I am slowly getting my 65 Convertible back together. Have recently reinstalled the dash with new pads and will be installing the digital instruments in the next week or so. While looking at the dash I figured that I might as well buy a new clock since the one in the dash has never worked since I bought the car back in 1973 and probably not for a few years before that as the car was wrecked and sitting in a body shop’s yard for a couple of years.

While look on the web for new clocks I ran across a video on how to fix the clock. Interesting, so I thought I would give it a try. Took the front and back off the clock and checked the points. They looked good but when I opened them up they did not come back together like they are suppose to. I could not change the time either so I figured that just sitting there for 45+ years not working the gears must be frozen and will not move. Sprayed with WD40 and let it sit for an hour. That loosened things up and I could turn the stem that changes the time on the clock. I kept turning and turning to loosen up all the gears. When I stopped the sweep hand was moving by itself and the points were closing. I hooked it up to a 12V battery and then the points opened up by themself like they are suppose to.

It has been running perfectly for 2 days now. My problem is that it is running fast. The clock has gained 10 minutes the first 24 hours, and 20 minutes over 48 hours. Is here any way to adjust the mechanism to slow it down? I have done searches on this but can’t find anything on adjusting a C2 clock.

Thank you for any info you can provide

Mark

 

The clock will gradually self adjust when you correct the time. Every time you dial it back, it will slow down a little bit. Eventually, it will be quite accurate.

 

The problem with the self-regulation is, every time you disconnect the battery and then reconnect and set the clock it changes the regulation. The same is true of daylight savings time twice a year. You have to just keep setting it until it's right each time

 

SW Vette & 65GGVert - Thank you for your quick responses. I did find the adjustment process you describe but they were related to C3 Corvettes. I did not know if it applied to a 65 clock. Anyway, I did try to adjust the time backward by tuning the tab at the bottom counter clockwise. It would not move and I did not want to force it and possibly break something. In reading your responses perhaps I was doing it wrong. Am I suppose to disconnect the battery so there is no power to the clock then turn the time adjusting tab counter clockwise thus moving the clock hands backward? Thinking about it, if I left the power on, then there would be constant force turning the gears which would prevent turning the clock hands back to correct the time. Please confirm if all I need to do is disconnect it from the battery in order to turn the hands backwards. Thank you very much for you help.Mark

 

Yes, I think you are misunderstanding. The adjustment is when you turn the stem to move the hands ahead, it slightly speeds the clock up (very small amount), and when you turn the clock back, it slightly slows it down. It takes multiple adjustments to make it correct. It doesn't matter if power is on, there is no constant power to the clock. The only power used is when the relay clicks to rewind the mechanical movement every couple of minutes The clock will continue to run for that period of time with no voltage applied, even battery disconnected. Each time power is removed for an extended period, such as battery cutoff switch, and you turn the hands ahead again, it changes the regulation slightly. That can be avoided by only applying power when the clock is already correct, but that can be an impossible task. How often are you in the car for enough hours to really worry about it? Just each time you get in, set the clock and you will be very close for hours at least. It will eventually be accurate as long as you don't disconnect power or change the time (daylight savings time), then you have a slight difference again. To turn the clock backwards to slow it down, you would pull out on the stem and turn the hands back, it shouldn't be any tighter than forward. If it is, perhaps you're still not as free as you should be. This only applies to a stock C2 clock, no aftermarket. Does your clock tick seconds or sweep? Do you hear the loud click every couple of minutes when the relay rewinds?

 

At some point the volatile components of the WD-40 will evaporate off leaving a sticky goo that will gum up your clock. The WD(Water Displacement)-40 is not a lubricant. It has dissolved the previous goo in the clock mechanism. Carefully use a solvent to clean out the WD-40 residue and lubricate the clock.with a clock oil or, now that you have determined is works, take it to a clock repair place and have it cleaned and lubed. With my dash apart, I had mine worked on by a clock shop here in town. My $.02.

 

65GGvert – thank you for the detailed explanation. The clock second hand clicks off the seconds, does not sweep around. When the points come into contact there is a click and they open. So this is an original clock. A few minutes ago at 10:45 the time on the clock was 11:13 so it is running too fast and needs to be turned back. I used pliers to get a good grab on the stem and was able to gently move the hands back so it read 10:45. From what I read, I need to keep doing that and eventually it will be corrected.Dave Tracy – I did not think of that regarding the WD-40. After I get it to run without too much gain in time I will use a solvent to clean out the WD-40 residue and get some clock lube and apply.This forum is great, a person not familiar with certain things and get all the information needed right here. Thank you so much for your help.Mark

 

 

Bumping this up. Excellent info. Thread was about to slip away.

I would like to learn more about the lever.

 

I just went through this last week so I'm very familiar with how to adjust the speed. I never had any luck with adjusting the speed of the clock forward or back using the **** on the front of the clock. If your clock is still apart (or you can actually do this with the clock assembled, you will have to use a screwdriver through the light hole that is behind the 8:00 position) find the lever that the arrow is pointing to in this pic. It slides to the left and right. Push it to the right to speed up the clock, push it to the left to slow it down. The clock in this pic is from a '71 buick (my clock is reinstalled in the car or else I would take the pic. The internals of the clock in this pic are very similar. The lever to adjust the time is definitely the same.)

 

Nalrops, thank you for this information. I will take pictures of the mechanism from different angles and post them later on today.Mark

 

See my post above. This is the lever Nalrops is referring to. I guess i was replying the same time you were.

 

1FLY65, Thank you for the info and picture. I will look for that lever and make sure it is in the pictures I post later today..if I can find it.

Thanks again, Mark

 

You'll find it, it's behind the 7-9:00 location on the clock.

 

1FLY65 - is the tab in the middle of the picture. If that is it, there isn't much room to push it to the left, lots of room pushing it to the right. There is a spring (main spring spiral?) that seems to be pushing on the side of it.

Mark

 

judging by that position, it looks like that's as fast as the clock can go. pushing it the other way will only slow it down. I'd try nudging it 1/8" to the right. Then check it against a stopwatch. If you think it's close, hook it up to a power source or back in the car and let it go for another day.

 

 

1FLY65 & Nalrops - if where the tab is located indicates that is running as fast as it can go, since I do need it to slow down I will move it a little to the right and see what happens.

Thanks, Mark

 

 

It would make sense to set the lever in the middle of it's adjustment range, maybe slightly on the fast side, and do the rest with the stem auto adjust feature.