Gauge cluster swap?

94gtfreak · Apr 23, 2009

Is it possible to swap the gauge cluster from the 99-04 GT into our cars? I really like the looks of the red needles but they wont work in our factory cluster. Anyone know of someone who has done this?

yukisho · Apr 23, 2009

Looked at the schematics of them both and it looks like it would. Not sure about connection issues though.

94gtfreak · Apr 23, 2009

See I'm wondering if it would work since the 99-04 cluster is digital? I don't wanna buy a set of gauges and find out they dont work.

95_5.0@15 · Apr 23, 2009

What you can do instead is take off the needles and paint them red like I did. But the PITA part is to calibrate them, its actually very simple just make note of where the needles are before you take off the needles. To change the color to red you need to sand off the yellow on the bottom of the needle and paint it red or whatever. you also need to break the bottom of the black part so you can expose the whole needle. It will still work without the bottom black part. You will understand what I'm saying if you decide to do it this way.

this is a 95 mustang cluster with the needles painted laser red. Its my car.

1slow95 · Apr 24, 2009

My parent's '95 has a newer gauge cluster in it. No idea how it was installed since it was in there when they bought it. I'll try to get a pic next time I'm over there.

94gtfreak · Apr 24, 2009

95_5.0@15
As easy as that would be, I really like the way the face of the 99-04 looks. I may still try it your way since vibrant red needles do sound kinda cool!

Low-5.0
Yes! Please do!! Does everything work in it?

1slow95 · Apr 24, 2009

The lights across the bottom aren't in the same position so they don't light up right. Other than that I think everything else works fine.

Edit: I don't think the trip meter works since it's digital on the 99+ cars.

02 281 GT · Apr 24, 2009

Just swap the needles. I've seen it done before.

urban96 · Apr 24, 2009

Ford Mustang Upgrade Instrument Cluster Modules by Simco Ltd.

94gtfreak · Apr 24, 2009

02 281 GT
I have a set of needles, but the sending units in my factory cluster have a pin that is too small for the red needles to fit on. So I'm at a loss there, unless I use super glue?

urban96
To expensive, I was trying to do an easy swap. They look good, but I don't like the green backlighting. Plus, where are the red needles?

thethirdeye88 · Apr 24, 2009

ive been thinking about making my own from sheet metal and aftermarket gauges...

02 281 GT · Apr 24, 2009

94gtfreak said:
02 281 GT
I have a set of needles, but the sending units in my factory cluster have a pin that is too small for the red needles to fit on. So I'm at a loss there, unless I use super glue?

urban96
To expensive, I was trying to do an easy swap. They look good, but I don't like the green backlighting. Plus, where are the red needles?

I know a guy who used to have a '96 GT onto which he swapped the red needles. I only remember seeing a picture of it afterward. He didn't say if he ran into any problems, and he swapped his yellow needles onto the donor '99-up cluster. So, I'm pretty sure it can be done, but I'm not sure if there isn't special you would need to do in order to accomplish it.

1slow95 · May 15, 2009

Low-5.0 said:
My parent's '95 has a newer gauge cluster in it. No idea how it was installed since it was in there when they bought it. I'll try to get a pic next time I'm over there.

Well I was going to get a pic, but I saw that it still has the yellow needles installed. I'm guessing that whoever did the swap used the originally gauges for some reason.

rio95 · May 22, 2009

I might know a little about this topic. I work for a pointer company that supplies somewhere in the neighborhood of 30-40% of all pointers (primarily automotive) all around the world. In fact we made the SN95 pointers and I designed the 2010 S197 pointers (in accordance to the styling that or customer and ford wanted of course). I have the entire SN95 replacement parts inventory under my desk even. haha. We did the saleens as well I believe.

If I were you, I wouldn't mess with your stock cluster. There is a lot more that goes into it than you think. I don't think the 99+ red pointers will be a good fit. The pointer lengths must be the same or really close, and the motor interfaces are different. Also the newer cluster use servo motors unlike our old fashion motors which were a lot more touchy in regards to the pointer imablance and inertia. The weight of the pointer is even critical. So what I'm saying is you could ruin your cluster over time by putting pointers on there other than the ones that were designed for it.

My pointers show their age as well. What I would like to do is dig up the SN95 mold and mold some out of the newer red ford resin. Then it would be the exact same pointer mechanically. That would be ideal.

Also, if you were to switch to red pointers ideally you would replace the stock bulbs with red LED's like all new cars have.

I'd like to also note that painting them is kind of stupid in my opinion. Half of my job is developing the lighting performance of pointers. By painting them they are now opaque and therefore will not illuminate. But if thats the look you want though go for it. There ARE opaque pointers out there.

I would also like to suggest Florida 5.0 with autometer gauges.

rio95 · May 22, 2009

95_5.0@15 said:
What you can do instead is take off the needles and paint them red like I did. But the PITA part is to calibrate them, its actually very simple just make note of where the needles are before you take off the needles. To change the color to red you need to sand off the yellow on the bottom of the needle and paint it red or whatever. you also need to break the bottom of the black part so you can expose the whole needle. It will still work without the bottom black part. You will understand what I'm saying if you decide to do it this way.

this is a 95 mustang cluster with the needles painted laser red. Its my car.

Looks pretty good. I assume you must have had the clear pointer with orange/yellow paint on the bottom. ??

The ones in my car were molded in yellow/orange. Therefore you would not be able to change the color by painting the bottom a different color, because it would clash with the color of the resin.

rio95 · May 22, 2009

94gtfreak said:
02 281 GT
I have a set of needles, but the sending units in my factory cluster have a pin that is too small for the red needles to fit on. So I'm at a loss there, unless I use super glue?

urban96
To expensive, I was trying to do an easy swap. They look good, but I don't like the green backlighting. Plus, where are the red needles?

I bet your stock pointers had a brass hub, didn't they??

rio95 · May 22, 2009

Low-5.0 said:
Well I was going to get a pic, but I saw that it still has the yellow needles installed. I'm guessing that whoever did the swap used the originally gauges for some reason.

I'm really confused. That doesn't make any sense. The pointer motors are usually part of the circuit board so how could you have a new cluster with the old pointers? Or better yet, why would you?

donkey_punch · May 22, 2009

wasn't there a thread on how to change the bulbs be hind the gauges to LEDs? and i think someone did it in red to match their aftermarket gauges.

rio95 · May 25, 2009

donkey_punch said:
wasn't there a thread on how to change the bulbs be hind the gauges to LEDs? and i think someone did it in red to match their aftermarket gauges.

It's easy. You just replace the stock bulbs with direct fit push in LED's from superbrightleds.com.

Chythar · May 25, 2009

The red LED's available aren't bright enough to show through our gauge faces. The best color is white, which comes through as blue.

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