Gauge cluster refurbish?
 

I hear about members refurbishing gauge clusters and I wonder what products are available and where can they be purchased. Wha are the do's and dont's when refurbishing the gauge cluster? Does anyone have an FAQ on this subject? Thanks.

anybody!

Someone said they were gonna do a writeup on this recently. There's a thread around here that talks about stuff...like how to clear up the lenses (they cost too much to buy flat out, just use ultra fine grit sandpaper and a goob polishing compound). The needles can be popped off and repainted with Testors orange model paint (I never heard what the color bottle # was though). You can pop the two screws out of the gauge faces, wirewheel and paint flat black. Someone recently posted the exact match of the color green to repaint the inside of the gauge cluster. The face of the gauge cluster (the plastic) can be purchased for around $20 brand new from several of the vendors in the vendors list on the front page.

I wish I had pictures for you - I am going to need to hack mine in order to get it up with the new engine/tranny. I just bought a used dash cluster for $30, looks like I may not use it after all.

Here is the paint I found. It is Krylon #3509 Jade Satin Desgner Finish. I got it at Wal-Mart

What are you wanting to do with your gages? I have a post on here about my gage that I refurbished. That might help.

When I did mine i just masked off the needles and painted with bright orange krylon. I just used light green for the inner part, I don't think it matters too much. I buffed the clear guage faces, put a new bezel on and it looked good as new.

Saulgoode

Painting the green white makes for better and brighter inst lights at night.

I took mine apart and painted behind the gages with chrome paint and also back side of the black plastic with chrome paint. The needles I painted with foresent orange paint and I replaced the bulbs with LED's. Have not got aroung to putting back in let because I hurt my back but will as soon as I am up and going again. The chrome paint makes everthing show up much brighter at night.

I bought a new bezel and a lens (but I did polish it up and will use on a different truck). I washed down the guages. They smear a little, but using a dry towel that cleans up. I painted the needles with dayglow orange paint. Looks like night.

This is all very helpful information. How do I clean the surface rust on the face of the tach?

same here on the minor surface rust on the gauges. How do you clean it without missing up the numbers?

I do what Longhornman said about the white paint instead of the green. It looks way better at night in my opinion. I use Testors Flourescent Orange paint. As far as the rust I believe most people are using the black vinyl overlays (instead of the white ones) to restore the gauges. Byrd does awesome work and hopefully sees this post to offer some advice.

Taking to the top in hopes of more info on the vinyl overlays

I think this guy can make the vinyl in any color you want;http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/67-72...QQcmdZViewItem

Here is the web site http://www.durangedesign.com/

I pm'd 'byrd' inviting him to join this thread with hopes of learning more about refurbishing gauges. I don't want to take anyones business just want to be able to do my own stuff. I am sure if the search function was functioning we could all find this information from past posts.

ttt

Yes the black vinyl overlay is the only way I have been able to refresh a rusty gauge, I always use durange design for the overlays, some like them (durange) and some don't, their product is not perfect, but what after market product is? I really like the overlay and the are fairly easy to install and look great!! I do not spray paint the needle, I paint them with a brush as well as the hot mark on the temp gauge, I have used the spray paint and found for me it was more trouble than it was worth( too much time) I can paint the needles with two coats in less time. I do not paint the inside of the inner metal tin, I just paint the backing plate and clear it as I have already had it blasted and it needs to be painted anyway, and you get the same results for less work in my situation( Remember I restore several at a time and the way I do it may not be the easiest way to restore one at a time) I understand where you guys are coming from about doing them yourself, beleive me I worked for about three months on figuring out how to do it all and make it as nice as I do, and destroyed many good gauges and associated parts with trial and error. I started doing this to restore mine, and then my nieghbor saw it and wanted one for his , and the his buddy and so on. I honestly don't make any real money at these, I do it because I like it and I like the reaction from the people who buy them,( That is the best part who doesn't like and attaboy!!!!) Randy

Tach Reface
 

I have another way to tackle the rusted tach face. Bead blast it, prime, paint gloss black and hand paint the orange in the center. Then apply the new tach markings that I had made. The markings are white but they are exact match and lokk pretty good, if you find a gas and speedo that are the whiter looking rather then the light green, you can hardly tell the reface from a factory tach. Here are a couple pics of one that has the new markings. Lamar.

Very nice Lamar. Are you keeping it a secret or are you going to let us know how you made the new face? Again, very nice Lamar.

has anyone figured out how to make the #'s brighter on a dash that has white overlays

durange is going to be releasing one for sale soon. It will be a clear overlay and there will be two diferent styles, one that goes on the inside and outlines the #'s and the other is installed on the outside of the lens and covers up the old #'s and makes them black..Randy

Tried to PM you but your box is full. Lamar.

Here is the current state of my '67 C-30 cluster. I am putting a Diesel engine in my truck, and I found a cluster that has a cable driven 4000RPM tach out a '67 C-60 with a vacuum gauge. It has a cool looking redline at 3200. I restored mine with nice used gauges that had no rust on the letters, a 80lb Oil pressure gauge, and a new Temp gauge. I have a Woodgrain overlay on order now. Excuse the dust on the lens. I haven't got used to what my new camera will pick up yet!

Wow! One of these tach's sold yesterday on eBay. Nice looking cluster.