Help with gauges
 

These are the gauges I just pulled out if our 73 Formula.
Notice anything that would indicate they are from a different year model?
Instead of playing guessing games, I'm replacing the dash harness (M&H) and have found the gauge connections are different. The harness has plugs and the gauges are spades.
Am I right in the fact that these are not 73 gauges?

Where is your printed circuit?

The printed circuit is missing and there shouldn't be silver tape over the holes in the gauge housing. The main electrical connection opening is even covered up. Looks like somebody did a major hack job on the original dash harness.

I'm still trying to figure out what they were trying to achieve with the tape, keeping all the available light in after omitting half the globes?!

Interesting observation. This is the newest vehicle I've worked on as most of my projects were pre 1964. I would have never figured the circuit board was missing. What is the difference between 73 and other gauges? With the gauges being hacked on and the original harness being chopped up, I'm not sure the gauges are the orginals that were born with the car.
Not sure why the original owner felt the need to do this. PHS shows this car came with gauges originally.

The longest "taped over" slot is for a connector called the "harmonica" connector. The '73 was a bit different than the 70-72 as I recall, and if it does fit, it may need the wires put in different slots to work, given you have a printed circuit board.

Can you post a picture of the gauges themselves? 160 mph speedo and 8K tach? What does the fuel gauge look like?

As requested

Based on front picture, you do not have the correct 8k tach. You will need the printed circuit board available aftermarket. Get it for your correct year. Pull all of the tape off of the holes. Compare the harmonica plug on the new harness to the hole in the gauge housing. If it fits the housing will be ok. The tack will work if good although incorrect for your year.

You will need several bulb sockets. I’m sure members here can fix you up with those.

I'll pull the tape when I get home to see if there is even plug inside the gauge pod. I've got several bulb sockets that were pulled when I removed the hacked original harness.

Makes you wonder what some people's train of thought is sometimes.

There is no plug in the pod. You can see how the circuit board bends into the cavity making contacts in this picture from eBay. You will need the tubes for the turn signals, bright lights and brake/seatbelt lights if they are missing.

Sounds like it'd be best to source a different '73 - 74 cluster than try to remedy all this ones issues.

/\ In my opinion this is a great suggestion.

another cluster will yield all the parts, and if you're lucky enough to source a 1972.5-1974 cluster with gauges and the large clock, it will have the exact same printed circuit board as the one you want.

If the gauge cluster was for a car with out gauges, then there would be a fuel gauge in between the left and right large gauge pods;
If the same water temperature & oil pressure is there, then that's the one you want.

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...1&d=1623098039

You're probably speaking the truth here. I wish I knew what the owner was thinking when he butchered all this up. Uggggghhhhh.

School me on the proper set up. The car is a 73 Formula 400. Column shift auto.
160 speedo and 8k tach or something other?

There is no "proper" gauges per say;
Every model below the Trans Am came with a speedometer in the right pod, a fuel gauge above the column, and dummy lights in the left pod.
The very first pictured gauge setup from my last post is the very first option for gauges.
I believe the bottom gauge setup in my last post was a VERY rare optional setup offered in the mid 1970's.

You can either put the type of gauges you want in it, or get a PHS packet to see how it was ordered.

A column shift was unusual for a 1973 Formula;
I have never seen on in person.

The 160mph speedo was last used in 1974;
the speedo you have is correct for 1972.5 through to 1974.

Here is a early ZX '74 unit . It will work and function same as a ZS '73 unit. This was a warranty replacement in my '73 in first 6 months of ownership.
Probably due to a ripped printed circuit as I have done a few myself when at the dealership and the whole "sub assembly" was replaced.
This is Not for sale.. Just for reference.
https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...1&d=1623099912
https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...2&d=1623099920
https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...3&d=1623099929
https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...4&d=1623099937

There is a very good chance your car had NO rally gauge package, and is why the wrong tach was installed in a correct speedo cluster.
I parted a '73 column shift Formula350 and It had many nice options, but no tach, or clock gauge set up.

I've got the PHS at the house. I'll pull it out and have a looksie.

The cluster you have looks to be a Large clock / tach housing. The cheapest way if the plug fits is to just buy a junk gauge cluster to rob the tubes I referenced earlier if they are missing , order a new circuit board for a 73 and a repop tach.

9 times out of 10 if you buy a used cluster the circuit board is brittle and or fried, and the tach is toast.

This is if 100% original perfection is not needed. Most wouldn’t know the difference once installed.

Been messing with these early gauges for a while.

well, as expected by some, the cluster is missing it's tubes. The cluster has a ZH sticker on it if that indicates anything other than "Zero Hero" haha.

The harmonica plug does fit, so there's that....