I bought a 55-59 truck gauge cluster to use the temp gauge in my 54 delivery. Now I need to get the proper sending unit to match the gauge. As I understand it, the 56 gauge uses a different sending unit then the later gauges. My question is, how do I tell what year cluster I have so I can get the matching sender.
I bought a 55-59 truck gauge cluster to use the temp gauge in my 54 delivery. Now I need to get the proper sending unit to match the gauge. As I understand it, the 56 gauge uses a different sending unit then the later gauges. My question is, how do I tell what year cluster I have so I can get the matching sender.
TS-6 seems to work for me.... the 55 cluster uses a mechanical gauge. There might be a date stamped on the cluster, usually on the speedometer. Like the rubber date stamp they used in the library when you checked out library books in the 1960s, remember?
I wasn't around in the 60's...lol, but I know what you're talking about on the date stamp. I'll look at the cluster and see if I find one. I was just under the impression that 56 and 57 sending units didn't interchange
Maybe they don't. I've only used the TS-6 on old trucks, but maybe it's wrong? 1513130 and 1513321 are the GM part numbers for the 56 and 57 and later senders.
I don't know for sure either, so much internet info is wrong, and I know very little about 50's GM gauges and senders
Jim, didn’t the truck’s continue using the 1956 (one year only for cars) temp unit until the new truck body style come out?
I just looked in the 59 Chevy parts book, it lists different sender numbers for 56 and 57-59. The listing says ALL for each set of years, which includes cars, trucks, and Corvettes. I haven't looked into the aftermarket cross references yet, though.
Both cl***is parts and the filling station show the 55/59 electric temp gauge to be the same for all years. Cl***ic parts shows a 56 only sender. It looks like Chevy used a straight pin sender in 56 and the one that you slid the terminal over in 57 and later. Standard Ignition 1 Terminal Temperature Sensor Switch TS-6 | O'Reilly (oreillyauto.com) I'm still wondering how you figure to get the 57/59 gauge in the 54 instrument panel.
Oh yeah...the connector is probably the only difference. Thanks for the reminder about the pin. So just use a TS-6 and don't worry about it.
I had to cut the little cup that mounts to the back of the 54 gauge cluster and add a strip of metal to make it 3/8" deeper. Gauge looks identical to the original 54 gauge once it is in the cluster. I'll try to remember to take a couple pictures tomorrow. Thanks for the help on the sender.
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