'66 Cluster questions

[Ian S.]

HI,

I had the cluster restored for my '66 and after testing it out in the car I have a few questions. All bulbs used are the ones called for in the AIM.

1. Should all the small gauges be the same brightness or could they vary from the factory? My fuel gauge and temp seems less bright.

2. When standing at the passenger side of the car you can see light coming from behind the oil gauge at the bottom. The gauge appears to be as flush as it can be to the bezel. Is this normal? The light is also visible to a lesser extent on a few other small gauges when viewed from the side. Should any white light be visible?

Thanks,

Ian

[Stephen L.]

Re: '66 Cluster questions

The gauges are backlit. This is accomplished by light leaking thru the opening between the gauge face and bezel. On a great day, this system is nothing to write home about. It IS normal. You are probably used to the newer cars with a much superior system for instrumentation lighting.

[John H.]

Re: '66 Cluster questions

Ian -

When AC built the cluster, they applied a piece of reinforced tape to close most of a large rectangular opening in the casting wall adjacent to the oil pressure and temperature gauges (it was cheaper than modifying the die-cast mold) to eliminate a major light leak that showed at night below the ignition switch. Some restorers don't know what that piece of tape is there for, and remove it, assuming Bubba put it there - he didn't - AC Spark Plug did.

[Ian S.]

Re: '66 Cluster questions

Thanks John and Steve,

John, my cluster does not have the tape in place, thanks for the heads up on that.

Ian

[George C.]

Re: '66 Cluster questions

John,
Thanks for explaining what the tape is there for. As a backyard mechanic I restored my own cluster. I sent the tach and Speedo out to have them gone through, and just cleaned everything else. I had no idea what the tape was for, but figuring that the general had a purpose in mind I replaced it. Now I know what it was for.
Thanks,
George