Instrument cluster circuit board

Fortunately these have become available (from Neill in New Zealand). He has most years in both standard and sport versions.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/284987161695?hash=item425a8efc5f:g:WKYAAOSwLiBgB-Yk&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAAsK7tb18Xg/ZAcFFvA+epUSf4U7l4Hf1LTfGYw0YUEGZnBfPMKuY/ZXl9AMqQtv9BIyqLkAiKvYfrM9HKri/AgY3xzlF0EThPzWAbI5rBGHSMEjCXQsT5ma9S4pzUZ9ulw3EAcdVZktsNadFvleLPcEa9+iGZTYqyEQ0VdhkxJXmqhjKBu/8uKtqFsjY/fHeTTvFTrGTkXOTVFdSUOhPTJpa2KEOoEGK5zU063pZDuG5r|tkp:Bk9SR4zazqfzYA

Just pulled mine. Don't remember how many times I've superglued these tabs back into place. Looking hopeless. Hence ordered a new circuit board.

 

I just mailed your circuit this morning you should be in good condition after the new one is in place
Andy

 

THANKS FOR BUYING A QUILTY product yours dont look that bad

 

Geez Andy. I thought these were coming out of New Zealand.

 

Supply chain logistics Clark. Andy is the US Distributor.

 

You will have it by Thursday..
Let me know if you need any help

 

Yeah, I need help Andy - reconnecting the danged speedometer cable! What pain snaking a hand up in there only to find that the speedometer spindle is not clocked correctly.

Now I do see electrical speedometer drives like Dakota Digital. Quite pricey but surely would be easier to install.

 

Clark, do you have a signal generator in your speedometer cable ? They were used to drive cruise controls and in some Fords gave the signals for spark controls. If I remember correctly, they produce 8,000 pulses per mile and work perfectly to drive the Dakota Digital systems. If you have one, it will be in the cable near where it comes thru the firewall. Adapters are available to use them with any transmission. Alternately, you can use the signal generators you find in AOD and E4OD equipped digital speedometer Fords. They are nice in that you install your driven gear then plug them into the trans tail shaft hole just like the cable went then wire them in. Only two wires to deal with. Why not go full Dakota Digital guages ?

 

Take the dash pad off, then the A/C vent duct, that'll give you better access to the cable. Until my cable lock broke, I went that way to access the cable to unlock it. Now, with the pad and duct out, when the cable pops off while driving, I reach over the top, reconnect it. Which brings me to the question, Andrew, do you have a usable upper speedo cable for CC? I thought I had bought one years ago, and so far, I haven't found it in my stuff.

 

Near as I can tell, Dakota Digital makes a full replacement cluster for Rancheros but only up through 1971. Still pricey but probably worth it.

 

Dakota will build a digital cluster if you send them an old one with a good case and face. You choose the color and items you want included. Not cheap though.

 

You'd think, with that basic cluster design used by Ford for eight years in Ford and Mercury intermediate cars, that they would have a '72-'79 speedo on-the-shelf.

 

Well you got the 2 most quilfied guys to help with the problem on the speedometer cable
If you remove the dash top &AC vents you plug 12 volt power plug 1st th speedo cable

 

Andy,
Any chance you know the function for each of the 14 contact tabs? I would like to think one is a common ground.
Anyway, I'd like to load mine with LED bulbs and I need to be sure the polarity is correct for each before I install the cluster.

 

Easy peasy--look at the holes for the lamps, the common lead will be apparent, as it'll be connected to the other circuits' negative sides. I'm using these, which are not polarity-sensitive:

https://www.amazon.com/SiriusLED-Ex...6IjQuNzcifQ==&sprefix=194+LED,aps,124&sr=8-10

 

Clark
When your circuit arrives today as per tracking
There is a lay out of the circuits electric path .. plus a color for the pin out of circuit. That should solve your Question ⁉️
Good luck

 

handy_andy,

Terrific, LED's that are not polarity sensitive.

 

Yup, the cluster and HVAC head have them. Although, the blue lenses are a bit thick, so even on full brightness, they don't shine all that well. Anyone do anything about those lenses to allow more light through?

 

Yes, ditch them! I have no need or desire to dim the instrument cluster illumination, so I made three modifications: removed the blue lenses, replaced the 194 bulbs with LEDs, and substituted the park & tail lamp feed (circuit 14, brown wire) in place of the blue/red coming from the rheostat on the headlight switch. I also added white faces to the gauges and repainted the pointers. Full brightness now.

 

Okay, that sounds doable. I need to make a couple harness repairs for the headlamp switch pigtail, so I can incorporate that. As for the lenses, I like the blue hue, so if it's just blue plastic, I may try to sand them down, see if thinning the plastic will let more light through.
As for face color, I'm an old-fashioned fuddy-duddy, and prefer the black face gauges. But all are good and doable suggestions.