69 Speedo face and needle Resto

Picts to come...

I've got my speedo disassembled on the work bench.

Glass bezel will get new black. Dust inside glass will get windexed out.

The interior housing paint is a greenish white and coming off in 'leaded bubbles.' Will blast and rattle shoot.

Anyone know if there's a good rattle-can replacement? Or just a glossy stark-white, or rattle-can chrome?

The carboard tubes around the light-fixture-holes may need replacement (moisture). Will have to see if that crappy PVC pipe (the garbage el-cheapo landscapers use - I think it's schedule-5 or 10) will work as a replacement. It's about as strong, just about 5 sheets of paper thick, just sort of moisture proof more than the cardboard if the diameter can be had in the same.

I'm going to re-paint the needles (speedo, gas and oil gauges) with matching orange I have. These all have stewart warner labels and their part numbers on them (good to know). I believe it's a replacement face the PO put in.

the red/orange and blue bits of clear tape for 'dummy lights' look ok, save the blue which is washed out pretty much to clear. (alternator light, high beam indicator, etc.).

Anyone know if it's possible to restore the 'sun faded' black on the speedo face or the face of the other gauges? I've thought about over-laying the existing numbers with an iridescent white, but I'm not sure I have a steady enough hand - patience of a young, er, not so young padowin is a downfall...

Thoughts?

Ruinations or Ruminations?

 

Another option is taking the face to a small vinyl sign shop. They can scan it in and print it out on adhesive backed vinyl in any color you want. It is also UV protected.

If I may, how did you get the needle off the shaft without destroying anything?

Edit: While your there, ask about small acrylic samples, they come in all colors and would work to replace the dummy light colors.

 

Great info. Been working around the needle. Did not remove. Didn't want to break it.

Blasted and sprayed bezels and housing last night. Rattle chrome is now interior. High temp engine black is the rest. So far I've been using Blue magic on the clock face. It's bringing some life to it. I like the vintage looking cracks in the paint it has now.

Going to look at the 3/4 PVC idea. Got a stack in the yard.

Painted needle orange. Not happy with results. Scratching head.

Picts to come

 

So I went to shoot another coat of rattle black on the bezels for good measure. It effin cracked and orange peeled. Same can of rattle. Says within an hour, or after 24... I was at 20... Tossed it in the blaster again. Got irritated some more, left it for the night. Grumble. Will hit it tomorrow and leave it alone, a smudge or not.

found some paper tubing darn near like original... Rattled it silver, mostly in inside to reflect more light from the bulbs and then gorilla glued in place. Tested the gauges. Temp works good. Gas works good. Used a 9v battery and alligator clips on wire leads... Just enough to make the needles move then pulled the juice. Continued up then slow descent... They work...

Pictures on phone. Will pull tomorrow and post.

 

How I remove speedo needle and YMMV. I hold my thumb over the speed cup gently (speed cup moves with needle) while twisting the needle and pulling away at the same time.

For the Orange needles I use "SPECIAL PURPOSE" KRYLON Flourescent yellow orange from Home Depot.

 

excellent. Will have to try this. I tried last night holding the cup, then working gently with a screw driver at the post, but that scared me a bit.

 

Pictures so far:

 

Just an FYI - a speedo repair shop here in Denver. http://deluxespeedometer.com/

 

Where did you find that paper tube? Looking great so far.

 

OK,

finished this as far as I'm going to go right now. Would like more shine on the outer bezel but that's all it's getting right now. Some little orange peel is visible on the edges.

Just know that the shake and shoot from the rusty folks just sucks for second or third coats.

tested lights with a 9v battery.

Next is to get some ba9s LED lights in red, orange and blue for the oil, amps and high-beams. I think may be in green for the backlight too (or plain white). I'm looking at the super bright, etc. versions. Will get a few and see how it looks - I know, incandescent lights are original, but I'm thinking better reliability... may be.

 

Looks great. Did you use the orange that Walt suggested, for the needles?

 

for the needle I used testor's blaze orange model paint. I've been using a toothpick dab of that over white on my front sights for throwing lead from my vintage iron...had it handy.

so I thinned it down the second time and applied with a different brush and it looks ok. I couldn't get the needle off without really feeling like I was gonna wreck it, so that was my path.

 

That looks really good. I look forward to hearing about led experience.