Sure Did Miss The Forums

[68 Ford Stepside]

I'm glad the forums are back on line. Thanks to the tech guys for finding the problem & fixing it.

While I'm already here I have a question for the Ford gurus out there. While walking around a sixty four acre junk yard in the woods yesterday I looked at the dash in a F600 & wondered why they installed a vacuum gauge in it, but not a tachometer.

[sargentrs]

Me too! Whew! I was having severe withdrawal symptoms. Seems to be a lot faster now too. Great job, Keith! Thanks!

As for your question, I don't know the answer to it however, I'd like to put an F600 instrument bezel in my truck but using current aftermarket gauges. One of the things I struggled with was what to do with the 3 big gauge holes. I knew I wanted one for the speedo, one for a tach, but couldn't figure out what to put in the 3rd one. Then I found out that they originally put a vacuum gauge in there and I thought...Perfect! So I'll be seeing if I can find a vacuum gauge to match the speedo and tach when I get that far. A vacuum gauge is a great tool for diagnosing engine related issues so it'd be good to have there so I can monitor my vacuum mostly as related to carburetor adjustment but also a variety of other mechanically related vacuum readings. I would think the vacuum gauge in the F600 was mostly for brake related readings, maybe?

[basketcase0302]

Randy. Love mine-it tells me so...much about the engine:

[68 Ford Stepside]

That is right pretty. I might just buy the one I saw & make restoring it a new project.

[Calfdemon]

Here is mine as it was in my 72.. It will be in my Crew once I put it back together. Only difference is it is now painted black and the emergency flasher switch is gone with a cab light flash switch in its place.

[68 Ford Stepside]

Nice! I think I'll go ahead & get the one I looked at for a project. He only wants twenty five bucks for it.

[sargentrs]

I'd snap that up in a heartbeat! Those panels look great guys. Just what I wanted for mine. Jeff, what are the switches on the left all for?

[basketcase0302]

68 Ford Stepside on Sun Nov 18, 2012 5:42 pm
Nice! I think I'll go ahead & get the one I looked at for a project. He only wants twenty five bucks for it.

That Sir is a steal! They sell all day long here for over $50 from the "inflated sellers".

[Calfdemon]

The so-called "inflated sellers" here at Fordification sell them for $50+, and if you try and buy one outside of here, you will pay anywhere from $100 to $200 for a good one. Take a look at Ebay if you want a good laugh. $25 is a steal and even if you never use it, its worth the investment. I think I bought mine for $50-60 and I thought (and still think) that was a good deal.

[bluef250]

I plan to put the later model dash (chrome) in my crew which I got for less than $50 and I thought that was a deal. The chrome dash has a vacuum gauge. I haven't decided about the early model dash (painted) I have which I bought through ebay for around $100 (with shipping.)

[68 Ford Stepside]

I hadn't thought about that. I could have the painted one chromed locally pretty reasonable. Not for certain I want to do that as I don't know if the sun reflecting off of it would bother me.

[mrollings53]

I saw a '70's dentside F600 a couple weeks ago. I asked if I could look inside and found that the gauge cluster looks really close to those found in the bumpside F600s. Are they really the same, or is there some minor difference?

I only ask because we have a lot more dentside F600s then bumsides around here.

[crazyhorse]

Mr Stepside , I missed the site being down too.
Thanks to Keith for getting ever thing "straightened" out.
He always does


Mr Stepside, did that F600 have air brake?

[basketcase0302]

mrollings53 on Sun Nov 18, 2012 8:30 pm
I saw a '70's dentside F600 a couple weeks ago. I asked if I could look inside and found that the gauge cluster looks really close to those found in the bumpside F600s. Are they really the same, or is there some minor difference?

I only ask because we have a lot more dentside F600s then bumpsides around here.

One and the same, mine came from an old U-haul dent era F series truck that had been in the boneyard for many years forgotten. Go about half way down this page and you'll find all you want to know on the panels:
http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... a&start=75

[sargentrs]

So what does everybody put in their switch holes on the left end of the panel? Flashers? Cargo light? Nitrous boost ?