gauge needle styles

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Jul 8, 2013 | 11:05 AM

ready961

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Racer

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From: Massachusetts

gauge needle styles

I have seen 2 different gauge style gauges for 59-62 vettes. One has a tapered pointy needle and the other is straight and rounded on the end. Which is correct for which years?

Jul 8, 2013 | 01:32 PM

jim lockwood

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My bride's '59 has gauges with the rounded tip needles. My '60 has gauges with the pointed tip needles.

Jul 8, 2013 | 02:00 PM

1snake

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From: Puget Sound

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim lockwood

My bride's '59 has gauges with the rounded tip needles. My '60 has gauges with the pointed tip needles.

There's your answer. That was only one of the "countless" changes (sarcasm) GM made between the 59's & the 60's.

Jim

Jul 8, 2013 | 02:50 PM

ready961

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Racer

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From: Massachusetts

So 59 gauges are a one year only? Anyone know if they were used on early 60's as well?

Jul 8, 2013 | 03:05 PM

1snake

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Quote:

Originally Posted by ready961

So 59 gauges are a one year only? Anyone know if they were used on early 60's as well?

That is correct. I've never seen/heard of 59 gauges used in early 60 cars.

Jim

Jul 8, 2013 | 03:55 PM

jim lockwood

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Quote:

Originally Posted by ready961

So 59 gauges are a one year only? Anyone know if they were used on early 60's as well?

It would be better to say that '59 and older used needles with the rounded tips.

Jul 8, 2013 | 10:12 PM

rich5962

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From: East Central Florida

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim lockwood

It would be better to say that '59 and older used needles with the rounded tips.

Right....I just went through a menagerie mix of gauges on a 1960 restoration I'm on, and got a lesson on gauges recently. Here's what I learned.

The 53-59 needles were rounded. 53-58 had a half-moon on the chrome cover at the center of the gauge. 53-58 lenses are convex(bubbled). 53-58 had dots as markers.

59 did away with the half-moon. 59-62 lenses are concave(dished). 59-62 had dashes as markers.

1960 went to pointed needles, up to 1962. However, the gauges had different color letters/numbers between 60-62.

1960 had white letters/numbers. 1961 & 1962 had green letters/numbers. 1961 temp gauge was 220* then sometime later went to 240*IIRC. Maybe all 62.

Pics below of 57's, 59's and 60's.

edit added 4th pic of 61/62 gauge w/green letters

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