They can also provide restoration for classic gauges, or upgrade your older gauge to include modern innovations for accuracy and appearance. Once you have the instrument cluster removed from you Mustang and on the bench your ready to get started. This is where being patient comes into play. Wax; Bench test (after restoration, to ensure gauge works and polarization phase) âAdvanced Repairâ is dependent on needs and spare parts stock. Many older gauge needles fade from damaging environmental factors including exposure to direct sunlight. Step 2 - Gauge is completely disassembled and evaluated. TACHMAN CAN RESTORE YOUR 1970-72 CHEVELLE, MONTE CARLO OR EL CAMINO CLUSTER IN WHITE, NO DECALS, PRINTED ON THE DIAL. But like I said, this gauge cluster was getting a paint job - it was time for a wipe down with acetone and tape for paint. The Old's gauge set was pulled apart to determine what was and wasnât working. Here are the Ford gauges (left) next to the Olds gauges (right), you can see how their sweep matches. Properly restored gauges and lenses can be easily overlooked when doing a complete restoration, but with a little time, effort and the right parts, your gauges can be made like new.  A trip to your local junkyard will still yield gauges out of some 60s-70s cars that work fine. Continue on to reading this issue and look for links to the latest issues, straight to your inbox, as soon as theyâre released! As much as we like wrenching on our own cars, there are just some parts of an old Mopar that it makes sense to let somebody else repair. Time for assembly...start one piece at a time and make sure not to get any stray bits in the gauge set that will drive you crazy later. To get the surface rust off the receiver, I used some Very Fine steel wool and some WD-40. Fuel gauges are very delicate and it doesnât take much for them to stop working. After the DA, I followed it up with a buffing wheel with plastic polish rouge. The newer ones are easy, they are just aluminum with bent over edges. Contact seller. They can also change the face color of the gauges to make them easier to see or for a custom look unique to your car. I removed some of the deck boards to discover some of the 2x12s are rotting at the top and there are huge cracks running along the top edge of each joist. Mounting threads are also cleaned. Gauge Repair and Restoration for Antique, Hot Rod and Classic Vehicles Bob's Speedometer has been in business since 1929 - for over 85 years, and is one of the world's leading gauge restoration and repair shops! 25 Doâs and Donâts of Harbor Freight Tools, The 10 Simplest Repairs You Ought to Do Yourself, Code Breakers: Saving Time & Money Using a Code Scanner, More Than Meets the Eye with DUB IR⢠Tint, Yes, I would like to receive emails from Nitto Tire and Driving Line, Iâd like to receive Driving Lineâs twice-monthly eNewsletter, Sign me up for a quarterly digital magazine subscription. 7-step polishing process on gauge face (if needed) to minimize crazing and restore clarity. You can also see I trimmed off the bottom of the panel. https://www.hotrod.com/articles/repair-restore-vintage-gauge-cluster This means that they will work properly, but also look the part! Itâs important to point this out because you could ruin the stain and shine if you use your cleaners the wrong way. She shined up amazing. The good news is that they are fairly easy to diagnose and repair. To get the right ohm range for the sender and a new temp gauge that might actually be accurate, I found myself rummaging through my parts hoard. When tools are properly restored, they are often just as good if not better than many products made today, and the history that accompanies them is so inspiring. Your information will be collected and used in accordance with our Privacy Policy, Instrument Gauge Restoration - Simply Dashing. GAUGE MARKS⢠are not only accurate in detail, but also made of the finest materials available. 1095 followers oldnewparts (26136 oldnewparts's feedback score is 26136) 99.5% oldnewparts has 99.5% Positive Feedback. There are two different ways to reproduce a gauge face. We sell wiring harnesses,gauges and power window kits for the aftermarket installer.Our products cater to the Street Rod enthusiast. We can set you up to make your car stand out from the crowd. If your restoration project deviates from total originality and you desire to customize it, this is a good opportunity to add logos like was originally done with the Buick script in Photo 2. FUEL SENDING UNITS: Instrument Specialties can rebuild & restore your original fuel tank sending unit to function flawlessly. Before you can restore the instrument gauge cluster in your Mustang you will most likely have to remove it from the car, if so then you may want to view the article âHow to Replace a Mustang instrument Bezelâ which demonstrates how to remove the gauge cluster. First, carefully remove the face plates. If we restore your existing gauge, your HOURS on the gauge remain consistent with boat use. What our motorcycle gauge restoration service is all about. I pulled the gauges out of the '61 truck cluster. This gives it a longer throw on the gauge... at least that's how this application works. The trick is to rub very, very gently, with a lot of WD-40 on the surface. Fortunately, the guys at Autoinstruments.com specialize in just the kind of repairs and restoration our gauge cluster needed. Using a proper fluorescent paint is the only way to properly restore your gauge indicator needles. Custom color schemes, white face gauges, MPH changes, red-line alterations, volt meter conversions, custom logoâs etc. I used a kit I got at home depot from Ryobi on my air tool. That frees up money for other boat projects! Taking your time makes all the difference! By clicking Sign Up, you agree to the Terms of Use. I did this because the old one was interfering with the gauge movement...sometimes you've got to get creative. Restorers can now restore their original gauges with excellent results. It needed a lot of cleaning and in the end I decided to paint it new again rather than leaving it metal. My gauge face is made of plastic and was pretty beat up. Using old tools in the workshop is an amazing experience. The restoration of your gauges requires knowledge, experience, skills ⦠Gently pry away the retainer tabs on the bezel, as with the small gauges and give it a twist, like opening a jar. I coulda spent the time to start at 600 and remove all scratches, but for me the heavier ones are kinda the charm of having an old car. D & M Restoration has complete in-house printing facilities and do all our own darkroom and computer layout, making it possible to reprint almost any antique, classic or vintage automobile instrument face. D&M Restoration restores and rebuilds your entire instrument cluster for your antique, classic or vintage automobile to its original appearance.We repair and restore each gauge, including the speedometer, tachometer and clock, making all instruments work and look like new. I found myself in this predicament with my "new" old gauge set for my current Chevy project. The ink is pushed through the material onto the gauge surface. We invite you to get behind the wheel with us, it's certain to be an interesting drive. I determined that the oil gauge still worked by hooking it up to a manual hard-line gauge⦠trust them the most. The two screws come out and allow the gauge to drop out of the case. Sure, we've repaired wiring, even replaced gauges on some of our dashes, but when it comes to dash restoration, and more importantly, gauge and gauge face restoration, the task is more of an art than a mechanical skill. Perfect? When the screening process was first developed people actually used silk. The gas gauge didnât have enough swing for me, so I decided to adjust it to the new face. I took a DA with 3000 grit to it, just to clean up the haze. The guage's I'm retrofitting for this custom are from a 1947 Oldsmobile. An old car prep trick is to use chrome polish or Nevr Dull to remove rust. Each line, digit, and letter are precision cut from UV resistant 4mil premium vinyl, then aligned and prepared by hand. DEAR TIM: Iâve got a nine-year-old treated lumber deck on my home thatâs showing worrying signs of decay. When you own a classic car, sometimes their parts are out of date to the point of being obsolete.
Most factory gauges, especially tachometers, are notoriously inaccurate. Brass rivets usually hold the older ones in - for that style use a flat file to remove the rivets.
I love using old tools previously owned by a maker whose skill level I will likely never reach. WE CAN ALSO CONVERT YOUR FUEL GAUGE TO OIL PRESSURE! The new face was fitted and glued using a two-part epoxy. Gauges may become inaccurate through age and use, but automotive gauge repair services keep them running smoothly and correctly. Save this seller. Old New Parts. Restore Old Deck - Flip Over the Joists. You should only have to do one side before being able to work out the internals - it comes apart pretty easy if you take your time. If working with a glass faced cluster, be very very careful not to break it. Sure, we've repaired wiring, even replaced gauges on some of our dashes, but when it comes to dash restoration, and more importantly, gauge and gauge ⦠A reamer. This is why when it was time to restore the dash gauges on our project Timber wolf Super Bee, we needed a little help. Step 1 - Old gauges are received for refurbishment. Continue on to the site and look for links to the latest articles, as soon as they are released. Using a non-fluorescent paint will result in your gauge needles appearing dark or black at night and make your gauges difficult to read. Without me blowing a ton of cash to get the whole thing restored, I took it upon myself to undertake the task. Step 3 - Interior and exterior surfaces of the case and ring are cleaned and repainted at our paint station. A drill-mounted buffing wheel (you can find them at most hardware stores) How hard can it be right?
There are two main parts in a fuel gauge system. Now time for the fun stuff... letâs start with the gas gauge! if you have trouble restoring them, i have a 99gtx hull i've decided to strip out and i "think" the gauges are clear, i haven't really looked at the hood in a month, i'll have to check them tho to be sure and i'd let them go pretty cheap. Mark Simpson visits Bob Wilson, owner of RJ Restorations, to see first-hand the processes Wilson uses to build award winning restored classic cars. All. In addition to repairing and reconditioning gauge clusters for better aesthetic appearance, the guys at Autoinstruments.com have the tools and calibrated test equipment to get your factory gauges working better than they did when new. You can see the two holes in the back with the jagged edges on the mechanism. restoring old O gauge track (not rusty) Posted by Anonymous on Friday, October 8, 2004 7:08 PM I have a lot of Lionel O gauge track that is about 40 years old. Driving Line® Accelerating Automotive Passion™ by providing a fresh angle of what fuels us. This totally works on just about anything (even paint if rust stains are coming through)Â as long as it's not pitted.
Flickr user linux-works discovered, after buying some old audio equipment on eBay, that a simple wash with soap and water didn't do much to help the old, faded, plastic knobs. Here at CB750faces.com, we restore motorcycle gauges into pristine condition. Because of their size, these seem to come apart easier that the small gauges. For about a 1/4 the cost of a USED gauge, we can make your gauge look fresh again. If you need an automotive gauge repaired, these helpful tips will assist you. 10 Favorite Custom Trucks from the 2021 Lone Star Throwdown, For the Love of Vintage: A First Timerâs â49 Bow Tie, Jax: Alpha Motors creates the first factory âSafariâ EV, Go Alternative Off-Roading With The Bargain Porsche Cayenne 4x4 SUV, Sign up for more restomod content to add horsepower to your inbox. This is a relatively simple method for restoring the faceplates of instruments and gauges for your project, whether you need to do one or all the gauges. This totally works on just about anything (even paint if rust stains are coming through) as long as it's not pitted. It appears to be in good shape but a person who fixes model trains thought it would be no good due to the pin holes being too difficult to clean. Since we wanted to keep a factory look to our project Super Bee, but wanted to brighten up the dash a little, we opted for factory gauges with white faces to replace the factory black gauges. An old car prep trick is to use chrome polish or Nevr Dull to remove rust. Category. I was very lucky to have this cluster lying around, but sometimes you have to dig a little bit deeper. A few spiders tried to bite me, so I scurried them off to find new homes. Seattle Speedometer, Bobâs Speedometer and Palo Alto Speedometer all use silk screening, also called screen printing, for gauge face restoration. After the chrome was off I could see how messy the old gauge set really was. Our clients come from many backgrounds, with many different goals in mind. But like I said, this gauge cluster was getting a paint job - it was time for a wipe down with acetone and tape for paint. Whether its the daily driver, a show car, or a fun restoration project, weâre here to help. Each project brought to the Classy Gauges garage is unique. That's why you see so many Mopars with aftermarket gauges hanging under the dash, because when the factory instruments stop working most of us don't have the ability or knowledge to repair them. Vehicles Covered:We repair and restore speedometers for most cars and trucks 1920 through early 1990's. Side Refine Panel. Strong stuff. After gluing, tape and set aside. I fallowed it up with a tiny set of needle nose pliers. First, I took it all apart, to allow cleaning and refinishing. Hereâs what youâll need to restore it: Q-tips A magic eraser. A good used gauge can cost more than $200, and it might need the same repair.
The face of my set was really rusted out. Nothing beats a brand new speedometer and tachometer fresh out of the box but that's not always an option. The biggest challenge about this sort of retrofit is finding gauges that sweep the same way as the originals. Basic Service: We re-calibrate the speedometer to original factory operating specifications and clean the internal works. Knowing this, the crew at Autoinstruments.com has developed repair and calibration techniques to make your factory gauges work as well as expensive aftermarket units, and without cluttering the area under your dash. After getting all the parts in the retaining ring, it's time to reseal it. Be sure not to take your time, it can be very easy to damage the underlying gauge. Recognizing that every individual's motoring journey is unique, we seek to give form to both untold as well as celebrated facets of the automotive world. Camaro and Trans Am gauges can be restored to factory fresh appearance.
One of the items that we just don't have the patience, tools, or parts to repair ourselves is the instrument panel on our dashboard. Also, since none of our factory instruments seemed to work properly, the entire cluster would need to be refurbished, and the oil pressure, water temperature, and tachometer would need to be repaired and recalibrated. Spun up the Speedo after lubing the gears with a little oil and it was smooth as can be - that left me with the gas and oil guages to retrofit. Replacing old instruments with new (NOS) gauges is becoming almost impossible or very expensive. Pipemakers use a mix of stains and waxes to give the wood its color and shine. A new OEM Gauge can cost over $350. I did have to use the stock resister that went with the '61 clusters in order to power the gauges.  It makes them work correctly. Cheers and get some! I started on one end, gently prying up the chrome bezel that wraps around to the back of the cluster. Next, simply put the gauges back in their placement within the cluster. tachman can restore your 1970-72 non tach cluster with clock or clock delete! ÂÂÂ
While every car maker doesnât use the exact same fuel gauge system, most use the same concept to read the fuel level in your gas tank. Follow along as we show you how the crew at Autoinstruments.com performs their magic. Normally I'd just use a voltage drop to get them to work, but I am using a mustang tank and sender in my project and the temp gauge was straight broken. I used my favorite body hammer for this one. HOURS OF USE. In fact, factory tachs can be off by 1,000 rpm or more. I had a gauge set out of a '61 Ford unibody we used as a parts car a year ago. The total cost for a finished project depends on several factors. We also have designed most of our own testing and calibration equipment to ensure the highest accuracy possible, giving you instruments that, in [â¦] Tiny screwdriver through the back and the needle moves. New gauges, controls and rigging go with a new console installation. This is a fine old gun, and was made back when they took some pride in their work.