Oil Temperature Sender Substitute? RESOLVED! Options

[GregAmy]

Anyone have an acceptable substitute for the taco plate oil temp sender for the '73 combo gauge?

I have a 1974 car, but according to P914.com I have a 1973 combo gauge. The car also has an appearance group center console installed, but the oil temp gauge was not connected there; the sender wire goes straight forward through the harness to the dash. I'm guessing someone added that later.

My current problem is that the oil temp sender in the combo gauge just barely comes off the peg. At an indicated 220 degrees via the dipstick thermometer, the gauge is just about a needle width off the left white line, and rarely moves any farther. Given the variation in installed equipment on this car I'm guessing the incorrect sender is installed back there; since I'm about to do an oil and filter change I'd like to replace the temperature sender at the same time.

Info/ideas appreciated on this mongrel.

I've replaced the center console temp gauge with a VDO pressure gauge; Chris Foley has a nice steel-braided extension line that will allow me to remote-mount the VDO sender.

Alternatively, I actually have a '73 non-appearance group fuel gauge. If the engine has the correct sender for the appearance group oil temperature sender (how do I know?) then I can consider re-installing the oil temp gauge in the center console in place of the clock (which I've disconnected to reduce battery drain) and wiring that up instead, then install the '73 fuel gauge.

The joys of 40-yr-old cars...

Greg