F500/600/700 & aftermarket gauges

[abyars111]

I have a 1970 F250 and it has the factory instrument cluster with gauges. I want to either install a F-500/600/700 cluster or make my own and use aftermarket gauges. Now since the 1970 cluster has the printed circuit board what must be done to acheive this. I know that aftermarket gauges will have to have their own sending units. I just wondered about reusing as much of the factory wiring as possible.

I know it is pretty easy with the earlier years that did not have the printed circuit board.

[Calfdemon]

Not much changed in the later years with the circuit boards. It is still the same wiring that goes to the cluster as the previous years. The plug changed and maybe 1 or 2 wires switched positions, but other than that, they are the same wires. I ran an F600 dash in my 72 and when I got my crew and parted out the 72, I kept the dash and just swapped out the plug with maybe 1 or 2 changes in positions and then used the same F600 dash in the crew before I tore it all apart for the rebuild.

Just know what wires are for what (label them or get a color list) and then when you build your new dash, wire them up. Its pretty simple.

[sargentrs]

Why Rich! I can't believe you didn't share this with him http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... =6&t=59539 Great job! I've got it saved for when I do mine.

[Calfdemon]

Ah, well thank you! I didn't think my thread really covered what he was asking about, so I did not link to that thread. Upon re-reading his question, I guess it does! So thanks for putting it up there as maybe something in there might help him out.

If you go with the stock gauges from the F600 dash you obtain, it is pretty much plug and play. Just make sure you get both ends of the plug from the donor vehicle, or you will have to obtain the truck side of the plug from somewhere (same plug style used in the 67-69 trucks). The 70-72 plug is different than the 67-69 and all of the F600 styles. If you are wiring the older plug style to your 72 harness, then all of the wires are color coded the same except 1 or 2 if I remember correctly. I think one does not get used and one needs to change position to line up with the older stock gauges. I cannot remember exactly off the top of my head, but the info is definitely buried somewhere here on these forums as that is where I learned about it when I did it.

But it is really simple to do and once you do those few small things, it will plug right in and work fine. I ran the stock F600 gauges on my 72 before I converted them over to Autometer as documented in that other thread. And additionally for anyone else reading this, the F600 dashes plug directly into the wiring harnesses on the 67-69 trucks with no modifications as all if I remember correctly.

[abyars111]

Thanks for the help and the link. Rich, your write up is a great help.

I really like the factory gauges but I want numbers for temp & oil press. I have add on under dash gauges now in addition to the factory gauges. With hang on A/C & trailer brake controller there isn't the best place to have the gauges under the dash and it's not the easiest to see them when towing a camper through heavy traffic.

I'm going to start looking for a F500/600/700 to get the cluster from. I will swap out my mechanical oil & water gauges for the factory units. I just wanted to be able to reuse the factory light wiring. I also run a tranny temp gauge, I can mount that in the F500 panel as well.

I guess if I find a panel for sale on ebay or somewhere I need to make sure they have the plug from both sides of the harness.

Thanks, again for the help.

[Calfdemon]

If the seller does not have both sides of the plug, you can just get the truck side plug from a 67-69 bump as they are the same plug. A quick trip to the junk yard may get you that.

On a side note, I **MAY** be selling my dash in the near future but I am not sure yet. I really like the new Dakota Digital analog gauges for our trucks, but they are very pricey. Depending on what I get back from the tax man next month will help me make that decision. Of course I have over $350 into my dash so if I sell it, it will be for at least that much. The gauges alone cost me over $250 (tach, clock, fuel, volt, oil, temp). Just throwing that out there for anyone that might want to consider a completed F600 conversion possibly in the near future.

[abyars111]

Thanks for the plug info. I plan to hit several junkyards in the area soon. I found a F600 at a local scrap yard but they want sell anyparts from it.

If I don't have any luck finding some to use I may be interested in your setup.

Those analog Dakota Digital VHX clusters are very nice.

[Calfdemon]

Especially the new bumpside ones: http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.cfm/ ... prd898.htm