This Ford Accessory was offered from late 1966 through 1968, for all Models. It is the same size as the Accessory Tachometers. It has 4 gauges on the face; Vacuum, Volts, Temperature and Oil Pressure. I plan to install this on my ’67 Convertible. I have all of the original fittings, wires, capillary and oil pressure tubes, vacuum hose, chrome cup and chrome flexible conduit that carries all of the wires and tubes. However, I do not have either the dash or steering column bracket. The correct brackets are chrome and somewhat triangular in shape, with a small hole towards the top for a 10-32 mounting stud that’s on the gauge, and a 5/8” hole below it for the flexible conduit. Most of the Accessory Tachometer Brackets that I have seen are either of the“old style keyhole” (lollipop) shape, or “L” shape ; although I have heard of the Accessory Tachs showing up with this bracket on them. The dash mount version of the correct bracket for the Engine Gauge can be seen on Ebay Item # 151349518539. Using actual photos I have of an NOS Gauge, and using my chrome mounting cup as a size reference, I would estimate the dash mount bracket to be 1-3/4” wide, 2-3/4” tall, have a center to center hole spacing of approximately 1-1/4”, a top radius of ½”, and be 1/16” thick.
As this Accessory wasn’t released until late 1966, the “1966 Only” Master Parts Catalog does not show it. In the “1967 Only” MPC, it only lists the name and Part Number. However, in the 1960-68 MPC, along with the name and part number, it also lists all of the parts included with the kit. Interestingly, it lists the bracket as “C5RA-17368-D, Bracket, tachometer mounting”. Whether this part number is for the original triangular shaped mounting bracket, or truly a “tachometer bracket”, I don’t know. Also a “puzzle” is that while the parts listing only shows this one bracket, the instructions for the Engine Gauge Kit, of which I have a “picture” copy (apparently the person I got this from some years ago didn’t have a way to scan the original instructions and email them to me), clearly shows two separate brackets; the Dash Mount and the Steering Column Mount.
I plan to mount my Gauge on the Steering Column. Therefore, if anyone out there has an extra one of these correct brackets (preferably the Steering Column one), I would like to purchase it. If no one has an extra of either bracket (I figure that I can modify the Dash bracket if necessary), I would settle for at least the actual dimensions (width, height, center to center hole spacing, radius of top and thickness of steel) so that I could at least fabricate a bracket that resembled the original. Yes, I have tried a half dozen times over the last 6 weeks to contact the seller of the one on Ebay requesting the dimensions. Last week he finally replied that he was not going to take the time (?) to get the dimensions for me. Obviously he is not a “thoroughbred hobbyist” (pun intended).
Any help would certainly be appreciated.
Bob
