Vintage Compass
 

Is anyone running a year correct dash compass or window mounted compass. An air way compass is mounted in my truck but its all yellowed and doesnt work.
Might be in the market for a new/old one or a year correct version

Re: Vintage Compass
 

Two on eBay today. One in black with no fluid and one in Gray with fluid. Not mine, I have no interest in it. Posting purely for information sharing.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/airwa...Q5fAccessories

Re: Vintage Compass
 

Does anybody have a 67 or 68 with the correct compass in them? where is the correct mounting location? i believe they look like the one pictured below.

Re: Vintage Compass
 

Navigation 1.0 That is what I always tell everyone that my compass is.

Re: Vintage Compass
 

The original owner put that red air way in. He lowered the rear view mirror and used one of the holes.

Re: Vintage Compass
 

I have one I bought at the local Chevy dealer in the '90s. It has big chrome "GM" letters on the front, is oil-filled and black. I've seen them in the LMC catalog advertized as OEM and vintage. Maybe they're not lying this time? It's cool, but I kept it on the shelf [in Arizona] for at least a decade, and by the time I got around to installing it in my '71 Jimmy, half of the light machine oil filling leaked out, I put it on the dash last year when I also installed a Magellan GPS, as a back up unit. It's funny how often the mag compass is 90* out of phase. But I haven't "swung the compass" at a parking lot and dialed in a good magnetic North yet using the little tweaking tool they give you. That adjusts for magnetic fields generated by some of the accessories.
I don't know if there is a single "correct" mounting position, but I went with a mount at the center of the dash, above the dashpad, directly under the rearview mirror. If you have an in-dash speaker, this might not be a good location, as the pull from the magnets in the speaker cones could give you some interference. The GPS screen sits to the left of that.

Re: Vintage Compass
 

I'm trying to remember what the one in my Grandpa's truck looked like.

Re: Vintage Compass
 

I thought most of those were for women:lol: so they know witch direction they were headed in. They are in new trucks now but i never look at it. I remember looking at those in the 50's when i was a kid and never understood the need even back then. Its a cool item to have now i guess.

Re: Vintage Compass
 

Since we went through a pretty good heatwave in my area the previous couple of weeks, I spent most of that time doing projects in the AC of the house, and was able to do a little restoration job on the Airway compass. Tracked down a replacement bulb and contact spring, and got the light switch to work. Added mineral oil and polished the scratches out of the dome.

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/j...y_compass1.jpg

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/j...ayCompass2.jpg

Re: Vintage Compass
 

Hey KC, I have this one in a 72 Custom Camper. I believe it works ok, you can have it for shipping cost if you want.

Re: Vintage Compass
 

I used to agree with you. Men don't get lost, that's why we don't have to ask for directions!

I have an electronic compass in the dash on my Explorer. I never realized how much I used it until this past weekend. Took my '72 on a little road trip to Lincoln, NE. Not only did I get lost (The GPS on my iPhone was useless), I had no idea what direction I was going half the time. :lol:

Re: Vintage Compass
 

Oh Bill, First you get lost then you admit it, your feminine side is really showing. We need to get together for a beer and get you back to normal.:lol:

Re: Vintage Compass
 

I found a nice nos airway on ebay. Still works pretty good but I can't get the light to come on. I tried looking for the same exact battery it had at radio shack but they didnt have anything that fit. Anyone been able to find one somewhere? I tried the triple A battery but it seems to big and the quadruple A is to small.
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Re: Vintage Compass
 

Here you go ...

[IMG]http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/i...t/photo4-1.jpg[/IMG]

Re: Vintage Compass
 

Thats cool, how old is that GM compass.
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Re: Vintage Compass
 

Might have to find one of these
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Re: Vintage Compass
 

Wow, that brings back memories. I had an genuine GM accessory compass back in the day.

Re: Vintage Compass
 

Yeah, that's the one I had. I got it at the Chevy dealer's, years ago and put it on the shelf. Unfortunately the local heat [and time] got to it. When I installed it, half the oil had leaked out. By now all the oil has leaked out and it points South. Permanently.

Re: Vintage Compass
 

I think there are places that can fix these compasses ...

Re: Vintage Compass
 

This style compass was a dealer option for our trucks.

Re: Vintage Compass
 

Anyone?
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Re: Vintage Compass
 

Well, I think it only cost about $17 bucks. How much would a guy charge to fix it?
I have thought of drilling a small hole in the clear top part, injecting some very light machine oil and sealing up the hole with epoxy. But where did it leak from to begin with?
I have an import one, not the "GM" style, also on a shelf. It will light up. Last time I looked, it had not leaked yet. I was saving it for the Orange '68 Stepside. The GM compass is in the blue '71 Jimmy. It's next to my new Magellan Roadmate 5045 GPS. I first installed it next to my old Roadmate 1200 [As an analog back-up], but the 1200 got its' glass screen broken after getting shoved into the glove box with too much stuff.
:gmc2:

Re: Vintage Compass
 

im intrigued, if i find one ill install

Re: Vintage Compass
 

Watch ebay Prices will range about $100-125

Re: Vintage Compass
 

Those little compasses go for big money on Ebay. I just looked and there are a few NOS ones going over $200.