1979 Tach Cluster refinished. - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

1BadSS · 01-09-2011, 03:29 AM

Picked up a tach cluster out of a 79 Silverado about a month ago. Got it with a fogged lens, broken circuit and a missing shift indicator.

Picked up a new lens from LMC. Located a NOS printed circuit and with some elbow grease, some new paint. I have a 90% gauge cluster now. I'm calling it 90% due to the two broken mounting ears. They still work, just missing a small portion of each. Also repainted the center shield, back to black. I saw someone paint one with a silver paint before. Possibly for reflective properties, after looking at it though. I decided against it, because it would look like the gauges had silver rings behind the bezel.

When painting the needles, I brush painted them with a paint called 'fluorescent red', which came up close enough to the factory pointer color that i've seen so far. The factory needles don't like to be painted. I scuffed them, primed and laid paint and had to put down 5 coats for equal coverage.

So far, about $90 in this gauge cluster with the brand new parts. I'll gladly take this over a camaro tach any day. As it looks perfect in the truck and doesn't look out of place. I've got two others to refinish that you may see on here soon.

bigd65 · 01-09-2011, 09:04 AM

Are you going to sell them

RuralRoute C-30 · 01-09-2011, 09:39 AM

Looks great! Always on the look for a tach for the 85. Until then, my ears do a good enough job.

Seriously, nice work. It's always shows in the details.

Mark

Restrorob · 01-09-2011, 09:53 AM

Turned out nice !

str8axle55 · 01-09-2011, 11:23 AM

Very nice work.

76stepsidechevy · 01-09-2011, 02:31 PM

looks awesome man, Im getting ready to do the same thing.

allengator · 01-09-2011, 02:47 PM

I need one of those for my '80!!!
Posted via Mobile Device

BigRed76 · 01-09-2011, 02:53 PM

That looks really nice. To heck with the broken tabs...nobodys gonna see that anyways

1BadSS · 01-09-2011, 02:55 PM

One other thing to add, the aftermarket cluster lens doesn't fit perfectly flat to the metal gauge cover. I had to take a hair dryer to it in order to get it to lay flat.

BigRed76 · 01-09-2011, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1BadSS

One other thing to add, the aftermarket cluster lens doesn't fit perfectly flat to the metal gauge cover. I had to take a hair dryer to it in order to get it to lay flat.

Thats good to know

THE "10" SILVERADO · 01-09-2011, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1BadSS

One other thing to add, the aftermarket cluster lens doesn't fit perfectly flat to the metal gauge cover. I had to take a hair dryer to it in order to get it to lay flat.

So just heat the lens up with a hair-dryer for a few minutes before installing it?

1BadSS · 01-09-2011, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by THE "10" SILVERADO

So just heat the lens up with a hair-dryer for a few minutes before installing it?

I put it on the cluster, cinched it down. Then heated it and gave it slight pressure to work it into place. The problem is, the legs that come down that mount to the cluster from the lens are a little too short and basically I stretched them. There aren't any other better parts on the market. Only one company makes this lens.

72BlckButy · 01-09-2011, 04:52 PM

Turned out real nice, good work!

Where did you pick up the 'fluorescent red'?

1BadSS · 01-09-2011, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 72BlckButy

Turned out real nice, good work!

Where did you pick up the 'fluorescent red'?

At Hobby Lobby, it was $3.49 for a 1/2 ounce. It's plastic model paint.

Edit: http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/...-paint-385617/

72BlckButy · 01-09-2011, 05:40 PM

Thanks for the info buddy!

Has more of an orange tint than red color to it?

1BadSS · 01-09-2011, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 72BlckButy

Thanks for the info buddy!

Has more of an orange tint than red color to it?

They call it red, but its more of a medium-blaze orange.

3r!c84 · 01-09-2011, 07:41 PM

looks good. is that stock font? looks a little different. i may be wrong

1BadSS · 01-09-2011, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3r!c84

looks good. is that stock font? looks a little different. i may be wrong

The font is stock and correct for a '79. This cluster came from a 79. The gauge faces match that of my other 78 and 79 clusters as well.

1BadSS · 01-09-2011, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 72BlckButy

Thanks for the info buddy!

Has more of an orange tint than red color to it?

Just some food for thought, its hard to get a good picture of what the needles look like. But if you look at the gauge indicator color versus the needle colors. The indicator wasn't repainted. Nearly a 100% match.

72BlckButy · 01-09-2011, 10:03 PM

Thanks buddy!

motornut · 01-10-2011, 10:21 AM

looks good nice match

68Timber · 01-10-2011, 04:22 PM

That looks great...

01-09-2011, 03:29 AM	#1
1BadSS NOT REALLY BANNED! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Shawnee, KS Posts: 1,072	1979 Tach Cluster refinished. Picked up a tach cluster out of a 79 Silverado about a month ago. Got it with a fogged lens, broken circuit and a missing shift indicator. Picked up a new lens from LMC. Located a NOS printed circuit and with some elbow grease, some new paint. I have a 90% gauge cluster now. I'm calling it 90% due to the two broken mounting ears. They still work, just missing a small portion of each. Also repainted the center shield, back to black. I saw someone paint one with a silver paint before. Possibly for reflective properties, after looking at it though. I decided against it, because it would look like the gauges had silver rings behind the bezel. When painting the needles, I brush painted them with a paint called 'fluorescent red', which came up close enough to the factory pointer color that i've seen so far. The factory needles don't like to be painted. I scuffed them, primed and laid paint and had to put down 5 coats for equal coverage. So far, about $90 in this gauge cluster with the brand new parts. I'll gladly take this over a camaro tach any day. As it looks perfect in the truck and doesn't look out of place. I've got two others to refinish that you may see on here soon. __________________ 1987 Mustang Coupe - 2.7 Stroker, 78mm turbo, Stainless header, 3" Exh, FMIC, 160lb/hr Injectors, MS3, twin walbro 255's, 34psi. Eating V8's daily. 04 Pontiac GTO 04 Ford Mustang GT 68 C20 LWB stripper truck 73 K5 Cheyenne 76 C20 Sierra Crew SRW 88 K20 Suburban I'm not hammering on metal just to hammer, i'm creating a piece of art. Last edited by 1BadSS; 01-09-2011 at 03:53 AM.

01-09-2011, 09:04 AM	#2
bigd65 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Lake Jackson, TX. Posts: 1,930	Re: 1979 Tach Cluster refinished. Are you going to sell them __________________ 2004 Silverado Crewcab (Dark Spiral Gray)

01-09-2011, 09:39 AM	#3
RuralRoute C-30 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: East Central Illinois Posts: 511	Re: 1979 Tach Cluster refinished. Looks great! Always on the look for a tach for the 85. Until then, my ears do a good enough job. Seriously, nice work. It's always shows in the details. Mark __________________ 1985 Chevy C-30 Hydraulic Dump Bed 2001 Saturn SC2 (go to work car) 2010 PT Cruiser (wife's car) "Reality is just a hallucination brought on by lack of alcohol."

01-09-2011, 09:53 AM	#4
Restrorob The One And Only !!! Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Hole in the woods Florida Posts: 4,567	Re: 1979 Tach Cluster refinished. Turned out nice ! __________________ 93 Jeep XJ 88 Buick La Sabra Toys; 88 TA-GTA in the works.... 97 GMC Ext. Cab 502 Crate 5 Spd......Sucks Gas But Haulz Azz ! The primary function of an Engineer is to make it difficult for the Fabricator and impossible for the Mechanic. *"Why go out preserved when you can go out beat up, worn out, sliding in sideways screaming, Holy Sh!t What A Ride" !!!*

01-09-2011, 11:23 AM	#5
str8axle55 Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Weymouth Ma Posts: 489	Re: 1979 Tach Cluster refinished. Very nice work. __________________ 03 GMC Yukon XL 2500 Quadrasteer, wife`s DD 84 Chevy K30 CC SRW 55 Chevy 210 2dr post

01-09-2011, 02:31 PM	#6
76stepsidechevy Registered User Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Windsor Locks Posts: 628	Re: 1979 Tach Cluster refinished. looks awesome man, Im getting ready to do the same thing.

01-09-2011, 02:47 PM	#7
allengator Registered User Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Burleson, Texas Posts: 596	Re: 1979 Tach Cluster refinished. I need one of those for my '80!!! Posted via Mobile Device __________________ Allengator Outta the Blue (my band - available for hire in the DFW area!) 1980 Chevy SWB Pickup (build thread) 1951 Chevy Sedan Delivery 2004 Chevy Tahoe Z71 2011 Harley Davidson Street Glide 2018 Silverado Z71 Crew Cab

01-09-2011, 02:53 PM	#8
BigRed76 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Loveland, CO Posts: 1,921	Re: 1979 Tach Cluster refinished. That looks really nice. To heck with the broken tabs...nobodys gonna see that anyways __________________ Zach 1970 Chevrolet Custom Camper K20 1971 GMC Super K2500, 12V/NV4500 swap in progress 1971 Chevrolet Custom C10 1972 Chevrolet Custom Deluxe C20, 5.3/4L60E 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, 455/TH400, 3.73 posi 2004 GMC Sierra 2500HD, LB7/Allison, CCSB 2005 GMC Sierra 1500, 5.3/4L60E, CCSB

01-09-2011, 02:55 PM	#9
1BadSS NOT REALLY BANNED! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Shawnee, KS Posts: 1,072	Re: 1979 Tach Cluster refinished. One other thing to add, the aftermarket cluster lens doesn't fit perfectly flat to the metal gauge cover. I had to take a hair dryer to it in order to get it to lay flat. __________________ 1987 Mustang Coupe - 2.7 Stroker, 78mm turbo, Stainless header, 3" Exh, FMIC, 160lb/hr Injectors, MS3, twin walbro 255's, 34psi. Eating V8's daily. 04 Pontiac GTO 04 Ford Mustang GT 68 C20 LWB stripper truck 73 K5 Cheyenne 76 C20 Sierra Crew SRW 88 K20 Suburban I'm not hammering on metal just to hammer, i'm creating a piece of art.

01-09-2011, 04:52 PM	#13
72BlckButy Tot Roddin' Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Mid-MO Posts: 24,461	Re: 1979 Tach Cluster refinished. Turned out real nice, good work! Where did you pick up the 'fluorescent red'? __________________ -Nate 1969 CST SWB - Project Blank Slate (4.5/6" ECE Static Drop, 6-lug disc brake upgrade (manual), Billet Specialties Vintec 20x8.5 255/40 (F) 20x10 295/40 (R), 250 I-6) 1960 AMF Skylark - Tot Roddin' (Lowered with custom frame; soon to include custom push bar and interior) 2008 Silverado CrewCab 1LT (5.3L, 3:73, 4x4, LT1, Z-71, Towing Package)

01-09-2011, 05:40 PM	#15
72BlckButy Tot Roddin' Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Mid-MO Posts: 24,461	Re: 1979 Tach Cluster refinished. Thanks for the info buddy! Has more of an orange tint than red color to it? __________________ -Nate 1969 CST SWB - Project Blank Slate (4.5/6" ECE Static Drop, 6-lug disc brake upgrade (manual), Billet Specialties Vintec 20x8.5 255/40 (F) 20x10 295/40 (R), 250 I-6) 1960 AMF Skylark - Tot Roddin' (Lowered with custom frame; soon to include custom push bar and interior) 2008 Silverado CrewCab 1LT (5.3L, 3:73, 4x4, LT1, Z-71, Towing Package)

01-09-2011, 07:41 PM	#17
3r!c84 Badass Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: lox. fl Posts: 4,586	Re: 1979 Tach Cluster refinished. looks good. is that stock font? looks a little different. i may be wrong __________________ Think outside the box? -84c10 (1stcar)→My Build← -00 Saturn 5spd drop a gear and disappear! 1/4:13:90

01-09-2011, 10:03 PM	#20
72BlckButy Tot Roddin' Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Mid-MO Posts: 24,461	Re: 1979 Tach Cluster refinished. Thanks buddy! __________________ -Nate 1969 CST SWB - Project Blank Slate (4.5/6" ECE Static Drop, 6-lug disc brake upgrade (manual), Billet Specialties Vintec 20x8.5 255/40 (F) 20x10 295/40 (R), 250 I-6) 1960 AMF Skylark - Tot Roddin' (Lowered with custom frame; soon to include custom push bar and interior) 2008 Silverado CrewCab 1LT (5.3L, 3:73, 4x4, LT1, Z-71, Towing Package)

01-10-2011, 10:21 AM	#21
motornut 78K & 79C Jimmys Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Ottawa Ont CANADA Posts: 7,901	Re: 1979 Tach Cluster refinished. looks good nice match __________________ John 1978 GMCJimmy4X4-350/203 1979 GMCJimmy4X2-305/350

01-10-2011, 04:22 PM	#22
68Timber I know the pieces fit Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: MONTGOMERY, AL Posts: 5,523	Re: 1979 Tach Cluster refinished. That looks great... __________________ John 79 2wd Blazer (Bruiser) 85 M1009 Blazer (Sarge) build 74 Honda Z50 build



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