F-600 Gauges Arrived!...and a few questions

[roachrider]

I bought a set of F-600 gauges and the panel a couple days ago for $75. It's complete with the tach and vaccum gauge. They arrived today and look beautiful!

So, the questions...I've heard conflicting information about using an FT distributor in an FE block. Is it possible to use the FT distributor with a bushing to space it to the block or does it go the other way around(eg: FE dist -> FT block)? Also, it would be nice not to have it dependent on the dizzy so I can keep options open there. I used to have a 2:1 tach drive. It was a 90 degree setup that had one end that you epoxied into a hole you would drill in the damper bolt, then you rig up a mount to hold it in front of the engine, and it provided a tach drive. I don't remember who made it or what it would be called(to search on google for). Does anyone have any ideas?

The other question: Didn't these gauge cluster also have an air pressure gauge you could get instead of the vaccum gauge? If so, does anyone have one they want to sell? The air pressure would be something I could use for keeping an eye on the brake lines to the trailer. The vaccum isn't info I can really see needing to know anytime while driving.

[FORDification]

The bushing you're referring to is to install an FE distributor in the FT block. You cannot put the larger FT distributor in an FE block. Your only option to use the mechanical tach is to buy a racing distributor with a built-in tach drive.

Yes you could also get the air pressure gauge....it was used to monitor the pressure for trucks equipped with air brakes. I got one of those with one of my F600 panels. This is a pic of the air pressure gage for the '67-only panel:



I don't understand how you would use this to monitor trailer brakes. This is an air pressure gauge, it's not adaptable to be used for fluids.

[roachrider]

It's a 5 ton military trailer with air brakes. The old guy that had the truck before me put a 24v charging system, 24v 25,000lb winch, 24v and 12v trailer light hookups, and a hydralic brake sensor that activates the trailers air brakes...in addition to all the sick custom metal work he did(wicked bumper, axle guards, etc...

I attached a picture of the gauge cluster. It looks like it's the 68-72 model from the font on the gauges. Is there anywhere to buy the appropriate pressure gauge or just start a search on eBay and wait?

On an unrelated note, thanks for creating such an awesome site. I bought my truck and was trying to figure out some thing when I ran across this place and the amount and QUALITY of information you've collected as well as how patient you are with the "uninitiated" like myself is amazing. Thanks again!

[FORDification]

It's a pleasure....well, MOST of the time!

What you need to do is find a big-truck graveyard/salvageyard. Not only would they have a lot of these panels, but chances very good that there's a bunch with the pressure gauges. There's one about an hour from here that has almost nothing but big trucks (semis, grain trucks, busses, etc.) and that panel and gauges are pretty common, really. I keep a pretty close eye on E-bay, and I can say I've never seen one of those pressure gauges being sold separately....only as part of the panel package.

I'm keeping mine, because this same salvage yard has an F350 tow truck with air brakes! It's got the full compressed air setup, including the compressor. I want to get that for my truck when I can spare the bucks.

[roachrider]

That F-350 sounds sick. Next time you're out there, could you snap a couple pics? I'd be interested to see that.

I've been trying to track down a commercial truck junkyard. I looked in the phone book under:

Wrecking Yards
Junkyard
Scrapyard
Auto Wreckers(found Al's Lynwood Truck Parts)
Truck*
Commercial*

So far, all I found is Gundie's but it's 130 miles away. I know a lot of you guys out there are from Washington. Does anyone have any suggestions of commercial yards to try around the Seattle/Tacoma area? Does anyone know if Gundie's is worth the trip if there are several parts I'm looking for? Can anyone think of a better word to look for in the phone book?