Oil pressure sending unit question?

I am going to throw this question to all you HAMBERS. I have a 1949 ford dash all gauges are working but I am tring to get the oil pressue gauge to work off the small bock chevy i have installed.. Does anyone know what sending unit i can run?

 

I think the 49 is mechanical isnt it? Just connect it up

 

If its electric why not try to adapt it to the sbc sender location. If converted to 12 volt a voltage reducer should be used.

 

`49 ford is electric.

 

You will need to use the Ford sender 1/4" NPT threads. May have to adapt to the Chevy hole I don't know what size it is.

 

Plug the flathead sending unit in the Chevy, may need an adapter, and put a voltage reducer going from the instrument power wire to the gauge then to the sending unit. I have had this set up for years on my '36 Ford running a SBC and stock instrument. Works great! I do not know if it is calibrated or not, but don't really care. It shows a lot of pressure when cold and comes down to mid-range when hot. You can run a ceramic volt-a- drop or the ones I like are those from mid-60's Ford instrument panels, little pods with spades. Apparently Ford kept all of their gauges at 6 volt long after converting to 12 volt so they needed reducers.

 

36tbird has it right - these gauges are still the king-sealy type of deal & modern sending units usually won't work with them at all. Use the original sending units everywhere (oil, temp, fuel) and run a 6V CVR (check with HAMBer Mart - he sells a nice one) to power them.

 

Right on.......... thanks guys

 

This helped a lot, thanks. Thought it was worth bumping back up. May help some of you out too.