Why clocks don't work...
Pro
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 624
Likes: 24
From: Shoreline WA
Unimaginable
I don't know anybody who would consider this reasonable maintenance. Electric quartz movement for years and years of carefree accuracy and precision. But I kept the original face and hands 
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,338
Likes: 786
From: Redondo Beach, California
I think if you want your Corvette clock to perform accurately, you need one of those crystal converstions. I don't think the original mechanical clock would ever be accurate. Just my observation.
Question: Has anyone had any success with the original mechanical clocks keeping time? This would be interesting to know. It's interesting to note that apparently GM, Ford, Chrysler, etc made cars for many decades with mechanical clocks that would not work very accurately. (Or wouldn't work at all.)
I suppose that if there were enough multi-millionaires that owned C3's, someone would commission Rolex to make a mechanical clock for C3's. Rolex: Yesterday's technology at tomorrow's prices.
..apologies to Rolex. I think they really are great watches. It's amazing they can get a small mechanical device to be so time accuate.
Question: Has anyone had any success with the original mechanical clocks keeping time? This would be interesting to know. It's interesting to note that apparently GM, Ford, Chrysler, etc made cars for many decades with mechanical clocks that would not work very accurately. (Or wouldn't work at all.)
I suppose that if there were enough multi-millionaires that owned C3's, someone would commission Rolex to make a mechanical clock for C3's. Rolex: Yesterday's technology at tomorrow's prices.
..apologies to Rolex. I think they really are great watches. It's amazing they can get a small mechanical device to be so time accuate.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 2,010
Likes: 3
From: Moon Twp. PA USA
Originally Posted by 68/70Vette
I think if you want your Corvette clock to perform accurately, you need one of those crystal converstions. I don't think the original mechanical clock would ever be accurate. Just my observation.
Question: Has anyone had any success with the original mechanical clocks keeping time? This would be interesting to know. It's interesting to note that apparently GM, Ford, Chrysler, etc made cars for many decades with mechanical clocks that would not work very accurately. (Or wouldn't work at all.)
I suppose that if there were enough multi-millionaires that owned C3's, someone would commission Rolex to make a mechanical clock for C3's. Rolex: Yesterday's technology at tomorrow's prices.
..apologies to Rolex. I think they really are great watches. It's amazing they can get a small mechanical device to be so time accuate.
Question: Has anyone had any success with the original mechanical clocks keeping time? This would be interesting to know. It's interesting to note that apparently GM, Ford, Chrysler, etc made cars for many decades with mechanical clocks that would not work very accurately. (Or wouldn't work at all.)
I suppose that if there were enough multi-millionaires that owned C3's, someone would commission Rolex to make a mechanical clock for C3's. Rolex: Yesterday's technology at tomorrow's prices.
..apologies to Rolex. I think they really are great watches. It's amazing they can get a small mechanical device to be so time accuate.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
Racer
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 399
Likes: 0
From: Chambersburg PA
Originally Posted by 68/70Vette
..apologies to Rolex. I think they really are great watches. It's amazing they can get a small mechanical device to be so time accuate.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 11,520
Likes: 13
From: CORVETTE 77 385 C.I. TEXAS
Oiling every 10 yrs. might do it. Simply oiling it can fix.
Yes, they keep time fine. Adjusted 2 x year because of daylight saving time.
Replaced w/ an oil temp. gauge awhile back & sold working clock years later.
Originally Posted by 68/70Vette
Question: Has anyone had any success with the original mechanical clocks keeping time?
Replaced w/ an oil temp. gauge awhile back & sold working clock years later.
Last edited by Ganey; Aug 16, 2005 at 06:29 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 10,861
Likes: 713
From: Beverly Hills/Pine Ridge Florida
The Corvette clocks are "electro-mechanical". They're really manual clocks with an electric rewind mechanism.
Most quit working because at some time, the battery gets low, the clock winds down, the little points that rewind the clock touch and fuse, and the clock won't rewind, thus it won't work.
The mechanical movements are pretty accurate....it's the electrical rewind that usually fails.
You can take them apart and clean the points with crocus cloth, lube them up, and they'll keep ticking. The clock in my 63 and 69 both have the original movements. They work just fine.
Rolex watch movements are mechanical too, but they work off the movement of your wrist. If you don't wear them for 24-36 hours they wind down and stop too.
If Rolex made a Corvette movement, it would have to work off the shaking of the car.
Chuck
Most quit working because at some time, the battery gets low, the clock winds down, the little points that rewind the clock touch and fuse, and the clock won't rewind, thus it won't work.
The mechanical movements are pretty accurate....it's the electrical rewind that usually fails.
You can take them apart and clean the points with crocus cloth, lube them up, and they'll keep ticking. The clock in my 63 and 69 both have the original movements. They work just fine.
Rolex watch movements are mechanical too, but they work off the movement of your wrist. If you don't wear them for 24-36 hours they wind down and stop too.
If Rolex made a Corvette movement, it would have to work off the shaking of the car.
Chuck
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 914
Likes: 0
From: Longview Texas
Originally Posted by Ganey
Oiling every 10 yrs. might do it. Simply oiling it can fix.
Yes, they keep time fine. Adjusted 2 x year because of daylight saving time.
Replaced w/ an oil temp. gauge awhile back & sold working clock years later.
Yes, they keep time fine. Adjusted 2 x year because of daylight saving time.
Replaced w/ an oil temp. gauge awhile back & sold working clock years later.
hey, I bought that clock ..... and funny of funnies is that I installed that thing TODAY
( the coolant temp gauge is not working correctly, so pulled the panel to check it out, while there I replaced the original that I rebuilt, but stripped the adjusting gear, with yours ... I'll tell you how accurate it is
)
Race Director
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 10,861
Likes: 713
From: Beverly Hills/Pine Ridge Florida
Here's a great pic that I "stole" from another forum member. It shows the unique, 1 year only 69 washer motor/pump assembly.
You can use another pump, and "Mickey Rig" the headlight squirters to work off of the windshield squirters.
Chuck
It shows the unique, 1 year only 69 washer motor/pump assembly. You can use another pump, and "Mickey Rig" the headlight squirters to work off of the windshield squirters.
Chuck
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,131
Likes: 4
From: May help you? You can sure as hell try!
Originally Posted by Chuck Gongloff
The Corvette clocks are "electro-mechanical". They're really manual clocks with an electric rewind mechanism.
Most quit working because at some time, the battery gets low, the clock winds down, the little points that rewind the clock touch and fuse, and the clock won't rewind, thus it won't work.
The mechanical movements are pretty accurate....it's the electrical rewind that usually fails.
You can take them apart and clean the points with crocus cloth, lube them up, and they'll keep ticking. The clock in my 63 and 69 both have the original movements. They work just fine.
Rolex watch movements are mechanical too, but they work off the movement of your wrist. If you don't wear them for 24-36 hours they wind down and stop too.
If Rolex made a Corvette movement, it would have to work off the shaking of the car. Chuck
Most quit working because at some time, the battery gets low, the clock winds down, the little points that rewind the clock touch and fuse, and the clock won't rewind, thus it won't work.
The mechanical movements are pretty accurate....it's the electrical rewind that usually fails.
You can take them apart and clean the points with crocus cloth, lube them up, and they'll keep ticking. The clock in my 63 and 69 both have the original movements. They work just fine.
Rolex watch movements are mechanical too, but they work off the movement of your wrist. If you don't wear them for 24-36 hours they wind down and stop too.
If Rolex made a Corvette movement, it would have to work off the shaking of the car.
Chuck
.
