Restoring dash gauges
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Elder User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 739
Likes: 1
From: Murfreesboro, TN
Restoring dash gauges
Has anyone restored, or cleaned up, their stock gauges?
Is there a safe way to clean the numbers on the speedometer?
Background is black, and I would assume the numbers were white, but they are faded?
I would rather leave them alone, than mess them up, but if there is a safe way to clean them, that would be great.
I bought some paint at a hobby shop today to repaint the needles.
Thanks in advance,
Is there a safe way to clean the numbers on the speedometer?
Background is black, and I would assume the numbers were white, but they are faded?
I would rather leave them alone, than mess them up, but if there is a safe way to clean them, that would be great.
I bought some paint at a hobby shop today to repaint the needles.
Thanks in advance,
Post Fiend
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 7,641
Likes: 21
From: Poway, Ca.
Hi SS,
Well you are pretty lucky becasue your truck vintage has more after market parts than anyone else. Every now and then a whole instrument/speedo panel pops up on e-bay. I bought a couple 51 instrument clusters to get good faces. They were cheap about $20 each per cluster.
In the mean time, cleaning the inside of the glass really helps. And you can clean your speedometer and gauge faces off with a diaper (or other very soft cloth) that is first dampened, then has a quick spray of windex on it. Put a quick spray of th ewindex on th egauge face to wash off any abrasive dirt first.
Alot of times, the heat in the panel from the lights coupled with oil from the speedo will create a film coating that dingy's up the white. Be gentle.
As a last resort, LMC has new gauges for your truck - but they are fairly expensive.
J!
Well you are pretty lucky becasue your truck vintage has more after market parts than anyone else. Every now and then a whole instrument/speedo panel pops up on e-bay. I bought a couple 51 instrument clusters to get good faces. They were cheap about $20 each per cluster.
In the mean time, cleaning the inside of the glass really helps. And you can clean your speedometer and gauge faces off with a diaper (or other very soft cloth) that is first dampened, then has a quick spray of windex on it. Put a quick spray of th ewindex on th egauge face to wash off any abrasive dirt first.
Alot of times, the heat in the panel from the lights coupled with oil from the speedo will create a film coating that dingy's up the white. Be gentle.
As a last resort, LMC has new gauges for your truck - but they are fairly expensive.
J!
Post Fiend
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 7,641
Likes: 21
From: Poway, Ca.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,138
Likes: 2
From: Marietta, Ohio
Has anyone restored, or cleaned up, their stock gauges?
Is there a safe way to clean the numbers on the speedometer?
Background is black, and I would assume the numbers were white, but they are faded?
I would rather leave them alone, than mess them up, but if there is a safe way to clean them, that would be great.
I bought some paint at a hobby shop today to repaint the needles.
Thanks in advance,
Is there a safe way to clean the numbers on the speedometer?
Background is black, and I would assume the numbers were white, but they are faded?
I would rather leave them alone, than mess them up, but if there is a safe way to clean them, that would be great.
I bought some paint at a hobby shop today to repaint the needles.
Thanks in advance,
Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 739
Likes: 1
From: Murfreesboro, TN
Thanks, Dave, Julie....
I'll try cleaning it with windex.
Dave, guess it depends on how much you want for it, AND how bad I screw mine up... LOL
I'll let you know.
Thanks again.
I'll try cleaning it with windex.
Dave, guess it depends on how much you want for it, AND how bad I screw mine up... LOL
I'll let you know.
Thanks again.
Roast em' if you got 'em
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,972
Likes: 9,791
From: Rio Rancho, NM
Steve,
A few years ago a member on this board redid his gauge face. He even repainted it an everything. It was an outstanding piece of work and I wish I could find the thread. I'll serach a bit and see what I come up with. I've seennew decals for gauge faces, well, at least for the 48-50 trucks, but who knows, maybe they are available for the newer trucks too
Bobby
edit: I found the link, check this out;
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/2...ation-job.html
A few years ago a member on this board redid his gauge face. He even repainted it an everything. It was an outstanding piece of work and I wish I could find the thread. I'll serach a bit and see what I come up with. I've seennew decals for gauge faces, well, at least for the 48-50 trucks, but who knows, maybe they are available for the newer trucks too
Bobby
edit: I found the link, check this out;
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/2...ation-job.html
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,138
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From: Marietta, Ohio
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Elder User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 929
Likes: 0
From: S.C.
Steve....
I have (selling) the four stock guages that go in the dash out of my '54 F100 They are in great shape (have screws, fuel and temp voltage adaptors).
If interest send me a p.m. or email for a picture.
Ed
I have (selling) the four stock guages that go in the dash out of my '54 F100 They are in great shape (have screws, fuel and temp voltage adaptors).
If interest send me a p.m. or email for a picture.
Ed
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Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 739
Likes: 1
From: Murfreesboro, TN
Thanks all.....
I reset the Odo to 000000, repainted the needles, and used windex to clean up the faceplate.
I took the cluster out of Fred (my parts truck) and experimented on it to reset the Odo, I was surprised that even thought both Fred and Mater are 53's, the speedo was different in each. The odo reset the same, but came apart differently.
Fred's face plate is cleaner and 'brighter' even after cleaning up Mater's, so I will probably swap them.
Mater's Odo numbers are a lot cleaner/brighter so I'm keeping that. But the back plate of the speedometer is cleaner on Fred's. However it is attached with very small pins that are peened over on the back. Don't think I will try to swap that out. Mater's just looks worn. Hey, so do I and we are both OLD.
If you look close, you will see that I still have to touch up some of the black on the outside edges of the faceplate.
As always, thanks for all your help.
I reset the Odo to 000000, repainted the needles, and used windex to clean up the faceplate.
I took the cluster out of Fred (my parts truck) and experimented on it to reset the Odo, I was surprised that even thought both Fred and Mater are 53's, the speedo was different in each. The odo reset the same, but came apart differently.
Fred's face plate is cleaner and 'brighter' even after cleaning up Mater's, so I will probably swap them.
Mater's Odo numbers are a lot cleaner/brighter so I'm keeping that. But the back plate of the speedometer is cleaner on Fred's. However it is attached with very small pins that are peened over on the back. Don't think I will try to swap that out. Mater's just looks worn. Hey, so do I and we are both OLD.
If you look close, you will see that I still have to touch up some of the black on the outside edges of the faceplate.
As always, thanks for all your help.
Post Fiend
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 7,641
Likes: 21
From: Poway, Ca.
Wow, those look great!
If it really makes you crazy, youcan grind off the flaired ends of the mini rivets holding the speedo plate on with a dremel. Go slow because the plate is just aluminum. If yuo do it to both of them, then you can swap them out and reattach them with little tiny sheet metal screws, (like #3 x 3/16) and a drop of expoxy. But I would be willing to venture that after you get it all together and in you won't notice the dull one that much.
That looks really NICE!
Julie!
If it really makes you crazy, youcan grind off the flaired ends of the mini rivets holding the speedo plate on with a dremel. Go slow because the plate is just aluminum. If yuo do it to both of them, then you can swap them out and reattach them with little tiny sheet metal screws, (like #3 x 3/16) and a drop of expoxy. But I would be willing to venture that after you get it all together and in you won't notice the dull one that much.
That looks really NICE!
Julie!
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Elder User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 739
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From: Murfreesboro, TN
Julie,
Yeah... I think I'm just gonna leave it... once it's in the truck it will be fine. I only notice it now cause I have the other one to compare it to. Yesterday I was starting to get FRUSTRATED at all the THOUSANDS of detailed items in this stupid truck. At some point I have to remind myself it's just a 55 year old truck, it's just gonna be FUN to drive. It aint gonna be a show truck. I WANT to get it on the road some day....
Yeah... I think I'm just gonna leave it... once it's in the truck it will be fine. I only notice it now cause I have the other one to compare it to. Yesterday I was starting to get FRUSTRATED at all the THOUSANDS of detailed items in this stupid truck. At some point I have to remind myself it's just a 55 year old truck, it's just gonna be FUN to drive. It aint gonna be a show truck. I WANT to get it on the road some day....
Post Fiend
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 7,641
Likes: 21
From: Poway, Ca.
Julie,
Yeah... I think I'm just gonna leave it... once it's in the truck it will be fine. I only notice it now cause I have the other one to compare it to. Yesterday I was starting to get FRUSTRATED at all the THOUSANDS of detailed items in this stupid truck. At some point I have to remind myself it's just a 55 year old truck, it's just gonna be FUN to drive. It aint gonna be a show truck. I WANT to get it on the road some day....
Yeah... I think I'm just gonna leave it... once it's in the truck it will be fine. I only notice it now cause I have the other one to compare it to. Yesterday I was starting to get FRUSTRATED at all the THOUSANDS of detailed items in this stupid truck. At some point I have to remind myself it's just a 55 year old truck, it's just gonna be FUN to drive. It aint gonna be a show truck. I WANT to get it on the road some day....
I go through the same thing - wondering if I'm EVER going to get all this stuff done. And it's not always just motivation, sometimes your hands are tied by $$$ as well. But as long as you can take it out and have fun driving it, it all seems worthwhile.
I will let mine go for a month or two and not do a thing to it, then get all motivated and take a month off and really get a lot done. I've been clowning around with mine for 3 years now and it's really getting there.
But one thing I can promise you: After 55 years, it certainly isn't going to fall apart if you don't address it tomorrow, and I guarantee it will still be ther for you to fix the day after - when you feel like fixing it!
Drive it lots!
Julie
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From: Westminster,Md
Julie,
Yeah... I think I'm just gonna leave it... once it's in the truck it will be fine. I only notice it now cause I have the other one to compare it to. Yesterday I was starting to get FRUSTRATED at all the THOUSANDS of detailed items in this stupid truck. At some point I have to remind myself it's just a 55 year old truck, it's just gonna be FUN to drive. It aint gonna be a show truck. I WANT to get it on the road some day....
Yeah... I think I'm just gonna leave it... once it's in the truck it will be fine. I only notice it now cause I have the other one to compare it to. Yesterday I was starting to get FRUSTRATED at all the THOUSANDS of detailed items in this stupid truck. At some point I have to remind myself it's just a 55 year old truck, it's just gonna be FUN to drive. It aint gonna be a show truck. I WANT to get it on the road some day....
Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 739
Likes: 1
From: Murfreesboro, TN
YEEEUP, I think that's why we all advise newbies to DRIVE the truck BEFORE you tear it down if at all possible. If I had to do it over, I would have re-built the engine and DRIVEN it for awhile... but then again, if I had done that, I probably would never have torn it down to the frame. Wiring needed to be re-done, brakes, trans, rear shackles, etc, etc, etc.
One day at a time....
One day at a time....