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I am about to start restoring my gauge cluster later this week. I have the round speedo option. The glass seems to be stuck in with a gasket of sorts that has deteriorated over the years and is locked in. I have a new gasket from lmc to put back in. How do I get the glass out without damaging any of the parts?
Assuming that the gauges, face and backing plates are removed...?
I used a spray release agent I bought from Steele rubber products. It took all of 3 minutes for it to release the glass bezel.
you can try soaking in lacquer thinner or other thinner. You might try brake cleaner to soften the black substance. It is crusty hard. Don't force it...as you already know, (or you wouldn't be asking) just let it work in and it will eventually pull free..
I believe the release agent i bought was overpriced brake clean but with a slower evaporation rate.
These are straightforward. An easy coat of light primer and an off-white rattle can spray paint on the steel backing where the gauges sit will work.
On the visible dash face I am powder coating it Whimbledon white. But, that’s only because a friend has a small powder coat business. Same would apply with Whimbledon white rattle can enamel and same brand rattle can clear coat and it will look very nice and affordable.
our local auto store had the spray Whimbledon white and it was a very very close match. Close enough to get a good nights sleep.
You can do a lot by simply cleaning up the gauge faces with a very small cloth, q-tips and such with some mild soap and water or something like 409. Be careful of the needles, especially if you have the oil and ammeter gauges, they bend very easily. I like to then place something like Armor-All, but not Armor-All....I hate it. You know, like an interior detailer or something used on rubber and plastic just to give the faces a little gloss and darken the black. Wipe off the excess real well so it doesn't attract dust. Then paint the needle tips and speedo needle with fluorescent orange model paint. You can get it at HobbyLobby, I have the number at home, for the paint, I'll get it for you later. Clean the glass, of course. I have a cotton buff on a slow speed buffer, with plastic polish that does the lenses real well....or you can do it by hand. If needed you can replace the turn signal indicator (green dots) and the high beam indicator (red) with available celluloid/plastic material. I'm, what you call a**l, or fixated, so I also took out the little cardboard tubes for the indicator lights and painted the inside of them white to better reflect the light. I also replaced the bulbs with led's. You don't need a loud flasher to tell you that your turn signals are on....they're so bright you can't miss 'em!!
You can do a lot by simply cleaning up the gauge faces with a very small cloth, q-tips and such with some mild soap and water or something like 409. Be careful of the needles, especially if you have the oil and ammeter gauges, they bend very easily. I like to then place something like Armor-All, but not Armor-All....I hate it. You know, like an interior detailer or something used on rubber and plastic just to give the faces a little gloss and darken the black. Wipe off the excess real well so it doesn't attract dust. Then paint the needle tips and speedo needle with fluorescent orange model paint. You can get it at HobbyLobby, I have the number at home, for the paint, I'll get it for you later. Clean the glass, of course. I have a cotton buff on a slow speed buffer, with plastic polish that does the lenses real well....or you can do it by hand. If needed you can replace the turn signal indicator (green dots) and the high beam indicator (red) with available celluloid/plastic material. I'm, what you call a**l, or fixated, so I also took out the little cardboard tubes for the indicator lights and painted the inside of them white to better reflect the light. I also replaced the bulbs with led's. You don't need a loud flasher to tell you that your turn signals are on....they're so bright you can't miss 'em!!
I did the same thing with the leds and yes you will not miss them flashing!
Vandy.....almost too bright, in hindsight! The fluorescent red (sorry, not orange) paint for the needle tips is Model Master #FS 28915. All the old Ford gauges uses the same color. Oh...and the really delicate ones were the fuel and temperature! Bad memory.
I have the fluorescent red in my kit of paint from when I used to build model cars and planes. I think the gauges look great with using the shine up like armor all. Last step is to sand and repaint in satin the peiCE between the glass and the cluster assembly. Thanks. That cluster looks great ^
If my memory serves me....and it hardly ever does lately...I believe that I also re-painted the satin black surrounds, which sit behind the glass, for all three gauges. And, thank you, 624WD.
I am about to start restoring my gauge cluster later this week. I have the round speedo option. The glass seems to be stuck in with a gasket of sorts that has deteriorated over the years and is locked in. I have a new gasket from lmc to put back in. How do I get the glass out without damaging any of the parts?
Please take some "before" and "after" photos and post 'em up!
That aluminum is probably anodized...I'm assuming. If so, you probably would have to strip it to remove the discoloration and at that point you will loose the numbering and black paint. There are professional companies who can restore gauge faces, but it might not be worth the cost to you. Any other suggestions....???
Yeah not worth it to me to have a company do it. I will probably leave it alone. I mean I would love to have it shiny but the chrome is never going to get redone in the truck so I don’t think it’s too worth it.
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