Who Doesn't Like New Parts?

[mrein3]

I made the trip down to da-burb's today to pick up a few new items for my truck.

I purchased a dismantled bed a few years ago and one of the cross sills was rusted out. Kevin handles triplus sheet metal which appears to be thicker than original. My choices were patch what is on the bed floor or for less than a couple of $20's and a few spot welds drilled out I could have a nice new one. I decided to go new.

As long as I was down there I picked up a new dash bezel (which has been on my list since I bought the truck) and pair of front blinker assemblies because my LF one had a short in it. You know that slippery slope. You can't buy just one side because then you'll have one new/clear lens and one 40 year old yellowed lens. As long as you're buying a new lens you may as well get the whole assembly...

I made sure that I had just enough money for the parts I ordered plus lunch on the ride home. If I had more money in my pocket I'd have probably came home with more stuff.

The cross sill won't go on for a while but I couldn't wait on the bezel and blinkers.

That RF blinker - the one I really didn't need - was a bear to get out of the grill with the AC receiver/dryer in the way. Patience was the key and it only took about 1/2 of a can of beer to get it out of there.

After I put that bezel in, it looked so nice that I cleaned the dash off for the first time since I bought the truck in 1994.

When you pick up stuff directly from da-burb not only do you save on shipping but you also get to see the world's largest collection of Ochre 67-72 pickups and Suburbans.

[Indyuke]

Tell me the story on that clock. I want to do something like that. Do you have any pics of how you did that?

[mrein3]

Originally Posted by Indyuke

Tell me the story on that clock. I want to do something like that. Do you have any pics of how you did that?

It has been a while but there really wasn't much to it.
I picked the clock out of a yard for $5. You find them in 80s Subs and Pickups. Take as much of the clock's wiring harness as you can, for sure get the connector for the back of the clock.

All it takes to run is an always on +12 volts. If you look under my dash in the pictures above there are quite a few in-line fuses labeled with blue tape so 10 years later I remember which wire goes where. This comes in REAL handy when your battery keeps going dead like mine was last week until I figured out the glove box light I added was staying on with the door closed.

Back to the clock. You need to make an access hole in the back of the metal piece that holds the oil pressure gauge in place. I made a little triangle cut to allow access for the "T" shaped connector on the back of the clock.

Use plastic polish to rub the factory markings off the inside of that empty gauge.

To make a hole for the stem, measure twice and heat a nail with a propane torch or similar. I learned that trick on this board many years ago.

I found a picture of the back of my cluster:

[special-K]

I like new parts if you can find any made as good as original. It's a crap shoot,though. I just removed a pair 71/72 mirrors I bought years ago from the box for the first time. One had loose glass and it wobbles at the pivot and the other had a defect in the mirror itself. I sold them to somebody for $5 and was glad he was willing to take them.