Ok so... I wired my buddy's F1 for him. Used a new universal harness and have everything squared away except for the gauges. I wanna use the stock cluster as it is in good shape. here are my questions. If it was originally a 6v set up should I be able to put a voltage reducer inline to the gauge power to make them work correctly? If so that means the sending wires would be hooked up normally as the wires are sending ohms to the gauges? On the rear view of the cluster, what is that block with the two green connectors on it below the speedo canble input? one side says IGN for ignoition, then it distributes power to all the gauges. The gauge on the bottom right is the ammeter. It doesnt have any posts but has a holder for some type of inline connector? Any help would be appreciated.
That truck should be 12 volt. Not 6. That all changed between 54-56 for most if not all auto makers.... that block is for storing power to provide a consistant power wave to all of the guages. Make sure you wire that back in. ( if that is wrong someone correct me. that is what I have been told ) For the ammeter, the main wire for your alt or genrator simply p***es through it. This type of ammeter will just read the field around it.
That block is a voltage reducer for the gauges. Ford still used 6 v gauges in 60. The amp meter has to have the wire your reading for the amperage put through the loop. If it reads backwards, just reverse the wire. Butch
I have that same box on my 63f100. So does my 66 f100 and my bud's 67 f150. I did not end up using it cuz I replaced a few guages. Iwas told it was more of a capacitor. Id did not use it and my guages work fin. Are you tellin me that my 63 has 6v guages as well?
I wasn't aware that Ford built an F-1 in '60. They started building the F-100 in '53. Any '60 Ford should be 12V from the factory. They switched to 12V negative ground in either '56 or '57. Maybe you should reword your question? You are talking about a '50 F-1? That does look like a '60 gauge cluster though.
The cluster is from a '60. I believe he meant '60 F-100. And yes, as others have stated, it was 12V from the factory.
You guys are all awesome! The 6volt thing was relayed to me by the owner. Thanks for the clarification! And yes i did mean f-100
In full disclosure im not a ford guy. I didn't even get the model right for the truck. Thanks to everyone the gauges work perfectly.
Good to hear everything was clarified. One thing to keep in mind is that the voltage regulator can fail in the "on" position. If your gauges start to climb at the same time, cut the power before burning them out.
All Ford gauges up into the late 70's early 80's are 6 volt. I went 'junkin' looking for a voltage reducer to use on my stock 1948 gauges so they will work with the new 12 volt negative ground system. It's not really a reducer but pulses 12V that averages out to 6V. (The reducer has a proper name I don't recall) (The voltage reducer is the little box in the lower left with the black and white wire) After about 1971 the pulser has snap connectors and not the blade style.
Now that the f1 f 100 thing is straightened out I'm still thinking about Lowkats information about later Fords using 6 volt gauges. I must be stupid and blind as I'm ignorant concerning the "reducer" in the picture. Can this be used to control the voltage to gauges of earlier cars after a 12 volt conversion? Would this be easier than using runtz on each gauge?
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