Dash Swap

New purchase 73 convertible. Dash is very plain need to add gage cluster and tach. Can these pulled from junk mach1 ? Anyone else swaped dash components. Will I need gage wire harness also? I want to keep it OEM and low cost no aftermarket gages etc....

It's a simple but moderately costly swap. The most expensive component will be finding a tach dash and a three-gauge cluster. Once that is done, all of the wiring forward of the tail-light needs to be tach-dash configured. The underdash, the 3 gauge cluster, headlight, and alternator harnesses all need to be swapped out.

I can convert the underdash to tach, and I manufacture the 3 gauge cluster harness. The headlight harness is better not to convert from standard to tach dash, so you're better off finding one of these. The alternator harness is cheap and reproduced.

You're looking at about $400 or so for purchase, conversion, refurbishment of the wiring alone.

Thanks midlife checking it out. And as you say finding the OEM's may be a challenge.

Also stumbled onto this which I have to check out prior to hacking my wiring up. See link.

http://mustangsandmore.com/ubb/RichPajzerGauges.html

Thanks midlife checking it out. And as you say finding the OEM's may be a challenge.

Also stumbled onto this which I have to check out prior to hacking my wiring up. See link.

http://mustangsandmore.com/ubb/RichPajzerGauges.html

Click to expand...

Maybe a good deal...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MUSTANG-TACH-CLUSTER-GAUGES-UNDERDASH-HARNESS-WCONVENIENCE-GROUP-71-72-73-/291294617534?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item43d2831fbe

Thanks midlife checking it out. And as you say finding the OEM's may be a challenge.

Also stumbled onto this which I have to check out prior to hacking my wiring up. See link.

http://mustangsandmore.com/ubb/RichPajzerGauges.html

Click to expand...

Hey guys - is this a good one for our WIKI?

Ray

http://mustangsandmore.com/ubb/RichPajzerGauges.html

Click to expand...

Hey guys - is this a good one for our WIKI?

Ray

Click to expand...

I believe it is. I converted to gauges on the first motor home my wife and I had (a well used class C on a '72 Ford van chassis) after I rebuilt the engine. Connecting the oil pressure gauge was straight forward, but connecting the shunted ammeter was challenging (this was BC - before computers, personal computers and internet, that is - in the late 70s). It took a lot of cutting different sizes of wire to different lengths to get the shunt correct and the ammeter to read correctly.

Nice to have the homework already done and this subject seems to come fairly frequently.

I might be able to help out. I have a tach cluster and dash/engine compartment wiring harness from a '73 (with gauges, I believe), which I bought before learning the differences between the year models and tach vs. no tach clusters.

I paid around $500 for the set, but since I can't use it (and have basically just been storing it for almost 4 years), I could let it go for $250 + shipping. I have no idea if either of them are 100% or not - I just cleaned up the harness and as I had it laid out, observed the differences between it and my '71 non-tach set-up... then I read up about the differences between the connectors for the speedo/tach and speedo/clock clusters. You'd probably want to test everything and/or have them gone through by someone who knows what they're doing (like midlife, for instance ).

Drop me a PM if you're interested.

Thanks midlife checking it out. And as you say finding the OEM's may be a challenge.

Also stumbled onto this which I have to check out prior to hacking my wiring up. See link.

http://mustangsandmore.com/ubb/RichPajzerGauges.html

Click to expand...

I did this exact same procedure when I converted a car back in 1986. Mostly, though, I sat down with the wiring diagrams from both cars and worked it out. Worked well for many years.

Would I do it that way again now? Probably not. But back then I didn't have $5 extra to eat dinner. In a much different place in life these days.

I'm really happy with the tach I put in mine to replace the clock and the wiring was very simple. click on tach and then scroll down to mustangs. it looks factory.

http://www.rccinnovations.com

I'm really happy with the tach I put in mine to replace the clock and the wiring was very simple. click on tach and then scroll down to mustangs. it looks factory.

http://www.rccinnovations.com

Click to expand...

That's the direction I'm going with mine, rather than trying to convert something within the wiring harness.

Thanks midlife checking it out. And as you say finding the OEM's may be a challenge.

Also stumbled onto this which I have to check out prior to hacking my wiring up. See link.

http://mustangsandmore.com/ubb/RichPajzerGauges.html

Click to expand...

Hey guys - is this a good one for our WIKI?

Ray

Click to expand...

Ummm...there are a few errors in there, but by and large, it is mostly correct.

My work converts everything to Ford stock condition using all Ford's plugs and wires. I also provide a two year warranty/guarantee, no questions asked. If you smoke the harness, it gets fixed or replaced.

Wow thanks everyone those are great suggestions. I will keep an eye on the Ebay set. Looks good now at $200 I can see it going way north of my budget before the anvil drops.