The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay What year truck is this instrument panel from?

In my little heap of parts I found a spare instrument panel. It is nearly identical to the one in my truck, but not as corroded.

I may end up replacing the existing panel with this one.

But first I would need to know what year this panel was from: for instance the water temp gauge appears to be electrically operated, as opposed to mechanical cap tube that's currently in the truck (and not working properly). If I can use this found gauge, then what is needed to make this water temp gauge work as it should?

Here's some pics of both panels (labelled one is the found panel):

http://s525.photobucket.com/user/my_pics48/slideshow/truck%20Gauge%20panel

I think the same basic gauge cluster was used for several years but to specifically answer your question, I don't know. Hopefully someone with more specific knowledge will be along shortly.

Ok, I'll stand by.
Be nice to know how this unit may fit into my 12 volt conversion. Meh, one can only hope it's from a later 12 volt year ..ie, maybe the gas gauge is 12 volts

Your panel is from a US GMC. Notice the 0-60 oil gauge. Notice the "fuel" gauge rather than "gas". And notice the electric temp gauge.

Unless it came from a '55 or later school bus it is 6V. To use the gauge you'll need a sender, which is just a variable resistor to ground, so voltage doesn't matter, and a reducer for the 12 to 6V on the gauge end.

Thanks for that ID, Cletis

The oil gauge is same in the original. But yer right, "gas" on original, and of course temp gauge is different.

Perhaps the original owner purchased this in a US flea market and never tested it for working ..or it was since damaged.

So I tested both the "fuel" gauge and water temp on that found cluster. No worky on either (by connecting the gauge terminals to batt and ground). So using that found panel seems a no go.

After more careful observation, I'm finding that the original's water temp gauge does kinda work. It rises with the engine temp, but the gauge doesn't totally relax back to "C" when cold. There's a narrow band of measurement on the gauge. Now I'm wondering if something in the gauge's mechanism is hooped?