Ok, I have been looking hard at replacing the partially functioning instrument cluster. First, only the fuel gauge and the turn signal work. What light there is is barely visible at night.All that said I have agonized about replacing it with a similar shaped cluster but with modern gauges etc. Just not the way I wanted the dash to look. After posting and discussing it with a few folks here I decided that it would be worth one more shot to try and salvage/upgrade the original cluster. Pictures will follow this. Tonight I pulled the cluster from the dash. If I was ever on the f...ing fence about the wiring in this rig being a mess I am no longer . Tomorrow I am getting the Painless ( I know not painless to install) wirining gear. I have never seen such a mess of wires leading to no f...ing where. OMG WTF at least five indicators or switches on the dash ( can you say emergency flashers) had their wires just hanging in mid air or in a tangle behind the dash. For example as I worked my way from the headlight switch through the firewall the bundle eventually dwindled down to a single strand as I was headed to the headlight relay.
This was this guys DD! How do people drive around just leaving important s...t dangling like Grandpa's former glory. Geez. Almost every wire hand some slap dab splice on it using a combo of duct and electrical tape. Not a crimp in sight. No excuse as the PO was a business guy not some poor farmer just trying to make it. Ok end of rant.
Again I pulled the cluster and broke it down completely. My goal was to inspect it and clean it , to remove the two "helmets" light shades and to pull a bulb and connector so that I could go and get some LED replacement bulbs. Most obvious thing found was that someone had replaced the speedometer cable with a wire that was red electrical taped into the hole at the back of the speedometer hence explaining why the speedometer and odometer don't work. The other two connectors were fine. The break down went well. I easily located the little helmets and put them out of their misery after nearly 30 years of service. I washed, wiped or alcohol swabbed everything down as appropriate for the component. Basically I put it all back together and put it back in the rig . I tested it and I have to say even without upgraded bulbs there is an improvement, although not yet enough for me to cancel the replacement, still too dim for my eyes at night. That being said the turn signals are really much brighter and I can actually see the high beam indicator lit up now. Back lighting of the other gauges was improved some. I'll try it with the LEds before I pass final judgement. Ok here are pics and I'm off to bed. Thanks.