[79 Phoenix]

Are your bulbs LEDs?

[Scarebird]

yes.

[79 Phoenix]

Still thinking about incandescent VS LED.

But this afternoon was able to get the pad cluster and bezel out. I am hoping to get by with all the bare black plastic on the original bezel and vents. Chrome accents are pretty good. I want to repaint the silver along the bottom of the bezel. I do plan on using the fake woodgrain around the gauges that I got from AMES.

I would like to get the lens off the cluster. It looks like it is held in by metal tabs that are bent over the lens... I'm nervous about bending them for fear of breaking the 54 year old lens... Any suggestions?

[Scarebird]

I have had good luck with a narrow knife blade and a good pair of needlenose pliers. If this is the first ime they have been bent back you shoud have no issues. It is not an age thing, only repeated bending will make it an

[79 Phoenix]

Okay, thanks!

[79 Phoenix]

More progress today. Finished cleaning up bezel, masked and painted silver part. Then with my wife's help, put on the fake woodgrain (not easy). Polished gauge tunnels with Plastx.

Removed cluster lens (thanks Scarebird!), cleaned and polished with Plastx.

Cleaned, masked and painted steering wheel pad with SEM Color Coat satin black.

Also I decided to stick with the incandescent bulbs and replaced all of them.

Tomorrow I will mask off and paint dashboard flat black. It has some slight surface rust in spots and stains...probably from condensation. Overall, it just looks old. So, it would be silly not to take the time to repaint it now while everything is apart. Also, will paint steering column tomorrow. I will use Rustoleum satin black.

[79 Phoenix]

The work continues... Mounted cluster on bezel, installed wiper switch and cigarette lighter. Also primed and painted steering column... Column is now satin black...looks good!

Next to repair crack in dash pad and paint pad with SEM. After drying, the re-assembly begins.

Looks like I'm on track for the 15th to bring the car to the body man to have the LH quarter panel and outer wheelhouse replaced.

[79 Phoenix]

Well, dash is in--mostly. But, none of the lights in the cluster work except high beam indicator , Acts like a ground issue but not sure how. Hopefully I will have time to investigate sometime tomorrow. We'll see.

I'm pleased with the appearance--not perfect but a huge improvement. Certainly acceptable.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Some 000 or 0000 steel wool should clean up your turn signal stalk.

Good luck on the dash lights problem.

[79 Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Baron Von Zeppelin

Some 000 or 0000 steel wool should clean up your turn signal stalk.

Good luck on the dash lights problem.

Thanks Baron--I'll try that.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Those fine grade steel wools can work miracles on most old chrome pieces.

It will also clean glass like nothing else will.
You can feel it go slick after it removes years of build up that water soluble products can't touch.

[79 Phoenix]

Good to know! My windshield may be original but it's at least as old as 1974 because it has an Ohio state inspection sticker from 74--the last year Ohio had state inspection.

(I lived in OH from 2001-2004 and saw a car go by so rusted out that you could see the window regulator through the hole in the driver's door! )

Anyway, my windshield has upwards of 190,000 miles on it and the fine steel wool should be a big help for my windshield.

[79 Phoenix]

Good News! cluster lights work.. Another answer to prayer.

Turns out the INST 3 A fuse was blown. I'm pretty sure that happened when I first turned on the lights for a test. I didn't realize the headlight high beams were on. When I hooked up the battery cable there was a spark. I think there was a power surge that blew that fuse.

For some reason, the heater control light doesn't work. Still need to figure that out. Then finish re-assembling. (hopefully the radio light will also work also

CORRECTION: The heater control light DOES work--Just harder to see by design. Lighter receptacle light also works.

[79 Phoenix]

Radio is in. It works and light works. Lower dash trim piece and ash tray are drying. Once dry, I will re-install trim and tach and gauges. Then clean and re-paint glove box door and re-assemble.

On Monday I need to remove rear valence and most of the rear bumper bolts. This is so I can quickly remove rear bumper when I drop off the car with the guy who will replace RH partial quarter, outer wheelhouse and repair rusted rocker panel. I will also ask him to give me a price on re-doing the body filler on LH quarter. We'll see.

[79 Phoenix]

Dropped the car off today along with new partial quarter and outer wheelhouse. Should be finished in a couple weeks. I didn't realize when I bought the car that not only is this quarter rusted out, but is also rippled pretty bad from some poor bondo repair toward the back of the panel.

After this is fixed, there will be just a little more rust repair I will do on the driver's door. Then body will be solid. Still much to do after that but coming along well.

[Hunter98TA]

Boy do those pics of the dash restoration bring back memories. LOLOLOL

I'm hoping it doesn't rattle like a can of Rustoleum. I'll be finding out in the next few weeks....

[79 Phoenix]

Yeah, I've driven it several miles since putting back together and so far so good with the rattles! Certainly, hope I never have to take it apart again but wish you all the best if you're doing the same thing! It was pretty hard but not as bad as it looks.

[Hunter98TA]

I redid mine about 15 years ago but have messed with since over the years. Added an aftermarket Tach in the right pod, fished the wire harness for the Sniper screen etc......

[79 Phoenix]

Yes, in re-assembling, I did add the fake woodgrain on the bezel. But otherwise, mine is a bare bones stock GT-37 without AC or rally gauges, etc. This made it about as simple as possible.

[79 Phoenix]

Work has begun on quarter panel, outer wheelhouse and rocker panel repair!