...when restoring gauges, what do you use?

[CEE1NG_RED]

I'm trying to salvage at least one gauge and/or piece together the good gauges together to make one nice gauge that I had purchased used from a seller in this forum. Now, when cleaning the gauges...do you use microfiber towel and just cold tap water? I had started with one gauge and noticed that the white imprint of the meter is smearing off so I had stopped. Any suggestions? LOL..brake cleaner? jajaj! Anyways, what do you use to restore your gauges and clean out the electricals and thick dust that has settled onto the face of the gauges? Thanks in advance.

[turp mcspray]

When cleaning the faces, I just use a soft brush, dry.

[Livrat]

When cleaning the faces I use a "makeup brush", and use "canned air" to clean out the dust from the internals

[eightbanger]

Not trying to hijack here, but it may help the OP also....what's the paint called that everyone uses to redo the needles..?

[turp mcspray]

There is some "needle paint" for sale on ebay. I used Krylon flouresant orange, and it looks great.

[slikside]

Hey turp, how bout for the "chrome" edging and guage insets??

[eightbanger]

Originally Posted by turp mcspray

There is some "needle paint" for sale on ebay. I used Krylon flouresant orange, and it looks great.

Cheers mate..

[oldgold70c10]

I've used Model Master Fluorescent Red. It has a sorta orange/red color that looks great. It comes in little 1/2 oz bottles at places like Hobby Lobby.

[Constructor1]

Is there any way to restore the white imprint short of hand painting these back on? I had an extra gauge that i wanted to "practice" restoring and even with a soft brush, some of the white "grid" began to rub off.

[matthones]

Is there a replacement needle for the speedometer? Mine broke about 1mm outside the center hub and fell down to the bottom of the gauge. Any suggestions?

[eightbanger]

Originally Posted by matthones

Is there a replacement needle for the speedometer? Mine broke about 1mm outside the center hub and fell down to the bottom of the gauge. Any suggestions?

I have 3 of em spare, if you have no luck in finding one your welcome to one of these...it will need painting.

[70c10-08]

when I redo needles i use fingernail polish i don't remember the name offhand I think its pure ice and the shade i used was like an orange-ish red as for the lenses i used windex and a paper towel and i wiped gently

[stomper]

You must have a flat sheen of fluorescent orange for the needles. Shinny needles just don't look right IMHO.

I cut a slit in a sheet of paper and slip it behind the needles. One for each needle and you can do the whole set of gauges at once without disassembling. Don't brush it - I spray with a common rattle can of krylon and apply very light coats. The center of the tach is difficult but can be masked if you're careful.

[kcfirstbuild]

when I did mine last winter - I cut a v out of two pieces of note card paper, so they could slide under the needles with out removing them. I tried brush it on and it looked like crap - so crapped it all off and sprayed krylon flour on and it looks great !

[matthones]

Originally Posted by eightbanger

I have 3 of em spare, if you have no luck in finding one your welcome to one of these...it will need painting.

Thx eightbanger. I'll keep you in mind if I can't find a local source.

[VA72C10]

I haven't seen a needle repro'd but with all the trucks out there it's not too hard to find a good one...it pops off and on fairly easily.

For the chrome on the bezel, its' best to just buy a new bezel. You could have it rechrome but that'd cost in the hundreds....For a show truck trying to be 100% original...maybe.....

On the faces, I learned on here that the speedo and fuel were screened on and yes, the lettering wipes off easily with water so you have to be careful. The rest of the gauges are more durable.....but once they discolor...it's usually better to just find a better gauge because there's no cheap or easy way to repaint them.

They do make vinyl overlays in white with black markings and also in black with the lettering either white or light green so that's another option. whitegauges.net is the company that makes the vinyl overlays

[turp mcspray]

As far as the bezel, I spent $35 for a new one. (they are very nice too) As cheap as they are, I wouldn't waste ANY time trying to paint an original. For the white lettering, the cheapest way is to find some decent originals. You'll still have to paint the orange on the temp gauge. (seems like they always fade away) With as many of these trucks that were made, finding decent looking used gauges, isn't to hard to do.

[turp mcspray]

They make plastic polish, but I just used regular rubbing compound, and a foam pad to clean up the lens in the pic.