Hitch

Well I had sent my gauge cluster out to be restored and I got it back a few weeks ago with some issues. The vendor took care of the problems after I sent it back for a second round of repairs. All of the items were taken care of for a price above and beyond the original cost of over $800 for a restoration that included a repair of the odometer and battery gauge. However when I got it back for the second time the insides of the lens needed to be cleaned so I pulled the gauges. I can accept this as in shipping things can find there way to the gauge face. During this offered me a clear view of what had been done to my cluster. I'm curious what the collective thinks of what I found when I opened my cluster..

When I pulled the gauges there appears there is a lot of black over spray on the green inside was quite noticeable along with just a lack of coverage. It was my understanding that this was quite critical so that you could have light transfer for illumination of the gauge faces. I guess I'm just confused.







The pod that holds the Speedo / Tach was not even painted or cleaned



The light tubes and grommets were not replaced?



The speedometer face was loose





My battery gauge was bad so it had to be replaced however the replacement appears to have a pitted face or fisheye, not sure which





All of the small gauges have orange peel texture to them? Is this normal?









Is it acceptable to have a lack of coverage fisheye on the lip of this gauge?



Do the backs of the gauges normally not get painted?




I'm just curious what you have experienced from other vendors.. Thanks for looking, not interesting in slamming the vendor just questioning what others have seen.. Just a reminder this was the second time that I got it back for it had more major problems with it...

Dave

itsonlyairandfuel

I wouln't be happy with that quality of work. Especially for $800 plus. JMHO. Ron B.

5thvet

I could possibly see a small amount of overspray here and there but to not replace those cheap little cardboard tubes and grommets......the speedo being loose, back of a pod not even painted... I think I would be looking for a discount not additional charges.
Don

Hitch

Yeah as I'm just curious if I've been over critical of the work performed as the vendor states...

"Your expectations of a restoration far exceeds the configuration of a cluster new from the factory"

So does anyone have some pics of factory clusters prior to restoration? I failed to take detailed pics of mine prior to sending it off. Yes I know.. However the vendor claims to have done hundreds of Top Flight restorations..

Dave

oldsarge

Poor quality for sure, I would, if it were me, would be on the phone, looking for some kind of satisfaction, good luck, hopefully you get some satisfaction, from the vendor.

1snake

The lack of quality should be very embarrassing to whoever did that work. I'd be very pizzed off if I were you.

Jim

54greg

Wow looks like mine for the 66 that I sent back 3 times to the same vendor-with gauges that functioned or not-finally gave up and finished it myself and sent the gauges to a local shop that corrected the mistakes If I remember I spent over $1500 for my rehab job and 6 months of sending back a having to install and remove the cluster 3 times..Really bad experience

Clusters really suck. Just like vendors that have no pride in the work.

MiguelsC2

I am in the middle of doing my first cluster restoration. I sent my gauges out and doing the rest myself. My gauges came out perfect. Your housing restoration is mediocre at best. His prep work is lacking. He figured you would not be opening it up.

fullcontrol

Yikes, glad I did mine myself! Your photos make it clear it was just a job to someone. I purchased all of the parts at licorvette (including the cardboard tubes). The hole job, with new odometer wheels was a little over $200 bucks. Spending $800 will get you all new gauges.

Jeff Garner

Not to mention all the inconvience you're going through sending it back, opening it up, cleaning. When you spend the money you did, you want a turn key quality job to be delivered, install in the car and be done. You're having to exhaust yourself dealing with the vendor when you could be doing something more productive. I feel your pain and anger. Hopefully the guy that did the work will step up and make it right. Hang in there, Man

Hitch

I normally do all my own work but I was concerned about the cluster. So my fear allowed me to make a poor decision. I should have done this myself and saved my frustration and anger.

BTW here is the list from the first time I received it back.. And the vendor took care of these but why should I ever have received this back in this condition?

Trip odometer lens has droplets/smudges on the inside of it

Trip odometer number dials are the originals (should these have been replaced? The odometer ones were)

Tach lens has droplet on the inside of the lens

All glass lens have dirt/grim on the outer edges on the inside

Oil gauge face silk screen is missing some of the green between 30-45 psi

Oil gauge face is silk screened on at an angle

All gauge faces have speckles on them but the Tach is the worst

Smudges on the small gauges near the needles where they were pressed on

Oil gauge needle is not pressed on all the way

Speedo has a scratch on the face between the 122 – 124 indications

Turn signal, High beam, Brake and Headlights indicators appear to be the originals or they at least have over spray on them

Battery gauge needle is bent up and the ss lower portion is bent

Battery gauge silk screen is off to the left and low

Temperature gauge appears to be silk screened to low

Small gauges the faces have a different sheen than the main gauges

In general all of the small gauges appear to be placed improperly on the faces in relation to where they were originally.


pics to follow..

KC John

I'd call out the vendor and make sure he doesn't get any more work if he can't make you whole and do things right. Shoddy workmanship for sure.

sbpogge

i'm getting ready to send mine out who is it so i don't get screwed if you dont mind saying.

MiguelsC2

I sent mine to John at redline.

http://www.redlineg.com/catalog/index.html#index

Don't let the website scare ya. He is an excellent guy to deal with. Mine were a one week turn around.

http://entertainment.webshots.com/ph...04680061EKicJY

MiguelsC2

Looks like he bent the needle to make it hit zero.

1-2-b-67L89

I was thinking of sending mine out as well which I still might do to save time but was wondering the same thing, who the heck charged $800 for that.
To be honest, it looks like a first timer or some just so so competent person trying to restore their own cluster. That battery gauge is just As others have suggested, I would be discussing in more detail with whoever provided the service.
Depending on how you make out with discussions with the provider it might warrant communication to the rest of us who it was,i.e. to help protect others from going down the wrong path.

Hitch

The vendor claims that this is typical of a restored cluster and that my expectations of a restored cluster is higher than it was originally produced. However I strongly disagree that these imperfections would be considered normal for a cluster after restoration. I wish it has only cost me $800, I currently have $924 paid to this vendor in an effort to complete the restoration.

As all of you have mentioned I am pissed about this and have refrained from naming the vendor but it is a supporter. I had hoped to be able to resolve this off line but the vendor has no interest in making this right. The vendor claims this has already cost him $300 more than I paid for the restoration as he farms the work out to another vendor.

I now am stuck with a cluster that is not acceptable and will have to pay even more to ship and repair this poor quality work. Does anyone have any pics of their restored or unrestored clusters for comparison? Thanks for the support.

Dave

Panhead

Don't settle for this kind of work, third graders could do better....

Black_Magic

Dave

That SUCKS big time

Don't know who you used but if your situation is not corrected you should call them out by posting name here, but be careful if a PAYING VENDOR.

I know this won't help but I put together a few pics Click Here from when I did my cluster earlier this year. Not NCRS but I think you will get the idea. I went with light blue to get a blueish cast. Takes lots of time but you can get it done to your satifaction.

If you don't get resolution you can get get new faces and some paint and DO-IT-YOURSELF.

BTW.....I sent Speedo & Tach out for calibration and that part was done OK.

George

sbpogge

I spoke with several people about sending gauges out to One was Corvette specalties of marland. They said a complete out the door new tack red line and speedo redo and clean up an use my small gauges fix if need be paint cluster housing and return it $800.00. That is the most it could cost i was told. Also i have a rough bid from harrison speedo about the same bid $800.00 being the most. Any info on either one of these companies.