We have the technology, we can rebuild it. Gauge update Pt.1

[Hammered]

Clock arrived today. Its a little smaller than expected (damn the metric system and all its confusion ) But it may still be just the thing. Ill try doing some cutting and such this weekend since it is supposed to rain and see what can be done with this mess of parts.

[Hammered]

I know it been a few, but I have not abandoned this project. Doctors, arguing with insurance companies and a new Kitten, well you get the picture. I broke out (no pun intended) all the pieces parts left of the speedometer and center cluster, along with the "repair kit".

I have to play outside cause the girlfriend just knows Im gonna make a mess, whatever. There was good bit of roadrash on the plastic of the center cluster for the idiot lights, so I figured Id fix that before starting on fitting all the new digital goodies inside.


And that nasty crack had to be fixed as well. A little plastic specific epoxy should do the trick. First the crack then a little build up of the roadrash grinding damage.

[Hammered]

The Speedo was a different matter.
Many pieces missing and the bezel was torn up a bit as well.

Thats my glue clamp while the 5 min. epoxy dries.
I have some polystyrene I can cut and shape to fill the missing plastic so Ill let this dry atleast 24 hours before moving on.

[pete]

Good to see you're getting somewhere, repairing that plastic's gonna be PITA but should be worth it when done.

I like the new kitten idea too

[Hammered]

Yeah, hes pretty fierce.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1769091401754&set=a.1125151063648.16671.1673284381&type=1&theater

[pete]

Haha cool, they tend to have needle sharp claws early on too... but no facebook here so couldn't see the pic

[Hammered]

Ill take the Speedo to work in the morning so I can do a little wet sand and priming. I think Ill do a nice gloss finish on the bezels to set it off the satin finishes Ill be doing.

[pete]

Cool, should look good!

[Jason the terminator]

I think most people would have just found a new bezel but you took the time to fix it. That is awesome. Keep up the good work.

[Hammered]

I think most people would have just found a new bezel but you took the time to fix it. That is awesome. Keep up the good work.

Im too damn broke (thanks Hope and Change) and Im still a little jacked from the crash, so I gots the time.

DAMN DAMN DAMN. I forgot to order a new speedo cable when I made my order. Elderly moments suck.

[Hammered]

Well with my extra day off, I spent some time sanding and painting and getting a haircut.

The sanding and painting was on some gauge parts.
The dirty old tach ring

And what a little cleaning, light sanding (1000 grit) and cleaning will do. Oh yeah, theres was some painting as well. I picked up a can of Bumper and trim paint from Duplicolor. Made just for this kinda thing.

I also did a little to the bezel of the speedo. Now before I go too much farther, Id like to admit. I used spot puddy to fill the micro dings. I know Ive bad mouthed the stuff and its cousins in the past, but I was in something of a rush and pinhead sized dings were not going to cause me to be farther behind. Ok, with that outta the way,

I sanded the old paint to bare metal, primed with an etching primer (Duplicolor) light dusting for the first coat, let it tack and 3 heavy coats with sanding in between (2000 grit) Once everything was as level and even as I could spend time on, a 400 grit sanding and the last coat. I got one tiny ass spot of orange peel but its only about 1/4" long and on the underside. Im also having to use the old tach ring and drill it for the Odom knob since the only ones Ive found so far are $40+ for a used one. I also discovered that the new to me tach with fuel gauge in it is a wee bit larger that the stock gauges. Im kinda digging that part. But Ill have to modify the bracket to work.

[pete]

Lookin' good!

[Jason the terminator]

Can I send you mine to see what you can do with a pair that aren't all busted to sh!t?

[Hammered]

Can I send you mine to see what you can do with a pair that aren't all busted to sh!t?

hah not sure mine look that good. $30 or so in paint and sandpaper and some time, and yours will look the same.

[mac1170]

gday mate, where did you buy the clock from, been looking for something like that for a while, regards