HilltopClassicCars

So I've done a bunch of work to the 1960 that became a new family member earlier this year (my wife's baby that I do all the work on) which has turned into a nice cruiser and we've both been enjoying it. I'll also add it has had modifications made to it to previous owner(s) such as power steering and a NOM so it will never be an NCRS judged C1. When we took ownership of it, I was surprised and impressed that the clock still worked. A toggle switch had been added so when the car was not being used, the clock could also remain at rest. Sadly a few weeks ago, the clock stopped working.

I made sure it was getting power and had a good ground and then decided to order a new replacement with a quartz movement so there wouldn't be a hole in the dash when I removed the old clock to investigate and possibly repair it. I found a vendor online that had new quartz replacements on sale for $124.95 which seemed like a good deal and placed an order (not sure if rules allow me to post the vendor but if anyone is interested just PM me and I'll let you know who it is). The new replacement quartz clock showed up today and I removed the old one and installed the new one. I also added an inline 2 amp fast blow fuse as I couldn't find an existing one in the power lead already.

The new clock works great, but I'm wondering if the old one I removed which appears to be an original is worth trying to repair?

I know from reading that working originals are becoming more and more rare. Should I just box the old one up and save it to pass onto a future owner or is it worth repairing it?

Thanks in advance for any input.

Geralds57

Since you've already replaced it and the car won't be judged, I would box it up like you said and pass it on with the car. My .02 anyway.

Nowhere Man

If you have a battery cut off switch and "turn your car off" every time your done driving it will you be re-setting the clock every time?

tuxnharley

I rebuilt the original clock in my '67 some 20 years ago, putting in a quartz movement. It still works perfectly. The only difference is that the second hand is now a constant sweep rather than ticking incrementally.

A quartz movement draws very little current, so it is not necessary to switch it off when not in use.

fyreline

That's what I did with my '62. The original clock is date-coded correct for the car, and it did "sort of" work when it felt like it . . . but the new quartz one I installed looks identical, keeps great time, and has a negligible amp draw. So the old one is in my "box of stuff" that will go with the car some day . . . but not soon!

GUSTO14

Inside of your clock should be a set of points. If you open your clock, you can get to the points. As the points close, an electro-magnet is energized and the points will spring open, which winds the clock. As the clock runs, the points will finally close completing the circuit and the cycle repeats itself.

Typically the points will get burned over time causing the clock to stop working. You can try using a point file to file the points. Many times that will put the clock back into action. If it does work for you, I would then spend a bit of time "polishing" the point tips to extend the life of this fix.

Here's a pretty useful video on how to do some basic maintenance on your clock to include filing the points.

Good luck... GUSTO

59BlueSilver

64luke

you shut off the clock when you're planning on driving the car the next time

Frankie the Fink

When I received my '63 clock back from Clock Works with the new mechanical movement for judging it came with a note that said cutting power to the clock when the car is stored will extend its life. So, yes, my battery cutoff (negative terminal BTW) cuts it off at least once a week. I only set it when I'm going to a show/cruise where somebody will be eyeballing the interior closely....no problem.

HilltopClassicCars

The way I'm leaning at this point, thanks.


Yes, many with original clocks kill the power to the clock when they aren't driving the car and then just reset the time and put power back to the clock the next time the car is driven. A previous owner took that route with this car.


Well a C1 clock has no second hand so that's not an issue. I figured the quartz movement would draw much less current and was also wondering if I should keep using the switch or just let it run. You've answered that question for me as well. The battery is plugged into a battery maintainer when it sits so no risk of the battery running down.


You've got me leaning even further in this direction, thanks.


I did this with my original clock in my 69 Camaro a few years ago and it's still going strong, perhaps I'll do the same to this C1 clock before I box it up and store it.


Any reason you cutoff the negative rather than the positive connection to the clock?

Frankie the Fink

[QUOTE=HilltopClassicCars;1592680669]No - it just so happens that my cutoff switch is on the negative battery terminal so it cuts off EVERYthing in the '61.

On my '63 I put a remote control relay I had laying around on the clock power lead. The mechanical movement never runs unless I'm parked at a show and activate it. It'll outlast me this way... Not a necessary mod - just something I did out of boredom one day...

wmf62

Frank's wireless remote breaker is neat, but there is even a simpler way; just put a fuse holder with a 5 amp fuse around the disconnect.
Bill

HilltopClassicCars

[QUOTE=Frankie the Fink;1592680738]Got it, thanks Frankie.




But that would keep the clock mechanism ticking. At this point I'm going to leave the new quartz movement clock in place (it looks just like the original but without fifty five plus years of patina), and I'll keep the power to it during the cruising season and throw the switch when she goes into winter hibernation. My battery maintainer keeps me from needing a battery disconnect switch so I'm all set there.


Again, thanks everyone for the input.

Randy G.

I had heard the reason for a lot of garage fires back in the day was because the points in the clock would weld themselves together, frying the wiring which resulted in a car on fire.

HilltopClassicCars

Sounds very plausible but I've no direct knowledge of that myself. The arcing of the points would increase as battery voltage dropped, so a car sitting in a garage for an extended period of time with a battery that was slowly losing it's full charge would cause the clock to ruin itself and if what you heard was true eventually start an electrical fire in a worse case scenario.

Just why the clock power wasn't fused I'll always wonder, did skipping that safety feature really save that much money for the manufacturers?

Frankie the Fink

That comes up every so often but I've never seen or heard of a single occurrence.

65GGvert

Worst thing I've personally seen is clock hangs up and runs battery dead

GTOguy

Not Corvette, but GTO, same design: I had my '67 clock rebuilt to original and was told it would last 3 years or so...the builder recommended a quartz conversion for the same price and said it would last for years and years and keep better time. I wanted original, and went with it. It still works somewhat 6 years later, but next time, it'll be quartz and I'll be done with it. I drive my car and the clock just needs to work. In a GTO, it's a PITA to access, so I wish I had gone quartz in the first place. My .02.

Frankie the Fink

Clock Works restored my '63 clock with an OEM Borg mechanical movement (no, not the Star Trek Borg). It came with a tag on it that recommended removing power from it when not in use to prolong the life...

Hence my remote, key fob activated power relay to turn it on/off from the driver's seat. I'll never have to worry about it anymore... Although, I do turn it on once in a while just to hear it whir and click every 2-3 minutes...

Randy G.

A long time ago I had our '57 at a concourse car show. When the judges were snooping around it I old them they should deduct points if the clocks were wrong in the cars, and not keeping correct time. One of the judges looked up and me and said "That's a good idea."