VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1949-1954 Gauge Cluster Bulbs?

How many are there? I know my main cluster bulb is blown; it doesn't light when I turn on the headlights. There is a bright light indicator bulb. That makes 2. Is there a light for each individual gauge, or 1 for each pair? 6 or 4? Does each socket twist out of the housing? I have the firewall access panel off. Are they more easily accessed through the panel or from the floor? My manual makes no mention of these lights and I cannot access an illustrative photo of the backside of the gauge cluster panel. I hope someone can provide a photo or direct me to one. Thanks in advance for help.

There is a total of three instrument cluster bulbs. The sockets pull out. Best reached through the access door.

Thanks Gene! Was I right about the the bright light indicator bulb and the main gauge light, that is activated when I turn my headlights on? If I know where the bulbs are located and their purpose, I may be able to locate them with more certainty. There is a multitude of wires in close proximity; I don't want to pull the wrong one!

https://vccachat.org/ubbthreads.php...arch/true/Temp_Gauge_Question#Post369733
In this thread the poster is asking about the temp gauge sending unit. Is the black tube, upright, the temp sender? It looks as if it could be a light socket.

Yes, that is te temp. dender tube. Don't mess with it.

Is there a instrument cluster bulb in that picture?

I don't see one

Thanks for sticking with me on this, Gene. I am not sure if you saw the above quote. I am going back over to the shop this morning. If I knew what the bulbs were lighting, I could identify them easier.

In case there is another Shade Tree Mechanic that in the future needs to be educated on the Gauge Cluster Bulbs I will offer what I learned today. The three bulbs are in a vertical line and from top to bottom are a instrument light, a hi-beam light and another instrument light. I will add the bulbs number identity for both 6 volt and 12 volt later.

To help find your bulbs and for other wiring issues...( I am replacing the entire harness,) this is http://www.50classicchevy.com/images/1950-wiring-diagram.jpg very easy (to me) to follow diagram if you haven't seen it. it gives the wire wrap colors and you can trace out the instrument cluster lights by following to the distribution block. --That is the terminal strip at the bottom of the dash edge as you are looking through the access panel hole in the firewall. it is a bit of a contortion issue, and use a good flashlight to help see in that small dark area. fabric colors will have faded over time too, so take our time.

Yes, I have studied that; it is in my manual. But try to find the wire leading back to the gas tank from that illustration. You won't find it. Notice it says Figure 2 1950 Chevy. It should be labeled figure 2 49-50 Chevrolet. The diagram above fig 2 is labeled figure 1 49 Chevrolet. It should be Fig. 1 49-50 Chevrolet. That is where the diagram is that shows the wire leading to the gas tank from the gas gauge. I needed to trace both wires down from the gas gauge to be assured I was putting the runtz reducer on the right terminal. I did that yesterday and hope it is the last time I ever do that job. It was quite a tedious job. As far as the color coding, I am confused. On the diagram, for instance, the wires from the dash gauge were coded black or red. My original wiring is in fantastic shape, and both wire were the yellow cloth wires. Thanks for the helpful effort!

It is bundled with the rear light wires...and I can see mine disappearing into the floor of the trunk. The only wiring trace issue is the heater and turn signals which are not on that diagram, but there are other misc aftermarket signal diagrams depending on make of the accessory. The heater is if I have deduced mine gets power from an add on stud on the dash junction block which then runs to the heater blower itself. the controls for the heater has a built in glass fuse on the lever assembly.

Don't forget to dial the rheostat on your headlight switch back and forth to adjust panel light brightness. Obviously, if it is turned down they won't light up, new or old.
If the bulbs still don't light when replaced, you may have to clean that switch up a bit.

If your rheostat is bad you can just run a jumper wire from the tail light terminal over the the dash light terminal on the headlight switch. They will be bright all the time, just did that on the 54 we just got.

Not need to run a wire. Just take the dash light wire and attach it to the tail light wire terminal.