Handy condensed version:

 

I decided to simply throw some paint on it and see if I liked it or not. Here's the run down.

Before starting. I love chrome but only in moderation. This was too much to leave alone.



Disassembled.



The chrome was a bit hazy so that's what I was trying to fix.





I have about twelve hours in polishing on this gauge cluster.



I sanded down the faceplate, using sandpaper wrapped around a pencil to get in between the grooves. I used 320 grit.



Paint doesn't like to adhere to chrome so I made sure to scratch it up real good.



I used these 3D printed rings made my user Tomahawk and generously sent to me for free. Thanks again.



They sit like this.



After paint.



The paint I used ended up being super tacky and I found out after peeling it a bit that the masking tape needed to be cut off first before I could pull it off, like when you remove a baseboard in a house and don't want to pull up the drywall.





You can see that it's much more reflective but it's still not a perfect mirror.



Here's the pre-polish again for you to compare.

 

I think that looks pretty good there!
Remember, polishing chrome only polishes the surface materials. You wont get a perfect mirror unless the copper beneath is also prepped to perfection.
I think you did a great job.

 

Nice work Jackson, that thing looks sweet!

 

Maybe that's why I was struggling. Is chrome like anodizing in which it more or less becomes the surface rather than coats the surface?

Thanks. I'm happy enough with it that I'll probably just leave it alone.

 

I think it looks way cool. You'll be happy once it's mounted in your dash. Can't wait to see that pic. Cluster in. Engine idling. (hint hint) Gauges reading.

 

I put in my cluster yesterday, and other than the vacuum gauge, it looks like yours. No photo yet, as the truck is at the local fiberglass shop, for the new (between the rails) fuel tank. I will see it and photo it on Fri...
Meanwhile, does anyone know where to get a tach, that looks like the spedo, and will work with the 300 IL 6?? I'd love to also find a vacuum gauge also... any hints would be mucho appreciated.

Salude amigos

Baja

 

Baja. There was someone on here who recently mentioned a company who can rework these gauges. Sorry I don't remember who or which thread. Maybe he will chime in here soon.

 

Baja, I am in the same boat, sort of. Something reasonably close to swap out the vacuum gauge for.

 

Why? I'd leave it and add a tach on the other side. Watch the vac gauge while driving to help keep your foot out of it if you care about MPG. And when adjusting timing or carb you can have a Buddy watch it and tell you when you have found the "sweet spot".

 

2X on that one Jeff, and that is why I am looking for both the tach, and vacuum gauge... Now that being said, I have an old Sun tach, but the face is a mis-match by a long shot.. It works great, and I have been toying with the idea, of copying one of the photos on the dash gauge forum, and printing it out, laminating it, and sticking it to the Sun tach face.. Seems like a long way around, but I don't have many other choices down here...

If I find a source, I will post it..

baja

 

The 1940-Series gauges from NVU Gauges looks very similar to the OEM Ford tach. Or you can run the part number on eBay and hope one pops up.

 

Ah. Maybe that's a clue to who it was for research. Someone had said there is a company that can rework the factory F600 cable driven tach to be electric.

 

That is some trick, if they can do that... I found several on Evilbay today, but most are way up in price, like $125 to $175 for the factory gauge from the 60's, which looks to be electric...They only go to 3500 rpm, but that may work anyway..?? Seems that I can do the scan, print, and laminate a face for my old Sun tach, and stuff it in the hole... looks like it will fit, but I will have to fabricate some sort of attaching method... back to the drawing board..

Baja

 

The graduation for 6 cylinders would be different than an 8 cyl. on the face. Remember on the ol' (like I still have) tach/dwell meters had 6 cyl and 8 cyl graduation for the same needle sweep? I'd bet a King's ransom Orich still has one and can post a pic of it.