Topic: 1968 Gauge Lenses

[saksab]

I have a gauge cluster that doesn't have a clock and the lens doesn't have a hole and plug, it is solid. Is this the way it came from the factory or did all the center gauge lenses have the hole in the center lens? I see that all the Scott Drake replacements have a hole in them. Any clarification would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[67gta289]

Yours is correct as shown.  No need for the hole in the lens when there is no clock, it is only needed for the clock hand adjustment stem.  Each lens type has a unique part number. 

There is danger in using a 1968 version of the Ford Master Parts Catalog (MPC) when trying to determine what exactly was done at the factory.  When you get to later versions of the Ford document, the information becomes less reliable.  Now when you push the fast forward button 50+ years and look at vendor documentation, you need to be VERY skeptical. 

[saksab]

Thank you John!

[Coralsnake]

I am pretty sure I have seen Mustangs use the "clock" lens with a small black cap filling the hole.

[J_Speegle]

See you've been a member for a while but this is your first thread. Hope you find the support and information provided here helpful in your restoration projects. You will find that we often need when your car was built and where in order to answer questions completely or at least to the best of our ability. Often addition information is needed also so consider adding this to your signature. Makes it easier than typing it each time.

Guess, from your initial post you don't know what car the cluster came from. Is that correct?

[J_Speegle]

I am pretty sure I have seen Mustangs use the "clock" lens with a small black cap filling the hole.

+1

Did a deep dive into my documentation and found the following

Could not find an unrestored example without the same lens as used on Mustangs ordered without the clock option except for one example. Same lens with a small black plug as shown below

Each line represents Mustangs from different plants - have many more. Dearborn- NJ - San Jose from top to bottom



Just to give an idea of the the production periods and plants the data points were found I offer the following. These are unrestored Mustangs found with out clock but with the same lens. Only included examples were the lower edge of the lens was visible

8F1342xx          8F1385xx
8F1582xx          8F1709xx
8F1728xx          8F1848xx
8F1816xx          8F2203xx

8T1063xx          8T1150xx
8T1207xx          8T1454xx
8T1520xx          8T1730xx
8T2029xx          8T1817xx
8T1943xx          8T2041xx
8T2050xx

8R1303xx          8R1324xx
8R1362xx          8R1386xx
8R1393xx          8R1460xx
8R1533xx          8R1593xx
8R1603xx          8R1671xx
8R1673xx          8R1682xx
8R1769xx

And one Mexican assembled 68 Mustang


Now the one examples I found is shown below and the VIN places the car 8R03J1342xx right in the middle of a number of examples with the clock lens shown in the list above making it possibly suspect that it might have been replaced. Car was not a completely untouched car. It had been repainted (not disassembled) and the engine compartment and engine had been repainted but since it was the only one with the lens I felt it should be at least mentioned in the discussion




Did look somewhat quickly through 67s and so far the practice of using the clock lens on cars ordered without the clock was found on those cars also