New Cluster-DO NOT try this at home

[f100guy]

This is a Mustang GT I/P into a 95 Ranger dash. As the engine is a 4.6 and the computer is a 99 GT, I thought a Gt I/P would be easy and make everything work nicely together. Ha! This made the engine swap look easy. Instructions follow for the guys who just have to pee on the electric fence to see for themselves.

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This is the two "almost the same" Instrument panels.

See, a small gap is at both ends.

I cut the two panels apart so I could use the original Ranger frame for mounting.

I glued them together.

The GT fit with a bit of hacking.

Same with the back. Don't touch anything if you have low humidity in your area. You could blow up a doohickie.

Next the back and cover.


I made a new gauge face out of some 1/32" plastic and glued it to the Ranger frame which I had cut all the middle out of.

It came out so so.

To make it look better, I cut out the plastic glass so I could paint it to match the truck and added the plastic chrome bezels.

The finished project is different, gives me a V8 tach and a speedo that works. The gas gauge is off as I put the Ranger sender in my tank before I got this harebrained idea. There it is, how to kill two weeks.

 

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

my props to u man!!!! thats one cool idea u got! that deserves some rep points!

 

[281Ranger]

Looks really good! I'll bet you that after all that work, nobody will notice the different guages unless you point it out to them.

 

[AllanD]

Yeah like nobody notices the 140mph Ford speedometer in my Gen1 ranger.

AD

 

[281Ranger]

Yeah like nobody notices the 140mph Ford speedometer in my Gen1 ranger.

AD

I have the same problem with mine, big 140mph speedo and nobody notices.

 

[Angie]

Cool that looks good, glad i found this thread. I have a parts truck that I want to butcher up. What I am thinking of doing is taking the cluster out of the 91 and replacing all the guages with a gauge set that santa got me ( gotta love wish lists ) then sticking the new built cluster into the 92. have a couple questions for you. will the electronics on the older cluster support the new guages, as in power and light controls? I am aware that i will need to rewire and tube in the oil pressure and the temp, however will the guages work with modding out the old cluster? i will also be putting in a tach, and feul level gauge and completely custom building a speedo backing (keeping the odometer and needle).

anyone done these things before? any threads?

thanks

 

[f100guy]

Sorry to be so slow in replying. I don't seem to be getting emails on this. I used a 99 cluster as in 99 the tach and speedo were both tapped off the dcl line where you plug into to check codes, etc. I don't know enough to advise you on other years. I'm happy this worked as I could see $$$ and time going down the drain. It was a fun project but as 281 Ranger will attest, a lot of work.

 

[TomJoe1980]

I was thinking about swapping in a 99-04 gt instrument panel into my 4.6 swapped 97 explorer sport. I think you’ve talked me out of it for now lol.