gauges

[DollyDodge]

I got my gauges back from the instrument restorer (after he had them for a year) and they are not at all what I asked for. He replaced the original speedo faceplate with a flat plate. I am sick about the look, otherwise they look nicely done. He also misplaced some of the instruments in the cluster. He is having family illness and I can't get in touch with him. He sent me the gauges and said he would be unavailable for about 10 days. This is a real mess. My first bad thing to happen since starting on the old truck. Atttached are the photos of the tach he built, the speedo, and the cluster. I am really disapointed in the project. He and I discussed how he would reletter the curved surfaces on the speedo, but he must have decided to do the flat plate instead. He also couldn't get the original pointer to work for the tach and made a pointer. This will be one very expensive learning experience. I have asked that he redo the faces on the original face plates, but as I said he can't be reached. What a mess

[ggdad1951]

that sucks...they look good tho, maybe someone doing a more modern rod would be interested in trading you or buying yours so you can get stock.

[HanksB3B]

They look darn good!

Much better than some stuff I've seen.

Don't Sweat it!

Hank

[JBNeal]

well C-R-A-P ya got yerself one of them canuck RMP gauges [/FACEPALM]

when I sent my '48 gauges off back in '99, I held my breath for 4 months, and got back ok work, the color was wrong and some of the numbers were a li'l sloppy, but they operate...the speedo gauge didn't get re-worked because the guy said he couldn't do the curved face, so I was glad about his honesty there. Maybe a fifth of Dr. JD can help ya deal with this episode, cuz I know I'm kinda grittin' my teeth for ya...the "P" on the AMP gauge sticks out to me for some reason...anyhow, if the gauges operate accurately, ya can tell folks that yer gonna fix the faces some day

[B1B Keven]

Well, they look good. He probably went with the flat face on the speedo to match the flat faced tach.

Is it supposed to say "RMPS"?

I wonder if a speedo face could be modified to fit the tach?

[wallytoo]

well C-R-A-P ya got yerself one of them canuck RMP gauges [/FACEPALM]

indeed, that's the first thing i noticed. i couldn't put that in my truck with RMPS instead of RPMs. w-t-h is RMPs?

otherwise, i think the gauges look decent. clearly, though, he didn't deliver the speedo gauge as instructed. bummer. hope you can get some resolution.

[ggdad1951]

rotation minutes per?

Yoda am I!

[DollyDodge]

Ain't it wonderful.... I hope he will fix his mistakes. RMP stands for really mad person....me!!!

[Desotodav]

I reckon they look pretty good too DD. Though it would be good to have the fella fix 'em. I like your rev counter (tacho) idea. I suppose that would fill the hole for a fella without a radio in his truck as the speaker cover would not be needed - or you could put a big clock face in there?

Desotodav

[Scruffy49]

Well that stinks. They look good other than the rmps oops though. Yet another example to help me decide whether or not to have mine restored or just leave them alone... inclined to leave them alone or just swap in modern gauges. Can't be that hard to degunk the stockers at home and the faces aren't that bad off...

[pflaming]

Dolly Dodge and others. Every one who sits in my cab comments on the gauges. I figured I would look at those gauges a lot and I wanted them to be NICE. I am very pleased, so are others. He does the gauges in black and in the gray, both VERY nice. Since I had distroyed my needle, with my ok, he used the clock needle on the speedo.

He also repaired my speedometer, amp, fuel and heat gauges. That heat gauge is not an easy task, one I did not want to tackle. My amp and fuel gauges were barely readable, wish I could find the before pictures.

Edited April 5, 2018 by pflaming

[Jeff Balazs]

Amen on what Paul said. He did an awesome job on the mess I sent him and I couldn't be happier.

Jeff

[48Dodger]

And he's working on an Oakland A's version for future use by me..lol.

48D

[B1B Keven]

Thanks guys!

DollyDodge do you want me to talk to my supplier about re-printing the tach face? I bet I could re-drill the mounting holes in a speedo face and put it on the tach.

[DollyDodge]

I got several emails from the restorer today, he said he and I discussed the flat faces; I don't remember that we did. He said the flat face was needed for the tach because of its design and he did both faces flat so they match, as one of you suggested might have been the reason. He said he can redo the faces using the old faces, but he has to cut a large hole in the old speedo face to use it on the tach. He also said he has to use a different lettering process on curved surfaces and they will be a bit shinnier than the cluster gauges. In any event he will fix the rpm gauge so it says rpm, and if I decide to use the original speedo and tach faces with new lettering it will cost $300 more. Oh well, more decisions to make. He did do an amazing amount of work to get the 6 volt tach to fit in the old speedo case, it came in a plastic case and he made a Custom brass case for it that fits in the old speedo case, it was quite a project. He is dealing with a family illness and said he won't be available to talk until next week. I think we will get something worked out. He said it is upsetting to him that I am not happy with his work. I think he is genuine, I just had a different vision of what they would look like.

[HanksB3B]

Other than the Dyslexic part of the project, I think he did a beautiful job. That's all I'd care about gnixif er...I mean fixing.

Hank

[pflaming]

I would consider leaving the mistake. (1) the ferd and chavy guys would never notice and (2) it makes for good conversation: just play dumb whenever someone notices and say "dang, I never noticed that!"

p.s. I'm not an advocate of doing sloppy work, but sometimes if something is a little wrong and it works, I keep going on the project and return to the little things later. Little things can kill a project's time. Example: my ignition switch is loose and works 85% of the time, so I just put in a toggle switch for now. Same way with the new oil guage, I want to run nice new steel lines to the new gauge, that takes time, so I just mounted an after market gauge under the hood, and I may put a "T" in the line. It's nice to see what that pressure is when working on the engine. Just a personal MOA.

Edited July 18, 2012 by pflaming

[HanksB3B]

Paul,

That's a good way to look at things..now if I could only learn to do that with my stuff, I'd be allright.

Hank

[DollyDodge]

I think it will bother me to leave it, Mark said he would fix it so I will probably send it back. I wish little things didn't bother me, but they do. I too wish I had an attitude to let things go.

[Young Ed]

That would bother me too 100% and I would also be sending it back. DD don't feel even the tinyest bit bad about getting what you paid for.

[ggdad1951]

at least it seems like the eyelets he used are more correct than the ones I could find for the mounting screws

[DollyDodge]

I sent my guages back to the guy and he is about done with them again. He has had some trouble with the tach face and is still working on it, the clear coat bubbles after application (he is on his fourth try). Attached are pictures of the cluster faces and speedo face as they now look. I am much happier with this look. I also attached a picture he sent me of two other PH gauges systems he is working on.

[B1B Keven]

Wow, he does nice work.

[DollyDodge]

I agree, his work is good, but danged it has taken a long route to get what I wanted

[Jim Shepard]

The guy does do good work. I haven't seen in your post anywhere the contact info for this guy. Can you suply it? I've often thought about converting an old speedo into a battery-operated clock and mounting it in the speaker hole. I think I might have this guy do it...