The part in question has been identified by Bill on the FE forums as
" C5TZ10838A .. Instrument Cluster Bezel-Plastic / Original applications: 1965/66 F100/250 2WD Custom Cabs. and they are not made by Ford any longer so replacing with another OEM part is not an option.". He continues "Carpenter has reproduced it, but...It does not come with holes for the optional Oil & Amp gauges. Neither did the original bezel, and just like the original, a hole saw has to be used to cut the holes. Ford only supplied the bezel with Oil/Amp gauges on factory assembled trucks, it could not be purchased at the parts counter."
__________________
Bill / Retired Ford Parts Manager / Part number research: 1928/2001 trucks & 1928/89 passenger cars.
Thanks Bill!
Options
Reading through the comments from the smart boys at the FE forums we have four options for bringing the cluster back to life:
1. Remove and replace with a reproduced one from Dennis Carpenter's for about $150+shipping. Described as "CHROME PLATED PLASTIC BEZEL CLEAR LENS WITH WHITE LETTERS & CHROME PLATED PLASTIC RINGS FOR THE FUEL & TEMP GUAGES". Notice the flat argent (dull silver) paint is missing from the inner side of the rings and border per original.
2. Remove and replace with one saved from another 1965/66 Custom Cab Ford truck I looked around eBay and craigslist for some current offerings and found the following with a starting price of $129 and 18 watchers waiting to snipe !! It is scratched and in need of refinishing, however, it DOES show the flat argent on the inner surfaces of the rings and bezel.
3. Remove and send the plastic off to a shop to have a chrome finish applied
Dave on the FE forums has a 65 F100,and showed us this cluster he had refinnished. Notice the flat argent (dull silver) paint is missing from the inner side of the rings and border per original,.however, surface is bright and tooling crisp!
4. Remove original and paint with modern chrome paint.
Considerations:
1. The reproduced clusters do not have the (as original) flat argent paint applied. Used on the underside of the surrounding lip to prevent glare at night.They cost about $150 plus shipping at Dennis Carpenters. Would have to apply the flat argent after purchase.
2. Costs are over $100 for refinishing the old, and would still have to apply the flat argent paint to inner surfaces to reduce glare per original.
3. Finding a used OEM that is in better shape than the current bezel on Old Blue would not give me much benefit as I would probably have to refinnish or paint anything I find on Ebay.
4. I am a horrible painter :)
5. Any replacement would need holes drilled for the Alternator and Oil Pressure gauges.
6. I could just leave things as they are and claim 'Its the patina of a 50 year old truck !'
Decision:
How to remove the cluster from the dash:
Bezel Background:
The bezels come with the optional gauges, no one repro's them. NOS or used are the only alternatives. When these gauges are present, there is a separate wiring harness for them that plugs into the dash harness. How are the aftermarket gauges wired?
The Custom Cab plastic chrome sweep speedo instrument cluster bezel (1965 F100/250 2WD, 1966 F100 4WD) is repro'd, but it does not come with holes for the oil/amp gauges which were an extra cost option.
When the oil gauge is present, there's a fitting that threads into the block that both the oil warning lamp switch and the oil pressure switch thread into.
C5TZ-9273-A .. Oil Pressure Gauge / Obsolete
C5TZ-10850-A .. Ammeter Gauge / Obsolete
__________
Bill / Retired Ford Parts Manager / Part number research: 1928/2001 trucks & 1928/89 passenger cars.
" C5TZ10838A .. Instrument Cluster Bezel-Plastic / Original applications: 1965/66 F100/250 2WD Custom Cabs. and they are not made by Ford any longer so replacing with another OEM part is not an option.". He continues "Carpenter has reproduced it, but...It does not come with holes for the optional Oil & Amp gauges. Neither did the original bezel, and just like the original, a hole saw has to be used to cut the holes. Ford only supplied the bezel with Oil/Amp gauges on factory assembled trucks, it could not be purchased at the parts counter."
__________________
Bill / Retired Ford Parts Manager / Part number research: 1928/2001 trucks & 1928/89 passenger cars.
Thanks Bill!
Options
Reading through the comments from the smart boys at the FE forums we have four options for bringing the cluster back to life:
1. Remove and replace with a reproduced one from Dennis Carpenter's for about $150+shipping. Described as "CHROME PLATED PLASTIC BEZEL CLEAR LENS WITH WHITE LETTERS & CHROME PLATED PLASTIC RINGS FOR THE FUEL & TEMP GUAGES". Notice the flat argent (dull silver) paint is missing from the inner side of the rings and border per original.
2. Remove and replace with one saved from another 1965/66 Custom Cab Ford truck I looked around eBay and craigslist for some current offerings and found the following with a starting price of $129 and 18 watchers waiting to snipe !! It is scratched and in need of refinishing, however, it DOES show the flat argent on the inner surfaces of the rings and bezel.
3. Remove and send the plastic off to a shop to have a chrome finish applied
Dave on the FE forums has a 65 F100,and showed us this cluster he had refinnished. Notice the flat argent (dull silver) paint is missing from the inner side of the rings and border per original,.however, surface is bright and tooling crisp!
4. Remove original and paint with modern chrome paint.
Considerations:
1. The reproduced clusters do not have the (as original) flat argent paint applied. Used on the underside of the surrounding lip to prevent glare at night.They cost about $150 plus shipping at Dennis Carpenters. Would have to apply the flat argent after purchase.
2. Costs are over $100 for refinishing the old, and would still have to apply the flat argent paint to inner surfaces to reduce glare per original.
3. Finding a used OEM that is in better shape than the current bezel on Old Blue would not give me much benefit as I would probably have to refinnish or paint anything I find on Ebay.
4. I am a horrible painter :)
5. Any replacement would need holes drilled for the Alternator and Oil Pressure gauges.
6. I could just leave things as they are and claim 'Its the patina of a 50 year old truck !'
Decision:
I decided to get a reproduced bezel from DC and will paint the inner lips Ford Argent to match the original bezel. I ordered a reproduction from Dennis Carpenters.
I should also mention that Old Blue has the additional and custom factory/dealer installed Alternator and Oil Pressure gauges mounted on the bezel and so before doing anything we will need to disconnect the battery. The Alternator gauge is wired inline to everything so we do not want to accidentally short circuit anything. |
| Original Instrument Cluster from Old Blue |
How to remove the cluster from the dash:
- Take the negative cable off the battery
- Unscrew the speedometer cable from the back of the cluster by reaching up behind the dash, it is big and fat and the single screw came off with my fingers.
- Remove the four bottom and four top screws from the face of the bezel with a phillips head screw driver.
- Pull the top of cluster forward a couple of inches to expose the wires in the back
- Start from right and work your way left, taking pictures and labeling wires as needed. My wires had been in place for so long, that even though I took pictures of every one, they stayed right where they had been for the last 50 years [NOTE : Take care with the light bulbs and the three flat slide-on connectors in the middle of the back of the bezel. The light bulbs can be stubborn to pull out and you want to be sure to label each as they all look similar and it will slow down re-installation if you get them mixed up. The 3 flat slide-on connectors only go on one way as all three are different but be sure to take pictures to get them right. Also, the connectors to the custom factory gauges are different than the Fuel and the Temp which have simple round slide on (2 each gauge) and a bulb. For the custom gauges, you will need to remove 2 nuts and a lock washer for each gauge using a 3/8" wrench. Old BLues were very tight but not not require WD-40.]
- After working your way to the Alternator (or furthest left gauge), there are two metal braces holding the wrapped harness of the cluster wires on the bottom of the back of the bezel. These are U shaped holders and you should be able to just lift the harness out of the holders to release the bezel.
Bezel Background:
This is: C5TZ10838A .. Instrument Cluster Bezel-Plastic / Original applications: 1965/66 F100/250 2WD Custom Cabs.
Carpenter has reproduced it, but...It does not come with holes for the optional Oil & Amp gauges. Neither did the original bezel, and just like the original, a hole saw has to be used to cut the holes.
Ford only supplied the bezel with Oil/Amp guages on factory assembled trucks, it could not be purchased at the parts counter.
Carpenter has reproduced it, but...It does not come with holes for the optional Oil & Amp gauges. Neither did the original bezel, and just like the original, a hole saw has to be used to cut the holes.
Ford only supplied the bezel with Oil/Amp guages on factory assembled trucks, it could not be purchased at the parts counter.
The Custom Cab plastic chrome sweep speedo instrument cluster bezel (1965 F100/250 2WD, 1966 F100 4WD) is repro'd, but it does not come with holes for the oil/amp gauges which were an extra cost option.
When the oil gauge is present, there's a fitting that threads into the block that both the oil warning lamp switch and the oil pressure switch thread into.
C5TZ-9273-A .. Oil Pressure Gauge / Obsolete
C5TZ-10850-A .. Ammeter Gauge / Obsolete
__________
Bill / Retired Ford Parts Manager / Part number research: 1928/2001 trucks & 1928/89 passenger cars.
