Task Force Instrument Cluster Refurbish

[Dan in Pasadena]

This same info is in my chron thread (Danny Boy is BAACK!!) but I thought maybe it would be hard to find for someone searching for JUST info on instrument clusters, guages, etc. This is NOT a show worthy restoration by any means. It is a garage workbench job for a daily driver (mine) using commonly available parts and materials.

My existing cluster had cracked plastic, faded and chipped off odometer numbers to the point of being invisible. There was oil seepage from the oil pressure guage, 50 years of dust, lost screws and pitted chrome. Hopefully, this helps someone else:

Before, front and back:




Oh, and the invisible odometer numbers:


I totally took it apart, noted missing screws, and assessed what I was going to have to do to make it acceptable to me? Wire wheeling (bead blasting would be better, but I can't do that...yet!) painting the faces flat black, find a paint for the interior as mine was flaking off, new green plastic for the signal arrows, new lense, new chrome bezel.


I found that THIS Rustoleum paint; Satin Apple Green, comes somewhat close to the color of the cluster interior. For a restoration its not close enough. For a driver? Close enough for me! Brighter, but that's ok.


Odo numbers partly replaced to show the difference! By the way, instructions say to sand the old numbers, I didn't. I wiped them all down well with Acetone. WE'll see if that comes bac kto bite me


Reassembling after painting everything. You can see the El Cheapo flat black I used on the guage faces. I had it already and figured, "What the heck". I think it came out fine...for a driver


The needles were all faded to nearly white so I masked the small ones with aluminum foil and took of the speedo needle to spray it all using the same apple green.


That's it for now. I will go over to The Truck Shop in Orange, CA tomorrow to get new green plastic for my signal arrows. I REALLY wanted to finish it up this weekend but hated to reuse the old faded out crap. Plus, after getting everything looking so much better I decided to use something better than my scratched and pitted chrome bezel.

[tmoble]

I see some of the vendors are advertising a re-pop bezel for like $30. Prolly fine for a driver.

[Denee007]

I got to the point of removing my steering column today, and attempted to pull out my intrument cluster but there were so many wires coming off of it, I put it back for another day! But this gives me hope that I can get my instrument panel looking much better someday! ; ) you can just see mine to the left of the photo; just fixing to order the radio repair patch this evening.
ps; that's looking really good btw!!!!
dne'

[Daze57]

dne
naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa not to many wires ! just label thrm as you go it is worth the effort ;'

dan v v nice job i know you will be happy w/ the results

[Rude Dude]

Here is good picture of an intall. I dont remember if I got it from this site or off the net they used a quick disconnect at end. I also included a pic of a stock sphagetti pic.

[Denee007]

mercy! :| why's it have to have so many wire! When I get a new Painless, or whatever wiring harness, would I still need to mark the old wires? can't I just pull all the old wires off and the new instructions will tell me where to put them? At least one of them is a mechanical oil pressure gauge! one less to mess with!

PS: that's a nice laid out photo~ looks a little more simple laid out like that

[Rude Dude]

Originally Posted by Denee007

mercy! :| why's it have to have so many wire! When I get a new Painless, or whatever wiring harness, would I still need to mark the old wires? can't I just pull all the old wires off and the new instructions will tell me where to put them? At least one of them is a mechanical oil pressure gauge! one less to mess with!

PS: that's a nice laid out photo~ looks a little more simple laid out like that

Dont pull anything until you get schematics the color code for wires from 55-59 were basicly the same for cars and trucks by GM. Just google it they are available on the net. When you get your new kit if it is not specific to your stock gauges you will have to be changed i.e. alt instead of generator, amp meter versus volt meter. Do research I know painless has thier schematics online for fuse panels and if you order kits non specific color coding will be different for wires some labeled others are not. I break it down to circuits it is easier i.e. lighting, charging, ignition and accessory. I am an avionics technitian by trade so that is why I do that way.

[Dan in Pasadena]

I just figured out that my speedo is permanently bound up. Well, actually the plastic (nylon I think) shaft for the odometer is bound up tight. I played and played with it and it won't move. The rotating "thing" inside the speedo was stuck tight too. I lubed it and have it moving but I don't know how much resistance it's SUPPOSED to have? Anyway, I'm thinking I'll have to buy a speedo ($100) DOH! After all that work too. Once you throw in the repop bezel, lens, paint, numbers....it's getting costly. No wonder they get $500 for a full cluster!! Oh and I bought a new speedo cable too. Oh well. Ya win some and ya lose some.

Good pic's guys, keep em coming.

[tmoble]

Dan, my speedo was bound up too. back near where the cable threads are there's like a little soft plug. I was able to poke or drill a hole in it. I used spray brake cleaner and carb cleaner, made the hole big enough to fit the the little plastic tube in. I filled it with carb clean and started working it back and forth. I used compressed air to force the carb cleaner into the mechanism. Did I mention this is messy and you need to wear glasses? A couple cans of carb cleaner later it was free. I found Lubri-Plate in a spray can, was able to use the tube to fill the gear mechanism full of the grease. That was in '86, after I moved to Phx, still working today.

[tmoble]

Denee, BE SURE to disconnect the battery before pulling the cluster. Those big red and blck wires on the ammeter are direct, unfused battery current. It's real easy to get into a little amateur arc welding if you bump the cluster against the lip on the dash as it's coming out. Don't ask how I know this.

the wiring is not that complicated and there's not very much of it. Don't buy a Painful harness, talk to AAW and M&H first. that's American Auto Wire, good people, good harnesses and and actual help available. M&H, same drill. Painful? well, they're real big and advertise a lot. Kinda like Comp Cams.

[Denee007]

Thank you for the tip! fortunately my battery is not in the truck and probably won't be for a while. yes, when I pulled the cluster, I noticed how close all the wires/terminals were close to the dash! So you're saying keep the original wiring harness? I see nothing wrong with that despite the age. My '67 Mustang, I kept the original harness but sent it to a wiring guru on the Stangfix forum, and he "overhauled" it before I put it back in. He found a lot of cuts and shorts, etc. I'm fixing to check into the AAW like you mentioned~ uh, what do they do? I promise to take out the cluster today and mark all of the wires I want to gut the dash today! I got the steering column out yesterday(pita)! so the under the dash wiring and heater is next.

As for my cluster, I'm going to follow and mimick what Dan did, that really turned out nice, but in that one photo further down(or up), I'd like a plug in~ that's neat! I just can fathom buying an aftermarket or new cluster.
; )

Originally Posted by tmoble

Denee, BE SURE to disconnect the battery before pulling the cluster. Those big red and blck wires on the ammeter are direct, unfused battery current. It's real easy to get into a little amateur arc welding if you bump the cluster against the lip on the dash as it's coming out. Don't ask how I know this.

the wiring is not that complicated and there's not very much of it. Don't buy a Painful harness, talk to AAW and M&H first. that's American Auto Wire, good people, good harnesses and and actual help available. M&H, same drill. Painful? well, they're real big and advertise a lot. Kinda like Comp Cams.

[Russell Ashley]

Nice work, Dan. I keep a can of Rustoleum Satin Black around for things like the gauge background panel. It works good and looks original. You can also paint the panel that goes in front of the gauges to match your dash for a custom look. I painted mine blue to match the truck when I first got it but since have restored it to original.

Now I just need time to install it and wire it up.

[FFredo]

Dan you're doing some great work. I'm digging that you make it work with tools and materials on hand.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Hi Russ, yeah I REALLY thought of painting my gauge face Sage Green to match my primer but in the end just decided to go stock.

Fredo, Thanks. I'm trying to enjoy the process of refurbishing my truck as much as the results. Anything new with your flat bed conversion? A thought: You could shorten your Fleetside bed to a shorty, then sell it to help finance your truck. Those short Fleet beds are real hard to come by.
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[FFredo]

Hey Dan, can you give a bit more detail on the odometer refurb? That odo came out real nice!
I haven't touched the truck. I'm in the middle of a large order for some of my leather goods. I hope to finish that this week and get back on the truck. I will be selling the fleetside bed but I don't think I'll take the time to shorten it up. I guess the new owner can do that and I can also make suure that anyone that wants a long bed has the chance to find one too.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by FFredo

Hey Dan, can you give a bit more detail on the odometer refurb? That odo came out real nice!...

Unfortunately, yes I can. I say that cause now that I know the speedo is irreparable, I'm gonna have to do it all over again with a used speedo another board memeber has VERY generously offered to give me! The odo numbers are on an "axle" or shaft and you have to remove it to properly place the numbers. I didn't know that and played hell trying to feed the numbers onto it in position. They're very stick on the back side. Mine was so dirty and greasy I couldn't see at first that there is a little clip that holds the shaft in place. Once you see it, pry it off GENTLY and don't lose it! The shaft slide out. I wiped mine down real well with acetone and didn't sand the old numerals per the directions cause there are very thin brass separators between each number. They held well BUT the vinyl they're printed on does stretch. Between "0" ans "1" is where the ends of the tape meet and a gap will show if you aren't careful to stretch it to meet itself. Pic's later when I get home
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[Denee007]

What! you can't fix it? rats! Is there a company that refurbishes the original clusters? I pulled my cluster leaving EVERYTHING attached to it! lol Actually there's not that many wires under the dash like I thought there would be~ not like my '67 Mustang coupe. So maybe I can make this messy wiry mess once again work?
Sorry about your cluster, but you can do it better next time!! ; )

[Dan in Pasadena]

Well, the nylon shaft that turns the odometer on one end With a worm gear and a square cut gear on the other end looks to have run dry til it galled and froze. I would strip the 55 year old teeth if I tried to force it and I don't think any of the usual sources sells just that gear. Maybe North Hollywood Speedometer but their prices on everything is high.
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[dwcsr]

Just to give you an Idea of what you can do with them

[magicoolbus]

Here's mine after a refresh. New plexi, chrome bezel, new speedo, gauges given a new sticker and the needles painted white.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by magicoolbus

....gauges given a new sticker...

?? Do you mean the fuel, temp, amp & oil gauges? The little white dots on mine are faded and won't clean up. The black looks faded too. I really wanted to repaint the black but couldn't figure out how I would put small white dots back where they belonged? PLEASE tell me this is what you're talking about and where you got these stickers?!

Incidentally, did you paint the needles white for any particular reason? Mine were a light green so I redid them that way. Same with the speedo needle.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Oh man, youre REALLY tempting me Dave. I don't know what color my truck will ultimatley be but while its a clean daily in green primer I am SO tempted to do something jazzy like the red one or the blue one. I thought of doing a light mint green but now you've got me wondering what candy green I could find in rattle cans in a model or hobby shop?! I know, I know, kinda whored out to some....but it would only be for awhile

[dwcsr]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Oh man, youre REALLY tempting me Dave. I don't know what color my truck will ultimatley be but while its a clean daily in green primer I am SO tempted to do something jazzy like the red one or the blue one. I thought of doing a light mint green but now you've got me wondering what candy green I could find in rattle cans in a model or hobby shop?! I know, I know, kinda whored out to some....but it would only be for awhile

I really think that the original cluster design is far better looking than a Dakota or some of the others. Painted up you can do all most any design you like. Even restored to original black its a great looking gage cluster. One thing I did find out the hard way is if you blast the piece take care on the aluminum piece that is attached to the speedo needle it will warp like crazy even with light blasting.

The picture doesn't do the red one any favors. It looks really good lit up in the dark and when the sun hits it just right you see all the ghouls coming up in the center. The painter did a nice job on these.

[Daze57]

hey dan

i think Tuckers pickup parts here in vegas sells the stickers you are lookin for . the stickers look just like the faces of your guages - you just peel off the backing and ''carefully line it up over you original guage and press it on - not difficult at all ya just take it slow and you will have a good lookin guage(s)
good luck and show dem pitchers

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Daze57

hey dan

i think Tuckers pickup parts here in vegas sells the stickers you are lookin for .

Oh man, THANKS for the lead. I'm going to search for a website for them now.

dwcsr - I THOUGHT I saw ghouls but wasn't sure. I wouldn't go that far and I've always loved the original gauges vs the Dakota dash....well, except for a few month in the 80's when they were new!

If I end up getting a spare cluster from the other board memeber I will DEFINITELY spray a set in a custom color just to entertain myself. Then I'd be able to change them to suit my mood! Dumb, but I'll enjoy it.