Shelby Gauge Pod

[SFM5S000]

Bill Maier's were done in (chopped mat) fiberglass, Craig Conley's in cloth and chopped mat fiberglass similar to your piece. I've seen both.

~E

[Vernon Estes]

Figured I would throw my two cents in here..the earliest gauge pods vary pretty widely from the later pods. Both in construction as well as the other texture and the areas where the texture is actually located on the gauge pod. 

Ive seen this particular version on 3 cars which have been in the shop so far this year, two of the cars had their old crusty pods with them in parts boxes and the third had an NOS pod on it in the same style. These cars range from mid 200s serial numbers to a 5S396. This mid production pod is what I have seen most commonly used..made of plastic with a sheet of fiberglass reinforcing the pod under the top surface of the pod. Obviously, it didnt work well as i have rarely seen one of these survive well on a car.  The pod has texture on every external surface of the pod.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ue729zwKrwtkxg3g1
https://photos.app.goo.gl/S0YahVEpYQp0jAY43
https://photos.app.goo.gl/lR0fz5V9bolYS1lw2
https://photos.app.goo.gl/tgAZOS0rSFiCXd9E3
https://photos.app.goo.gl/hj35fcvMGmSrOn5Z2
https://photos.app.goo.gl/hj35fcvMGmSrOn5Z2

For comparison, the following is a very early guage pod. Much thicker, much harder, completely different texture on the top and bottom, and a smooth face surface on the pod. While rare and only on the earliest cars, these early pods actually seemed to be far more durable.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/5qr3dFk8MCyEyfRi1
https://photos.app.goo.gl/uxGl9ZRi1q8esjfk1
https://photos.app.goo.gl/4qD0WeSBAyVFLP253

Kind regards,
Vern

[gt350hr]

  The one I owned was from 5S034 ( now owned by Craig Jackson) it was consistent with Vern's second set of photographs. It actually had divits where the screws were located. I sold it 40+ years ago.
    Randy

[Bob Gaines]

Figured I would throw my two cents in here..the earliest gauge pods vary pretty widely from the later pods. Both in construction as well as the other texture and the areas where the texture is actually located on the gauge pod. 

Ive seen this particular version on 3 cars which have been in the shop so far this year, two of the cars had their old crusty pods with them in parts boxes and the third had an NOS pod on it in the same style. These cars range from mid 200s serial numbers to a 5S396. This mid production pod is what I have seen most commonly used..made of plastic with a sheet of fiberglass reinforcing the pod under the top surface of the pod. Obviously, it didnt work well as i have rarely seen one of these survive well on a car.  The pod has texture on every external surface of the pod.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ue729zwKrwtkxg3g1
https://photos.app.goo.gl/S0YahVEpYQp0jAY43
https://photos.app.goo.gl/lR0fz5V9bolYS1lw2
https://photos.app.goo.gl/tgAZOS0rSFiCXd9E3
https://photos.app.goo.gl/hj35fcvMGmSrOn5Z2
https://photos.app.goo.gl/hj35fcvMGmSrOn5Z2

For comparison, the following is a very early guage pod. Much thicker, much harder, completely different texture on the top and bottom, and a smooth face surface on the pod. While rare and only on the earliest cars, these early pods actually seemed to be far more durable.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/5qr3dFk8MCyEyfRi1
https://photos.app.goo.gl/uxGl9ZRi1q8esjfk1
https://photos.app.goo.gl/4qD0WeSBAyVFLP253

Kind regards,
Vern

Vern , was the last set of three pictures the plastic or the fiberglass type pods . The first set of pods appeared to be the plastic type that had been reinforced with fiberglass. The reason why I ask is that the fiberglass pods I have seen did not have the some grain as the plastic .

[gt350hr]

     The early gauge pods were hand laid fiberglass , and had a slight texture to them . It was not as grainy as the molded plastic version.
   Randy

[Vernon Estes]

     The early gauge pods were hand laid fiberglass , and had a slight texture to them . It was not as grainy as the molded plastic version.
   Randy

+1, it is fiberglass muuuuuch thicker and more sturdy than the later pods

And I agree on the difference in texture. The early pods seemed to have the smooth face with texture on the top, bottom, and sides of them. The texture is also more "bumpy" than it is a graining IMO. The early pods are even shaped slightly different. IMO, they perform the same purpose and have the same general look but they are very different from the pods which came on later cars.

Kind regards,
Vern

[texas swede]

One thing I have noticed, originals seem to have factory made hoes for the tach and oil pressure gauges,
i.e. they are smooth and completely round. In a magazine I have, they show a picture from SA where a guy is
putting the pods ready for going into the cars. See if I can find it and scan it and post it.
Texas Swede

[Bob Gaines]

One thing I have noticed, originals seem to have factory made hoes for the tach and oil pressure gauges,
i.e. they are smooth and completely round. In a magazine I have, they show a picture from SA where a guy is
putting the pods ready for going into the cars. See if I can find it and scan it and post it.
Texas Swede

Here is one of the R+T outtakes. 

[Bossssssss]

Were the gauge pods available through / listed in any of the Shelby parts books? 

[Vernon Estes]

Were the gauge pods available through / listed in any of the Shelby parts books?

Yes, they weee. They were not available individually but they were sold as a set complete with Tach, OP gauge, and the aeroquip line/misc associated hardware. I'll post a pic later today as I have a few of those catalogs laying around at the office.

Kind regards,
Vern

[gt350hr]

    The empty vacuum formed , fiberglass reinforced ( second gen) was available from Ford Parts and service.  I bought one in '72 and sold it immediately. It was that bad.
    Randy

[Bigfoot]

Mine is fiberglass reinforced Service piece.
NOS
Smooth on outside. No real grain.
Bought it from Bob years ago.

[Brant]

I personally think that it is very difficult to nail down which type of pod came in which cars. This is based on a lot of observation, original pictures, and warranty paperwork.

It is interesting to note that 5S162 had its pod replaced when the car was brand new and arrived to the dealer. Apparently, just during the trip from the west coast to east coast, the pod warped. There is warranty paperwork from Shelby American dated 11-4-65 for a S1MS-17362-A  gauge cover replaced due to being "distorted". Car is listed with mileage of "0".

Apparently, this was a plastic pod that was replaced with a plastic pod. The reason that I say this is because it was replaced again under warranty on 3-26-66 with mileage of 1563 for the same reason. The same part number was used, but I just bet that this time the hard fiberglass pod was used, because that's what is in the car today. There's no way this pod is going to "distort".

I've seen this style in quite a few cars that came from this production time.

It would be interesting to shuffle through all of the paperwork to see just how many of these pods were replaced under warranty.

Here's the top rough texture:


...the bottom and gauge "face" are smooth:

[Vernon Estes]

Picture of parts catalog offering...



Another set of images of the pod from a 5S42X serial car owned by a forum member,..

[Bigfoot]

Service pod