72 ranchero sport gauge swap
Printed From: The Ford Torino Page
Category: Model Specific Forum
Forum Name: Ranchero Forum
Forum Description: Technical discussion for Rancheros
URL: https://forum.grantorinosport.org/forum_posts.asp?TID=21663
Printed Date: 26-March-2026 at 7:26AM
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.06 - https://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: 72 ranchero sport gauge swap
Posted By: chero
Subject: 72 ranchero sport gauge swap
Date Posted: 15-April-2025 at 10:06AM
| Does anybody know what to Re-pin the gauge cluster connector to when going from the standard gauges to the sport gauges both are from 1972 and are 12 pin. |
Replies:
Posted By: DJsTorino
Date Posted: 16-April-2025 at 3:01AM
| Do you have the separate harness that goes with the sport guages? And are you planning to use the original two wire tach or has the tach been updated to a three wire? |
Posted By: whmitchell
Date Posted: 16-April-2025 at 6:10AM
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Have you read the sticky post on this topic: https://forum.grantorinosport.org/info-72-79-gauge-clusters-and-wiring_topic2933.html" rel="nofollow - https://forum.grantorinosport.org/info-72-79-gauge-clusters-and-wiring_topic2933.html
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Posted By: chero
Date Posted: 16-April-2025 at 9:05AM
  the first picture is the wire harness that came with the cluster and the second picture is the pin connector wired for a standard gauge cluster with no clock. i bought new blank plugs knowing i would need to splice. it has the original 2 wire tac which i would like to use but the car has a aftermarket 3 wire tac in it now |
Posted By: DJsTorino
Date Posted: 16-April-2025 at 3:49PM
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The 12 pin connector doesn't need anything spliced or repinned. There is a separate harness that controls the tach and ampmeter. I never got around to hooking up my ampmeter but the tach just requires 2 wires spliced into the ignition wire coming from the column to the coil. I believe I used the thread above to figure out which wire to splice in the harness, I want to say it was red with green stripe but I may be incorrect. To get the oil pressure guage to work you will need to change the sending unit but no wiring is needed. Your clock gets plugged onto a post from the backside of the cigarette lighter. It should be noted that if the two wire tach is bad it could cause a no start condition since the ignition wire is being ran through it. I used weather proof connectors to splice into my ignition wire so that if my tach were to go bad I can simply bypass the tach. The only way I know of to test the tach is to hook it up to the ignition wire.
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Posted By: chero
Date Posted: 18-April-2025 at 4:36AM
| So I hooked everything up the way it says. ignition wire from tach to the red and green wire coming from the ignition switch on the motor side of the firewall. And the coils side from the tach to the red and green wire going to the coil(also on the motor side of the firewall) and the tach still doesn’t work would this be because I have a HEI distributor and coil? I’m getting 12v of current on the ignition wire while it’s running. Not sure if the tach is bad but it starts fine so I know power is going through the tach. |
Posted By: DJsTorino
Date Posted: 18-April-2025 at 1:14PM
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The first tach I had in my car didn't work even though the car still ran. With these tachs it seems to be luck of the draw on whether they work or not. I can't say if an HEI would cause an issue.
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Posted By: chero
Date Posted: 18-April-2025 at 11:25PM
| the only reason i ask if it has anything to do with the HEI is because i keep reading and the tach needs 8 volts not 12 and I'm running 12 though the ignition wire. i can get the needle to move but not very much |
Posted By: 72FordGTS
Date Posted: 19-April-2025 at 11:41AM
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The tach is designed to run on 8 volts, and shouldn't have a full 12 volts through it. So that could have damaged it, but it may not have worked before hand. I used a relay to run 12 volts to my ignition and keep the 8 volt ignition wire to run the tach and trigger the ignition relay. I have since gone to a new ignition system and had the tach converted to a 3 wire, so I no longer needed to worry to have an 8 volt wire to trigger it. ------------- Vince 1972 Ford GTS Sportsroof - Survivor, One Family car GTS.org Admin |
Posted By: chero
Date Posted: 21-April-2025 at 8:39AM
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So i should be able to put a later year and 3 wire tach in as a direct replacement right? a 77-79 tach would work correct? |
Posted By: 72FordGTS
Date Posted: 21-April-2025 at 10:16AM
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Yes, you can use a 3 wire conversion or a 76-79 3 wire. I would recommend that upgrade. ------------- Vince 1972 Ford GTS Sportsroof - Survivor, One Family car GTS.org Admin |