Tcoupe
01-19-2004, 04:44 PM
I wanted some white face gauges to go in my 54 Chevy cause the dash is going to be blue...I thought it would make a nice contrast. Anyhow, looking through all the suppliers, the price of gauge sets was kinda out of my range, on a whim on day I went to Autozone and found a Sunpro white face 3 gauge set for 35 bucks...and a matching tach for $45 (got that for X-mas). Now I needed a speedo to match, after digging through some of my junk I came up with a early 70s speedo mechanism which is exactly the same as my 54 mechanism!!!
http://photo.starblvd.net/~Tcoupe/1-2-3.jpg
I figured the new part was better shape and the numbers on the odometer were too. the process of taking the gauges apart is pretty easy, just some small screws, you may have to bend some tabs up to get the bezels off and very carefully pull the pointer off...if it doesnt want to come off dont try to force it, the shaft is very fragile and will break, try some WD-40.
Now the face on the 54 speedo is made up of 3 pieces, one with the dots that correspond with each MPH number, one that goes behind the numbers and a chrome piece that goes under the pointer. I took the first two pieces and scuffed them with some fine sandpaper then sprayed them with Testors flat white model paint...it says flat, but is really a semigloss...this color matches the color of the Sunpro gauges best.
http://photo.starblvd.net/~Tcoupe/1-1-1.jpg
after the paint dried I the old dots where still barely visible...enough to have a guide for the new dots. I went to the craft store (Hobby Lobby) and bought a large sheet of 1/4" black rub on letters or "dry transfers". The sheet has numbers, letters, dots and dashes...the dots and dashes are very close to the ones on the Sunpros...if there are different though, you could modify an L or I into something by carefully cutting part of it off. The "!" would make a good dash with out the " . ".
http://photo.starblvd.net/~Tcoupe/1-1-2.jpg
The easiest way to transfer the character is to cut out a small piece of the sheet with a few characters on it, it is easier to handle that way...all you do is place one dash where you want it and rub it on with ?..I used the butt of an x-acto knife...you need something that is blunt and smooth, but not too soft...there are special pencils that are made for this purpose. Be careful to only press the one you are working on, if you your finger is on another dash, it might get pressed on accidentally.
http://photo.starblvd.net/~Tcoupe/1-1-3.jpg
Now just work your way around the face, I did all the dots first the added the dashes in between to ensure they lined up. After all of the transfers are on, its a good idea to clear the whole thing with a semigloss or flat clear, I used Testors semi-gloss in a rattle can. Testors model paint is thinner than say Krylon or Hardware store cans and serves its purpose well on the gauges.
http://photo.starblvd.net/~Tcoupe/1-1-4.jpg
After everything is dry, you can reassemble the speedo...I didnt get to do the numbers yet, they are sunk into the clear plastic face...I need to clean out the old white paint and add black paint to them so they will show better.
http://photo.starblvd.net/~Tcoupe/1-1-5.jpg
The last photo is just a mock up with cardboard...I will make a new aluminum piece for the gauges to fit in, as well as the turn signal indicators (Radio shack LEDs) and a gas gauge will go under the middle gauge (I have a gas gauge that sweeps left to right in a straight line, as opposed to the circular motion)
Well I hope this is informative for you guys...I am not the best in grammer so forgive any mistakes. Hope you like it http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif.
http://photo.starblvd.net/~Tcoupe/1-2-3.jpg
I figured the new part was better shape and the numbers on the odometer were too. the process of taking the gauges apart is pretty easy, just some small screws, you may have to bend some tabs up to get the bezels off and very carefully pull the pointer off...if it doesnt want to come off dont try to force it, the shaft is very fragile and will break, try some WD-40.
Now the face on the 54 speedo is made up of 3 pieces, one with the dots that correspond with each MPH number, one that goes behind the numbers and a chrome piece that goes under the pointer. I took the first two pieces and scuffed them with some fine sandpaper then sprayed them with Testors flat white model paint...it says flat, but is really a semigloss...this color matches the color of the Sunpro gauges best.
http://photo.starblvd.net/~Tcoupe/1-1-1.jpg
after the paint dried I the old dots where still barely visible...enough to have a guide for the new dots. I went to the craft store (Hobby Lobby) and bought a large sheet of 1/4" black rub on letters or "dry transfers". The sheet has numbers, letters, dots and dashes...the dots and dashes are very close to the ones on the Sunpros...if there are different though, you could modify an L or I into something by carefully cutting part of it off. The "!" would make a good dash with out the " . ".
http://photo.starblvd.net/~Tcoupe/1-1-2.jpg
The easiest way to transfer the character is to cut out a small piece of the sheet with a few characters on it, it is easier to handle that way...all you do is place one dash where you want it and rub it on with ?..I used the butt of an x-acto knife...you need something that is blunt and smooth, but not too soft...there are special pencils that are made for this purpose. Be careful to only press the one you are working on, if you your finger is on another dash, it might get pressed on accidentally.
http://photo.starblvd.net/~Tcoupe/1-1-3.jpg
Now just work your way around the face, I did all the dots first the added the dashes in between to ensure they lined up. After all of the transfers are on, its a good idea to clear the whole thing with a semigloss or flat clear, I used Testors semi-gloss in a rattle can. Testors model paint is thinner than say Krylon or Hardware store cans and serves its purpose well on the gauges.
http://photo.starblvd.net/~Tcoupe/1-1-4.jpg
After everything is dry, you can reassemble the speedo...I didnt get to do the numbers yet, they are sunk into the clear plastic face...I need to clean out the old white paint and add black paint to them so they will show better.
http://photo.starblvd.net/~Tcoupe/1-1-5.jpg
The last photo is just a mock up with cardboard...I will make a new aluminum piece for the gauges to fit in, as well as the turn signal indicators (Radio shack LEDs) and a gas gauge will go under the middle gauge (I have a gas gauge that sweeps left to right in a straight line, as opposed to the circular motion)
Well I hope this is informative for you guys...I am not the best in grammer so forgive any mistakes. Hope you like it http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif.