ren

I am getting my odometer and trip meter repaired. After removing the cluster I placed the cluster on the work bench and removed the speedometer. I then began to wipe down the backside of the cluster. Much to my surprise, a piece of the cluster housing broke off. The piece is at the bottom near the headlight switch. Can it be repaired? I really don't want to replace the cluster.

5thvet

If the piece came off intact, I would just JB weld it back on.

Don

Frankie the Fink

This is a weak spot on these clusters. JB-Weld alone will not hold.

Is it broken in this fashion ? If so, I can share what I did on my '63. However I didn't have the missing piece...so you have a leg up on me...

ren

Frankie,
That looks almost exactly like mine. I have the piece and it appears to be a clean break

Frankie the Fink

Hmmm..... That will certainly just bust off again if you try to use JB-Weld alone. I backed the area up with a piece of steel stock carefully held in place with screws in the standoffs behind the windshield wiper switch. I then covered that with JB-Weld (the ORIGINAL JB-Weld not the JB-Weld QIK stuff). Then, since I didn't have the missing piece I fabricated a fix using some grained vinyl from a C2 dash pad which I embedded in the JB-Weld.

In your case you would do the same thing but with the broken off piece that you so fortunately have. This fix is rock solid and won't break again.

Frankie the Fink

The finished product.

Your fix will look better than what I have done with the vinyl.

I could have spent more time to smooth out the underside but in a '63 (as shown) the left hand vent cable bracket gets bolted up to where my repair is and the dash steering column escutcheon is also there so that part of the repaired area can't be seen anyway.......

Instead of the vinyl shown in the last pic in my previous post you would insert the broken off piece.

The paint shown in this picture matches the C2 cluster black quite closely. You can dab it on the joint where the missing piece will be attached and just tap it lightly with a fingertip to dull it just a tad and the fix will be undetectable.

ren

That looks like a very solid repair. It also looks beyond my ability. My neighbor is in the sheet metal business. I will show him your pics and see what he can do. Thank you for your quick reply. looks like another frustrating winter project

Frankie the Fink

If I can do it then your neighbor with sheet metal expertise will make quick work of it I'm sure.

Good luck with it

ren

you do nice work. I can't believe how easy the piece broke off. I barely touched it.

Frankie the Fink

It was already 99% broken; you just finished it off.

Sometimes a knee banging in to it is all it takes or, in the case of a '63, somebody man-handling the left hand vent cable can break this piece off

rich5962

Frank you did a spectacular job with a very clever method to fix that cluster.

Well Done!

Frankie the Fink

It is the unrestored, original, one-year-only cluster out of my split window - the break was already there when I got the car. The chrome on the gauge face rings and silver on the sides is perfect with no pitting. I just couldn't let this cluster get tossed so I tried fixing it.

I sent pics before the repair to several Corvette instrument cluster restorer types and they said its unrepairable. Now it'll have another 50 years of life. A few hours with some metal, a hammer, and, bloody fingers (I hate sheet metal work)

Before anyone asks the cluster is already sold to a forum member (with gauges included)

jim lockwood

Damn clever, Frankie!

65silververt

Frankie did a great job, but let me recommend using 3M panel bond instead. It is by far the strongest two part epoxy/bonding adhesive I have every used. The only downside is that you will need their specific dispenser gun to use it. Panel bond 8115
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/trm-8115/overview/

Tampa Jerry

If you are not happy with the repairs, you can usually buy a housing at some of the larger Corvette shows. I have seen housings in bins at the NCRS show in Kissimmee FL. Coming to Florida in January to buy a housing sounds like a great excuse to get out of the cold and drink beer with some friends. Jerry

Frankie the Fink

Maybe. These are one-year-only clusters and there were three types of these in '63. Ones with cutouts for A/C, without cutouts for A/C, and, '64 clusters with a special escutcheon trim piece. Might be harder to find than you think. '63 gauges are unique too...

I still like drinking beer with friends though

Anyway - the whole point being -- if the OP wants to attempt to repair his original cluster (or have somebody do it) its entirely feasible...

Tampa Jerry

Frankie: I get it with the one year only. I have a 68 and like the 63, many parts are unique to the year and sometimes to a run batch of cars. We really should drink beer and talk about it. Jerry

wonderful

Nice work Frank. But I would look for a good welder who specializes in pot metal and aluminum welding. I think a weld is better than glue.

Frankie the Fink

Yeah -- that's what I thought when I talked to the cluster/instrument restorer types...they would just tack it back together. They wouldn't touch it. JB-Weld is hardly glue. The side I fixed is as strong as it was from the factory.

I wasn't actually asking for my repair to be critiqued...I just offered it up as an example of one way to fix the OP's problem. He's free to turn over rocks for another solution; I'd love to hear what that is when it happens.

ren

Frank,
Can't believe that you are taking abuse for offering some good advise. Didn't talk to my neighbor yet. I will definitely use your approach for the repair. Hope I can find the right sheet metal. Might try the 3m adhesive.