help. tight fit with silver dollar cluster

[jerry]

folks, it's been several years since i took out the instrument cluster on my 6-fuse '71. at present i have the headlights switch on the upper left and the blower motor switch on the lower left position. the terminals connect at right angles to the switch bodies.

geeze, it's a very tight fit trying to shoe-horn the instrument cluster in the opening and i stopped trying thinking i could resolve this on my own, but i don't want to crack the plastic body of the instrument cluster getting it in there.

any advice on getting this reinstalled without damage? the wire bundles are not very compliant at this point. i'm wondering if i should switch positions of the aforementioned switches because the number of wires differ between the two.

thanks in advance.

[NickVyse]

should slide in and out fairly easily. Has the top of the binnacle been depressed slightly when cluster's been out of the car? These early metal binnacles can deform a bit.

Not sure what you mean about the switches - they're in the right place!

Good luck, Nick

[jerry]

the issue is more about the wires protruding into the space to be occupied by the cluster assembly plastic housing. it appears that i will have to really smash them into a VERY small confinement to make room.

do the wire leads point up, sideways, or down?

[eastsidebimmer]

Hi Jerry, I just did this on my 68 when I pulled and refurbished my cluster....which was a real cluster by the way. If I recall, I had to position the left bank of switches to an left angle to get the wires to clear and yes it was a tight fit. Try pulling any extra available slack on the harness first, get the binnacle in position and loosely tighten the rear mounting nuts, get the switches mounted then plug in and install the cluster. Gently pull the slack from behind on the loom while you push from the front, (don't go too far) Tighten down the binnacle and cluster, double check to make sure gauges are working, tach wire is on, bulbs are all lit and call it job done.

2005 BEFORE

2012 AFTER