55 Fairlane gauge panel removal

[Jim.UT]

It started out with the left blinker indicator going out. The front and rear lights still blinked but the left indicator on the dash quit illuminating. So I crawled under the dash and pulled out the left bulb (hardest one to get to, of course). It was a GE #51 bulb which my internet research tells me is a 6V bulb. This car has been converted to 12V so I figured that's why it burned out. Further internet research told me that the 12V equivalent is a GE #53. So I bought a bunch of bulbs and got to work changing them all out. It turns out the one that burned out is the only #51 in there. The others were stamped 1446. I've not done any internet research on that.

Then I caused myself a problem. While thrashing around behind the dash, trying to get my arthritic ham fists into the right place and bending my unnaturally long arms in weird ways to get my elbows past the lower lip of the dash, I managed to break the wire off the pigtail for the Hi Beam indicator light. There is just no way I'm going to be able to repair that from the floor of the car. Just no room under there for my hands to operate. Plus it makes my 70 year old back complain.

So...I see 4 hex nuts that seem to be holding the dash panel in place. If I remove those 4 (arranged in a semi-circle around the front edge of the instrument cluster) can I just pull the panel forward and lay it face down on the steering column so I can work on the back side from the driver seat?

Anyone who has removed and reinstalled a gauge cluster in one of these cars, please let me know ahead of time what pitfalls I need to avoid.

Thank you. Sorry for the long lead up to my main question.

[dmsfrr]

The #51 bulb in the turn indicator socket might be explained by being a different brightness than the general panel lamp bulbs, or not changed by the previous owner being the hardest one to reach.

Four hex nuts holding the dome dash cluster in place... I've considered them as well, but that project hasn't risen to the top of the To-Do list yet as it also could involve replacing the whole wiring harness.

[Gene F]

Along these lines, I have a 57 that I'd like to upgrade the dash panel illuminationg lights to LEDs. I have a small bag of what looks like what I need. I guess I got them from one of my favorite vendors of odds-n-ends at Good-Guys Columbus. Do I just swap them? Anything I need to know, or be aware of?

[evintho]

I'm of no help on the '55 gauge panel removal. If it was a '54 I could tell you. Just know, it will come out. Thought I'd post the 6v to 12v bulb conversion chart..........

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...1&d=1761765931

[Ford blue blood]

Originally Posted by Gene F

Along these lines, I have a 57 that I'd like to upgrade the dash panel illuminationg lights to LEDs. I have a small bag of what looks like what I need. I guess I got them from one of my favorite vendors of odds-n-ends at Good-Guys Columbus. Do I just swap them? Anything I need to know, or be aware of?

If they have the same base as the current bulbs, yes, a direct replacement. Both the instrument bulbs and the turn and hi beam bulbs swap out as well.

[Lamar Wadsworth]

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Yes, those four nuts hold 4 clamping pieces. Remove those, and the speedometer and gauge cluster assembly lifts out easily. You will find the job much easier if you have a universal joint beween your wrist and your elbow.

[Jim.UT]

@Lamar_Wadsworth: Thank you!

[Jim.UT]

@Evintho: Good info!

[alt63bird]

Or, do what I did 40 years ago when I changed out the speedometer cable in my '55 Victoria - don't put the nuts back on and leave it loose in the dash. I drove it like that for a few years (including use as a daily driver for the the end of my senior year in college) and didn't have it fall out of the dash, allowing me to easily change out gauges, bulbs, etc. The nuts and clips still haven't been reinstalled. I really do need to rectify this issue...