[goatwgn]

Hello to all. I am considering replacing my instrument cluster housing in my '66 Tempest Custom with a reproduction unit next winter, when I tackle installing the new dash harness. Mine has the chrome faded on it, and needs restoring, and I figured installing a new one would reduce the down time, and shipping the cluster housing back and forth. What are your experiences with these, and do they fit well? trying to weight the pros and cons of doing this vs having mine restored. Also, have any of you replaced the dash harness?? When you do, do you attach everything to the instrument panel, install it, and then hook everything up, or do you install it in the car itself, then hook everything to the dash???

[Peter Serio]

In regards to your question about how to re-assemble the bezel. I've done it both ways and for a 66 or 67 GTO to me it's easier to lay the bezel face down on a carpet covered work surface and attach all of the wires to the back first. Then (you will need a helper) feed that whole bundle into the opening and attach the fuse block underneath the dash. Also to mention you need to remove the steering wheel and lower the steering column down at least 2". Really it's easier just to take that whole thing out, it gives you a lot more room to work. (And prevents scratches to the column bowl's paint.)

Buying a brand new chrome bezel, to me is the best way to go. Saves time plus the chrome on those is excellent. Trying to strip and re-chrome a sun-bleached 54 year old piece of plastic, that is so large. You never know how the new chrome is going to "take." Plus the shipping to and from, that's at least $40 to $50 each way at a minimum. Plus there's paint time. All the new bezels come pre-painted as if your car had an all black interior or a car with white seats and black dash, black carpet. If your car has another color interior then you need to scuff the black paint and then paint to match.

[goatwgn]

Originally Posted by Peter Serio

In regards to your question about how to re-assemble the bezel. I've done it both ways and for a 66 or 67 GTO to me it's easier to lay the bezel face down on a carpet covered work surface and attach all of the wires to the back first. Then (you will need a helper) feed that whole bundle into the opening and attach the fuse block underneath the dash. Also to mention you need to remove the steering wheel and lower the steering column down at least 2". Really it's easier just to take that whole thing out, it gives you a lot more room to work. (And prevents scratches to the column bowl's paint.)

Buying a brand new chrome bezel, to me is the best way to go. Saves time plus the chrome on those is excellent. Trying to strip and re-chrome a sun-bleached 54 year old piece of plastic, that is so large. You never know how the new chrome is going to "take." Plus the shipping to and from, that's at least $40 to $50 each way at a minimum. Plus there's paint time. All the new bezels come pre-painted as if your car had an all black interior or a car with white seats and black dash, black carpet. If your car has another color interior then you need to scuff the black paint and then paint to match.

Thanks for the information. In doing a search, I found where you have helped a lot of others on their gauge restorations. I had the dash out about 20 years ago, when I polished the lenses, and rebuilt the rally clock with a quartz movement. I saw your post about repainting the inside of the housings. I did that on the clusters on my '74 Cutlass, and it really made a difference in the brightness of the gauges at night. That car has white inside of the housing. I remember this one having light blue inside. What color do you recommend to paint the inside of the housing?

[goatwgn]

This is how it looks now. Not bad, but If I have to take it out to install my new wiring harness, then I want the chrome to shine. I just have the old chrome painted right now.

[Peter Serio]

Originally Posted by goatwgn

Thanks for the information. In doing a search, I found where you have helped a lot of others on their gauge restorations. I had the dash out about 20 years ago, when I polished the lenses, and rebuilt the rally clock with a quartz movement. I saw your post about repainting the inside of the housings. I did that on the clusters on my '74 Cutlass, and it really made a difference in the brightness of the gauges at night. That car has white inside of the housing. I remember this one having light blue inside. What color do you recommend to paint the inside of the housing?

On all of the gauges from Pontiacs I have seen the factory used a very light blue paint that is not glossy. To me eye it looks like a Robins egg blue. (Other GM cars used different colors.) I know that all 1960s Chevrolets used a very light teal green and as you mentioned Oldsmobile; in the 1970s used flat white.

[lust4speed]

One of the coolest things about our gauges at night is the blue glow. Painting it white would destroy that look.

[Peter Serio]

In reference to post #4, I don't have a jpeg of a new 1966 GTO bezel but here is one of a new '67. This is taken with gauges installed but prior to the wood insert.

[GoGoat]

I bought a new repop housing from Ames. Looks and fit great. Unhooked wiring after pulling out and laid on steering column. Had difficulty putting back new one this way. Ended up installing without wiring, then finished from underneath, its doable just take you time. Really helped to have all seats out.Also always remember to take lots of pictures and keep notes. Even keep checklist on removal so don't forget something. I almost forgot to transfer high beam lens. Also the spacers on lens. Good luck and listen to these guys, they are great and eager to help.

[Peter Serio]

Here is a photo of the telltale light filters. Both of these go in before you put the gauge housing on the back of your bezel. There are two of these one of which is dark red (almost brick-red) and the other one is lime green. They are basically round semi-see thru pieces of tinted plastic. They are held in place by the light tubes. The topmost tube is molded out of light blue plastic and the lower tube is cardboard. (The outer wrapping on the cardboard tube is also light blue.) They let you know when your high-beam headlamps are on and the green one blinks on and off to let you know your turn signal lights are flashing.

[ron cozzo]

Here's the new dash I installed in my 66 LeMans. Everything fit well. I did have to repaint the blue face black and the black outer red. Installed with the dash harness attached. Much easier that way.

[goatwgn]

Originally Posted by lust4speed

One of the coolest things about our gauges at night is the blue glow. Painting it white would destroy that look.

I agree. I was just curious what color blue he recommended for a match. My other car had white on the inside.

[goatwgn]

Originally Posted by ron cozzo

Here's the new dash I installed in my 66 LeMans. Everything fit well. I did have to repaint the blue face black and the black outer red. Installed with the dash harness attached. Much easier that way.

That is beautiful! The whole job.

[goatwgn]

Originally Posted by Peter Serio

Here is a photo of the telltale light filters. Both of these go in before you put the gauge housing on the back of your bezel. There are two of these one of which is dark red (almost brick-red) and the other one is lime green. They are basically round semi-see thru pieces of tinted plastic. They are held in place by the light tubes. The topmost tube is molded out of light blue plastic and the lower tube is cardboard. (The outer wrapping on the cardboard tube is also light blue.) They let you know when your high-beam headlamps are on and the green one blinks on and off to let you know your turn signal lights are flashing.

Does the reproduction woodgrain fit well on the new bezel as well? I was going to transfer mine to it. Also, I have heard the reproduction lenses aren't that great, so I plan on reusing mine after I polish them.

[Peter Serio]

Installing the walnut dash insert is not something that I normally do but from what I have heard.

Wood grain fit has been problematic on any of the dash bezels. Best to order the walnut veneer insert at the same as time as you order the new chrome bezel. The insert that fits the new bezel may not fit a GM bezel and vice-versa.

A company called The Parts Place imported the new chrome dash bezels and they do sell a walnut veneer insert to go with it so you think that those 2 parts would fit together.

If you have an original GM bezel let the order person know that. Ames sells the walnut inserts that fits GM bezels. In either case MAKE SURE you order the walnut that comes pre-glued to the aluminum backer. (They sell the wood veneer insert both ways.) As just the thin wood and wood with the backer. YOU MUST have a backer in-between, behind your walnut and the dash bezel!!!

It is usually impossible to remove the original aluminum piece and re-use it as that was glued on the dash bezel (50+ years ago) using industrial grade contact cement. Pulling it apart, the aluminum always bends and stretches; out of shape.

[goatwgn]

What color were the needles originally?? I have some flouresent orange paint, but after all these years, I am not sure if they were originally red or orange. They look orange now.

[Peter Serio]

The original color of all of the pointers in 65-67 GTO rally gauges was fluorescent red. It can be viewed as a red/orange color by some people. When the paint was brand new it was sprayed over top of flat white primer. The white underneath the color is part of what gives the color that distinctive "glow." All with the exception of the RPM tachometer pointer which was painted lemon yellow. Over the years & from sunlight these 2 colors will fade significantly. Use extreme caution brush painting over top of old dried out cracked paint. The weight of the paint layer is part of the balance equation of both the speedometer and RPM tachometer pointer(s). Adding any extra weight (in the form of liquid paint) applied using a brush to either of these 2 moving pointers will affect the calibration of both the speedometer &/or tachometer.

[ron cozzo]

This fluorescent red paint from hobby lobby matched nicely.

[goatwgn]

Originally Posted by Peter Serio

The original color of all of the pointers in 65-67 GTO rally gauges was fluorescent red. It can be viewed as a red/orange color by some people. When the paint was brand new it was sprayed over top of flat white primer. The white underneath the color is part of what gives the color that distinctive "glow." All with the exception of the RPM tachometer pointer which was painted lemon yellow. Over the years & from sunlight these 2 colors will fade significantly. Use extreme caution brush painting over top of old dried out cracked paint. The weight of the paint layer is part of the balance equation of both the speedometer and RPM tachometer pointer(s). Adding any extra weight (in the form of liquid paint) applied using a brush to either of these 2 moving pointers will affect the calibration of both the speedometer &/or tachometer.

Good advice.

[goatwgn]

Originally Posted by ron cozzo

This fluorescent red paint from hobby lobby matched nicely.

Thanks. That is what I will use.