Temperature sender for a wide block engine fitted in an earlier car.

Doctorvaux

Can anyone provide me with any reference numbers for a suitable temperature sender for a 1948 Super Six, fitted with a later wide block engine. There have been a number of posts on the forum over the years, but no specific answers that I can find.  From what I have read, the narrow block engines in the early cars have a 3/8 NPT sender, and the later wide block engines have a 1/4 NPT sender.  However because the guages are of different designs between early and late cars, the senders are not compatible.  Therefore, has anyone found a 1/4 NPT sender, that is compatible with the early gauge ?. 

I don't really want to go to the trouble of drilling and tapping the head unless I really can avoid it.  Thank you.

iceblade10

I assume this is the same one that fits the later stepdown blocks, i.e. Hornet?  I bought one a while back from Lance Walker.  Wildricks sells them as well.  http://www.wrphet.com/cooling-system.html

Doctorvaux

I have a normal wideblock, later type sender with 1/4 NPT fitted, but it does not work properly with the '48 gauge. I understand that it is not compatible with the earlier gauge.  I understand that the early and late gauges are different, hence they need a different sender.

D7fever

I am going through the same problem, Keeping my car 6 volt, no aftermarket 6 volt electric gauges available, mechanical temp senders are bigger than the 1/4 inch NPT .  I might have solved my problem.  I got a sending unit out an old 6 cyl Jeep, it fits the head, I also bought a 6 volt SW gauge on ebay,  I think that Jeep used SW gauges,  tried it seems to work, haven't installed it yet.
Might be able to install the 3/8 npt sender in a water hose or in the port  for the heater ,with a T.
I'm stuck with using an aftermarket one, as I must have burnt out the dash gauge.

Doctorvaux

Thank you, yes, that would be an option to fit a different gauge with matching sender, however I was hoping to keep the original gauge if at all possible.