[Judge273]

I used a gauges restorated, and got my clock quartz working. Took them a long time...

[TA455HO]

Originally Posted by Judge273

I used a gauges restorated, and got my clock quartz working. Took them a long time...

The originals did not have a quartz movement but instead used a long but very fine spring and a set of contact points. As the spring it set it then starts ticking down - letting the spring contract until the contact points touch once again, forcing them open as far as possible and stretching the spring back out as far as possible. Then lather, rinse, repeat. If the car voltage runs down toward a dead battery it can get to where it doesn't have enough energy to force the points back open again and the points can burn some or fuse together. Clock won't work again until some corrective action is taken.

Here's a video I made with the clock hooked up and running outside of the car. You can see and hear the tic-toc sounds it makes. Quartz movements are essentially silent and the clock second hand will sweep smoothly around instead of the tic-toc movement of the second hand in an original. You can probably see the second hand stops for a split-second every second, unlike quartz clocks.

Also, when the contact points touch it makes a very distinct sound. You can hear it reset and see the contact points on top move back fully open again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZQg3hc0nr0

Chad

[TA455HO]

One of the clocks I've taken apart had a bad spring in it. The loop on one end had broken letting it free. The clock, of course, won't rewind correctly if the spring is broken. Once the contact points touch and are then forced apart there is no spring to begin contracting so all movement stops.



Even though there are roughly 100 winds to the spring it is VERY small. Compare to a dime, 1/16" thick drill bit and a toothpick.



I like to wind springs. Usually a little bigger than this one. The 1/16" mandrel is slightly too big so I'll have to find something slightly smaller in diameter to wrap the spring, but not terrible for a first attempt. Springs can take a few tries to get right and a lot of patience. The wire is .006" or just about the size of thicker human hair. I have about 2 miles of the wire so plenty to practice with.



Chad

[HWYSTR455]

Originally Posted by TA455HO

Here's a video I made with the clock hooked up and running outside of the car. You can see and hear the tic-toc sounds it makes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZQg3hc0nr0

Chad

VERY cool!!!

.

[Judge273]

That's great stuff Chad!

Do like a working clock...

[TA455HO]

Converting to quartz will give a much more reliable clock but if you are going for 100% originality it can be a cool feature. Keeping a battery tender on a car will usually keep it running and the points won't burn. Either that or disconnect the battery when not being used. I like a tender so I don't lose a battery as often from sitting discharged. No surprises there.

The spring is so small I couldn't count the number of winds even with my glasses on and a magnifying lens so I took that close up of it and then zoomed in on it and made little yellow marks at every ten. Slightly less than 100, I get about 98, but count the end loops and it's back to 100. I'm sure I could take the spring and simply bend out the last coil to make the loop and hook it back up again, but I wanted to try making my own.



Chad

[TA455HO]

Incidentally, and not to waste all of your time, the owners manual describes this procedure for the clock.

ELECTRIC CLOCK - Automatic regulation is built into the setting device of the electric clock and operates only when the clock is manually adjusted to reset the time. If the clock gains time, pull the stem out and turn the hands counterclockwise to correct the time. If the clock loses time, turn the hands clockwise to the correct time.

Chad