jackfrazee

Hi all-

I'm in the process of removing my instrument cluster on a '63 convertible. The car is a fun driver and not show car nor is it numbers matching. I'm looking for some advise or suggestions regarding repairing my instrument cluster. Since it's not a show car do I need to restore the instrument cluster? I love the original look and want to keep it the same. Currently only the speedo and oil pressure gauges appear to work. If I do gown the path of restoration who would you recommend? Any other ideas.

Thanks
Jack

Nowhere Man

Send yours out and have it restored. There are many who do it well. Do a search and find one close and get it done

JackTripper

Here is where I am sending mine.

http://corvettespecialtiesofmdwest.c...ricing_c2.html

Kuhn

Does anyone know a man in the Dallas area who could take my dash cluster out? After it is restored put the cluster back in my dash.I am not sure I would know where all the wires go back in place !!
Thanks

67's

Harrison Spedometer, great price quick turn around, he has done a couple for me.

leif.anderson93

Carr's Corvettes and Customs in Plano. Tell him I referred you

Boyan

I use Mike Porier in San Diego , CA. Valley vettes. Excellent work, fair price. Quick turnaround.
Boyan

GUSTO14

They're located in Palm Desert, California now, previously from Maryland. They've been doing this for almost 40 years. Great work and good turnaround time.

Good luck... GUSTO

raypilot65

Bill Harrison in Jupiter Fl. Great guy and he does a top notch job. Hurry though he's approaching retirement age like many of us.

jackfrazee

Thanks for all the suggestions. Yesterday I shipped of the dash cluster and clock to Mike Poirier of Valley Vettes.

When I get it back I'll provide an update.

GTOguy

I'm in the same boat. My '61 has original gauges, but the speedo needs repair. The whole car is mostly original finish and interior, so I was thinking on having the speedo mechanically rebuilt, but the original face left on it. Only original once. But still, conflicted. With the amount of labor to pull the cluster, renewing it means it's done for the next 50 years.

Kuhn

I am getting ready to take my dash cluster out of my 67. When I disconnect (pull out) each wire is it best to use masking tape and mark them? Or is there a better tagging system?
Thanks

leif.anderson93

Did you get my post #6 in response to your post #4??

Major Kong

I spoke with Corvette Specialties Midwest Maryland in Palm Desert yesterday & they said that their turnaround time is 10 weeks. Has anyone out there dealt with Corvette Clocks by Roger in Jackson TN. I know that they do work for Eckler's.
Thanks

Bluestripe67

Maybe Roger can do instrument clusters very well. My orig clock has been to him two times and still does nothing but start stop and more of the same. No more! I'll take time too convert later this year. Dennis

Frankie the Fink

Bill Harrison out of Florida is good as is Corvette Specialties.

You absolutely, positively want to restore what you have. The '63 cars have one year only instruments and instrument clusters. Anything else in these cars looks really bad...

dkleather

Harrison Speedometer. Bill is great to work with, reasonably priced and stands behind his work.

MOXIE62

I would go with new gauges. These people that restore gauges make them look pretty but they are still 50 year old gauges. If I needed one rebuilt I would go with Bill Harrison. When I talked to him about repairing my 63 oil gauge, he told me what to look for once gauge was removed and if that part was damaged, it would be best to purchase a new one. It was damage and I purchased a new one. You put the old gauge by the new one and it's very hard to tell any difference. And replacing gauges is one job you only want to do once.

SW Vette

Don't most of the well known Vette parts houses sell repro '63 gauges? If the car isn't going to be judged, then why not replace with new - is it cheaper to restore?

Frankie the Fink

I don't know if anybody repros the big gauges (speedo/tach). The originals can be restored to perfection by a competent pro and they will prob outlast the owner...they are simple but elegant devices.

I would do that (oh yeah, I did!) on a '63 before I bought some Chinesium repros...

I did fabricate a bracket to hold the trip odometer reset button in the disengaged position after the gauges were restored to cut the load on the regular odometer train and keep it running smoothly.....a known weak spot on these instruments...