Factory tach and gauges rear housing?

[GT/CS S Code]

Hi all,

Any chance that someone out there has got a good used dash gauge rear housing for my factory tach cluster?
My mechanic friend and I tore down the entire dash of our "S" code GT/CS last weekend to replace the 40 year old wiring with a new "Painless" wiring harness and unfortunately found several hidden "warts".
A previous owner (who I could happily shoot right about now) has butchered the cluster backing to install aftermarket oil pressure and water temperature gauges. Naturally I'd like to return it to stock configuration. The Ford part number on the housing I need to replace is C8ZF 10843.
Any chance that one of you has a spare in amongst your Ford parts stash?
Any help would be much appreciated ....

GT/CS S Code

 

[franklinair]

Aren't the housings all the same P/N? If so, any '68 housing would work, but you'd still need the correct gauges. Shouldn't be too hard to find the cluster assembly. Good luck.

Neil

 

[Mosesatm]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Part...ddiZ2811QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item150249063345&

 

[GT/CS S Code]

Gauge cluster ...

I thought this part number is only for the factory tach dash, but maybe I'm wrong? Regardless, it looks like Arlie found me this one on eBay. Funny, I did an eBay search and didn't find this one? Maybe because he is listing US shipping only, but I've emailed him and asked it he'd be willing to ship to Canada, or alternately would he ship it to a friend in the US for re-shipment to me if needed.
I'll PM Arlie and ask if it could be shipped to him if that is the case ....
Thanks for the help! We're rather desperately trying to get things back together (properly) before the Northwest Mustang Roundup in July.

GT/CS S Code

 

[GT/CS S Code]

Still some confusion ....

OK, now that I've compared the photos of several of these clusters I'm still slightly confused ....
Mine is the factory tach version, and the cluster backing has a pronounced housing for the tach, not flat.
The housing listed on eBay has the same part number, but the housing is flat and not set deeper for the tach.
There is another cluster with a similar (67) part number on eBay right now that has the pronounced housing for the tach.
Can a "flat backed" cluster be altered to take the tach? Could we cut out my existing tach housing from the butchered version and then graft it (carefully) into a "flat backed" housing?
Any comments?
:undecided

 

[franklinair]

If the cost isn't prohibitive, buy them both to be sure you have the correct unit. (If you had to modify one, wouldn't you be in the same quandry you're in now??

Neil

 

[GT/CS S Code]

Gauge clusters on eBay right now ...

The one in the middle photo is only at about $20.00 so far, but the proper tach version on the far right is listed as a "Shelby" unit and currently bid to $158.00 and hasn't even made "reserve" yet!
I'm monitoring them both today to see what they sell for.
Might have to hold off for now and dig a bit deeper through the used parts vendors to try to get the right "animal" to replace our cut up version ....

 

[Mosesatm]

Will a Cougar unit work? This one is a bit rusty.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Part...adiZ2865QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item230254959277&

 

[GT/CS S Code]

It looks pretty rough, so I think the plan is to bid on the standard one you linked me to earlier and try to use my tach pod grafted into it. It should work OK, and won't show from outside. If I can ever find a stock tach cluster backing plate I can always replace it again later ....

In my search I found the "Tachman" too, and he restores older classic car dash pods and gauges. He said it's so hard to find these clusters unmodified that he's had a mold made to install the tach pod into a stock cluster as per the photos below. We'll do the same, only use my original uncut tach pod and graft it into a stock cluster. It was the other gauge pods that were butchered on my original cluster ....
If anyone else is interested in these parts through him you can reach him at:
http://www.tachman.com

 

[rvrtrash]

I thought this part number is only for the factory tach dash, but maybe I'm wrong? Regardless, it looks like Arlie found me this one on eBay. Funny, I did an eBay search and didn't find this one? Maybe because he is listing US shipping only, but I've emailed him and asked it he'd be willing to ship to Canada, or alternately would he ship it to a friend in the US for re-shipment to me if needed.
I'll PM Arlie and ask if it could be shipped to him if that is the case ....
Thanks for the help! We're rather desperately trying to get things back together (properly) before the Northwest Mustang Roundup in July.

GT/CS S Code

Heck, he's in Idaho. It'd be cheaper to ship to me and I could send it on to you. Find out where he's at. If it's driving distance, I'll go get it.

Steve

 

[CougarCJ]

Will a Cougar unit work?

That is a very good question, I had to look. I have both Cougar (XR7) and Mustang tach instrument clusters to compare.

The metal backing plates are different in several ways. Even the separate spot welded plate as shown above is different between Mustang and Cougar.

Cougar dash on left, note shallower immediate housing for tachometer and a single lamp beneath the tachometer. It is for brakes.

Mustang tach dash on the right side. Much deeper housing holding the tachometer. Has a pair of illumination lamps under the tach. Alt and Oil.

 

[GT/CS S Code]

Tach dash cluster ....

Yes, our factory tach dash pod has those same two lights as per your photo.
Again, it looks like we'll have to use a stock non-tach rear pod, cut it out to fit the tach pod from our "butchered" unit, and use that for now. Then I'll have to see if I can locate a factory tach pod to try and make it right again.. I found that I can get a used non tach pod from a local Mustang enthusiast for about $10.00 so I didn't have to bid on the used one on eBay tonight .... but I went crazy and bought a set of Lucas fog lamps to replace our missing ones, so spent way too much on eBay today anyway!

 

[6t8-390gt]

OK, now that I've compared the photos of several of these clusters I'm still slightly confused ....
Mine is the factory tach version, and the cluster backing has a pronounced housing for the tach, not flat.
The housing listed on eBay has the same part number, but the housing is flat and not set deeper for the tach.
There is another cluster with a similar (67) part number on eBay right now that has the pronounced housing for the tach.
Can a "flat backed" cluster be altered to take the tach? Could we cut out my existing tach housing from the butchered version and then graft it (carefully) into a "flat backed" housing?
Any comments?
:undecided

The standard non-tach cluster does not have the cup for the tach, also if you look below the clock opening there are two bulb sockets. The '68 tach cluster has the cup and three bulb sockets below the clock. The '67 tach cluster uses a different wiring harness and (if I'm not mistaken) one or two different bulb sockets. IMO the best fix for you is to buy a standard cluster and repair your existing tach cluster using metal from the standard cluster. I have a standard cluster I was going to use to repair a tach cluster I have, but elected to use my tach cluster w/o repair (noone sees it anyway). Twenty bucks and shipping and the standard cluster is yours.

Danny

 

[GT/CS S Code]

That's the plan for sure .....

Yep, that appears to be the plan for now ... to take a used stock cluster which I can get locally for $10.00 and modify it to take my original tach pod. I have a very talented guy helping me with the work and he says he can graft it onto the used standard cluster and it will be hard to tell from a factory one. I might have a line on a factory tach pod, but I'm waiting for an email confirmation that it is in fact the correct version for the factory tach dash.
The work continues .....