you over $80 and up.  It is also excellent, and you will not have to worry about separation.

[BigBrother-84]

AmericanSavage wrote

Jeff, now I am suspicious! 😉

Curiously, couple of days ago, I too spotted it on eBay, but it was saying "no international shipping, Continental US only".  I'm surprised that the seller says he shipped it to Canada.

[AmericanSavage]

Oh yes, he did…I have the receipt in an email.  But, I do not blame the purchaser, the seller should have know how to complete a transaction like this.  

Needless to say, for about 120 more, I got the complete set mounted.  I am not happy about the lost opportunity, but I am pleased I found something fairly reasonably….those whole sets are going for way more usually—300+ counting shipping!