Gauge Cluster Restoration

[pjmoreland]

Here's a gauge cluster I restored recently. The gauge faces were rusty, so the owner chose to go with white decals.

[Stocker]

I'm not personally a fan of white gauges, but that turned out fantastic! Looks like top-quality workmanship, excellent.

[54blackhornet]

I recently did an overhaul of my cluster. The chrome around the bezel was worn off so I did like you and just painted it with satin black, looks decent in my opinion.

[pjmoreland]

Originally Posted by Stocker

I'm not personally a fan of white gauges, but that turned out fantastic! Looks like top-quality workmanship, excellent.

Thank you. The white gauges are definitely an issue of personal preference.

[pjmoreland]

Originally Posted by 54blackhornet

I recently did an overhaul of my cluster. The chrome around the bezel was worn off so I did like you and just painted it with satin black, looks decent in my opinion.

It would look better with the chrome, but painting it black seems like a decent way to clean up the original bezel. I like keeping original parts when possible.

[dmjlambert]

Where the decals from whitegauges.net?

[pjmoreland]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

Where the decals from whitegauges.net?

Yep. They also have black decals.

[dmjlambert]

Yes I was wondering if you had used on other restorations the black decals from them, and how are they?

[pjmoreland]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

Yes I was wondering if you had used on other restorations the black decals from them, and how are they?

I haven't used the black ones yet. They look nice in this photo that I believe 70shortfleet posted.

[pjmoreland]

Here's a gauge cluster I built for a friend this week. He has one of those aftermarket three-gauge units on the bottom of his dash, so he wanted the lower gauges blanked out. This started out as a non-tach cluster, so I added the mounting features for a stock style tach.

[jumpsoffrock]

What advice have you got for someone wanting to restore the chrome bezel? I painted a truck heater with "chrome" silver paint years ago and was happy with it because it sits low and is never looked at (lol).

But a gauge set in my face isn't gonna cut it, and I really don't like the thought of taking an original gauge bezel and throwing away and replacing it with a chinese part that has new chrome.

Maybe they make a chrome tape?

[pjmoreland]

I haven't made any attempts to restore Chrome. It is also very difficult to mask the edge because paint tends to wick under masking tape, and it is difficult to apply masking tape in a way that prevents it from looking like a jagged line when going around a corner. I have been using AMD bezels. The factory parts fit right into them. The Counterpart brand doesn't fit as well.

[70STOVEBOLT]

Originally Posted by jumpsoffrock

What advice have you got for someone wanting to restore the chrome bezel? I painted a truck heater with "chrome" silver paint years ago and was happy with it because it sits low and is never looked at (lol).

But a gauge set in my face isn't gonna cut it, and I really don't like the thought of taking an original gauge bezel and throwing away and replacing it with a chinese part that has new chrome.

Maybe they make a chrome tape?

Mylar tape might be a solution. I used it on the trim around the woodgrain on my '70 door panels and it worked out really well. Time will tell if it stays stuck down.

[dmjlambert]

I'm waiting for somebody to try this with black gel nail polish, chrome nail powder, and no-wipe top coat. Ultraviolet light curing. Get crackin and report back please. Bonus points if the bezel and fingernails are both done and shown together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7toRGpqIAbU

[Ol Blue K20]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

I'm waiting for somebody to try this with black gel nail polish, chrome nail powder, and no-wipe top coat. Ultraviolet light curing. Get crackin and report back please. Bonus points if the bezel and fingernails are both done and shown together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7toRGpqIAbU

That's interesting...

[basketcase]

The chrome was worn on my cluster when I restored it so I just polished the rest of it off (boarder and gauge openings) with some paint polish from Meguire's. It looks like high gloss black lacquer. For the thin chrome line around the perimeter of the bezel I went to Hobby Lobby and got a chrome alcohol paint marker. When it dries, it looks just like the original stripe. It doesn't work for wide areas but for a line, stripe or re-doing the letters on the ignition switch, light switch, wiper or choke letters, It's great.

I've been having trouble accessing photos to post lately but I'll post them when I figure it out.

Tom

[jumpsoffrock]

Originally Posted by pjmoreland

I haven't made any attempts to restore Chrome. It is also very difficult to mask the edge because paint tends to wick under masking tape, and it is difficult to apply masking tape in a way that prevents it from looking like a jagged line when going around a corner. I have been using AMD bezels. The factory parts fit right into them. The Counterpart brand doesn't fit as well.

Originally Posted by 70STOVEBOLT

Mylar tape might be a solution. I used it on the trim around the woodgrain on my '70 door panels and it worked out really well. Time will tell if it stays stuck down.

Thank you guys. Im also curious about this solution because the front grills of mid-70's Firebirds also use a chome outline on the bezel that is almost always peeled off.

I really don't like painting the whole thing black, I'll look for mylar tape.

[Richard]

Fine line tape exists. For the purpose it describes. Mask to it for larger areas.

[chappys4life]

Do you do restorations for people? Mine could use it

[pjmoreland]

Originally Posted by chappys4life

Do you do restorations for people? Mine could use it

I have done that before. What are you wanting to have done to it?

[54blackhornet]

Rebuilding the cluster is not terribly difficult. Take your time and have patience and you will be surprised how simple everything comes apart. I did mine on the hood of my 71 C/20 in an afternoon. Cleaned all the bulb connections, cleaned the plastic lens and painted the gauge needles with orange nail polish. I think it makes a major improvement.

[purple gas]

I went with black low gloss paint on my badly worn cluster bezel or whatever you call it.

I can live with it because it looks way better than before, and not too much bling appeals to me.
I will admit I've come close to pulling the trigger on a new piece with nice shiny chrome, they do look good and aren't a ton of money.
As a Canadian, what I really would like to find is a replacement lens piece with metric speed markers and numbers. I hate doing math in my head, especially in 30 kph school zones that can come with a $400. ticket .
I stumbled across some place that restores clocks & guages. They said they could make me a lens and even re-do the inner part so all the lines are in the right place.
Sounds appealing but I was afraid to ask the price. I've now forgotten what the company is called.

['68OrangeSunshine]

About 19 years ago, while my Stepside was down with the 292 L6 being rebuilt -- I restored the Dash Bezel. Being a '68 the bezel was never chromed. I sprayed the whole thing flat India Black, then taped off the flat surface, and shot the rounded edges and gauge rings with metallic Silver Fawn -- like the original.

[pjmoreland]

Originally Posted by purple gas

I went with black low gloss paint on my badly worn cluster bezel or whatever you call it.

I can live with it because it looks way better than before, and not too much bling appeals to me.
I will admit I've come close to pulling the trigger on a new piece with nice shiny chrome, they do look good and aren't a ton of money.
As a Canadian, what I really would like to find is a replacement lens piece with metric speed markers and numbers. I hate doing math in my head, especially in 30 kph school zones that can come with a $400. ticket .
I stumbled across some place that restores clocks & guages. They said they could make me a lens and even re-do the inner part so all the lines are in the right place.
Sounds appealing but I was afraid to ask the price. I've now forgotten what the company is called.

I have KPH decals available. You can remove the MPH markings with Purple Power cleaner and then apply the decal to the back of the lens.

https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...d.php?t=848683

[chappys4life]

Originally Posted by pjmoreland

I have done that before. What are you wanting to have done to it?

Mine has a crappy paint job but all the gauges work, would like to swap to a voltmeter. debating to get it rebuild or do something like classic instruments.