Car clocks

[MarcDeSoto]

I have a 48 DeSoto that I'm restoring and was wondering if anyone knows how to service the car clock.  The owner's manual to my Borg car clock says to clean and oil it once a year .  does anyone know how to access the areas that need to be cleaned and oiled?  

[bobus8]

I would suggest you take it to a good clock shop.  You can also purchase a small bottle of clock oil from a clock shop. (very expensive).  You can apply it with the pointed end of a toothpick to the bearings at each end of the moving parts.  I have a grandfather clock that I only oil once every year with the clock oil and it has run find for 35 years.  I wipe the bearing areas with a lint free cloth using lighter fluid.  As far a cleaning it goes, that would be up to you what to use.  The following cleaners are some of the cleaners I use for cleaning various things.  Non chlorinated brake clean is supposed to leave no residue and it sprays. If it is really gummed up, berkebile gum cutter should work. It's a much more aggressive cleaner.   Ronsonol Lighter fluid (from local drug stores) is a less aggressive cleaner but does not spray.  You might want to do some research to see what types of cleaners may be on the market for this.  Hope this helps. 

Edited November 5, 2019 by bobus8

[MarcDeSoto]

Thanks bobus8.  I did take it to my clock guy, but he seemed to have little or no experience with car clocks.  Didn't even know how to open it.  well, I think he knew because there are some metal tabs that have to be bent and the back taken off.  I just think he didn't want to get too deep into something  he wasn't experienced with.  I found there is a lot of car clock info on the Imperial website.  Does anyone know if there are some good car clock specialists that I can send a clock to?  I have an NOS DeSoto 1948 clock, but I figure that after sitting in a box for 71 years, it would at least need to be opened up and oiled first before I test it with DC from my  6 volt battery charger.  I wonder if sewing machine oil would work, or should I buy some clock oil?

 

 

Edited November 6, 2019 by MarcDeSoto

[bobus8]

This is a direct quote from the internet.

   "The difference between sewing machine oil and clock oil is that sewing machine oil is designed to spread, while clock oil is supposed to stay where you put it."

I was just looking for a place to purchase the clock oil and came across Ronell Clock Company located in Oregon.  Not only do they sell the clock oil, but they have a clock cleaning spray that they say leaves no residue.

[bobus8]

BTW the Clock oil  I use is made by Nye Lubricants.  140B

[casper50]

I sent mine to a guy named Smith in Denver.  Had to go back one more time.  Then it would work for days on the bench hooked to a battery but when put into the car it would stop after 20 min.  I ended up having to bypass the stock wiring and running a wire all the way to the battery.

[JohnS48plm]

Years ago I sprayed my 48 Plymouth clock with electronic contact cleaner then oiled it with clock oil. I also soldered a diode across the points to keep them from arcing. 

[chrysler1941]

Also did took mine out to change cracked glass and running intermittent . De-grease and re-oiled it, cleaned contact points.

Had it running on my work bench for a week for minor time adjustment.

Ticking sound is soothing ?

[MarcDeSoto]

Good work guys.  I like the idea of soldering a diode or condenser onto the points to stop the arcing.  I ordered a clock servicing kit from Ebay, because it doesn't sound that hard to do.  But my Geo. F. Borg clock clearly states on the back that only Authorized Personnel are allowed to open up the clock!  It also says to ask my DeSoto/Plymouth dealer for the location of the nearest Borg clock service center.  Sounds easy.  I wonder where my nearest Desoto/Plymouth dealer is?  

[MarcDeSoto]

1 hour ago, chrysler1941 said:

Had it running on my work bench for a week for minor time adjustment

Do you power it with a 6 volt battery charger?  

[chrysler1941]

8 hours ago, MarcDeSoto said:

Do you power it with a 6 volt battery charger?  

No a 6v battery. Most chargers are are not pure DC. 

[Sam Buchanan]

Ok...I have to ask.....has any one considered converting a clock to a AA-powered quartz movement? 

[Plymouthy Adams]

many have done this to host of styles and designs..somewhere in my searches I have seen these offered online in kit form....nothing hard about the conversion whatsoever...buy you donor movement with hand that are already as close to the size clock you converting.....this will make all look normal...

[Sam Buchanan]

33 minutes ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

many have done this to host of styles and designs..somewhere in my searches I have seen these offered online in kit form....nothing hard about the conversion whatsoever...buy you donor movement with hand that are already as close to the size clock you converting.....this will make all look normal...

 

I was pretty sure this was fairly common.....now to find a P15 clock with a dead movement (or no movement).....at a reasonable price.   

[Plymouthy Adams]

these are pretty rare......I gave a friend one of these clocks years ago...but it was very much serviceable and running....not sure if he ever installed it...no never mind to me either way....to my surprise he sent me some trim that I was in no manner expecting ...a little quid pro quo if  you will....to be hones with you...a little bit of proactive craftsmanship and your clock delete will be an excellent clock mount...show us what you can do....!!

Edited November 6, 2019 by Plymouthy Adams

[Sam Buchanan]

Hmmmm....the clock opening minus the delete plate has pretty nice borders...gonna have to give this some thought. Already snagged a good photo of a P15 clock.  ?

[1950 Special Deluxe]

Here is mine.

i went from this

 

 

To this

 

I got the clock from a member on here from the Truck side, someone had cut it into a glovebox door.

It didn’t work, so I put the guts from a Quartz 9 volt clock into it.

No one has caught me yet, the second hand might give it way if you looked close.

[Sam Buchanan]

That's what I'm talking about!   

 

Of course your cover is blown now. 

[hi_volt]

A lot of the old car clocks have springs that are wound up automatically by a small solenoid that kicks in 6V momentarily when the spring has run down and rewinds the spring.  There is sometimes a fusible link that goes open circuit and causes the clock to stop running, and sometimes the solenoid contact just gets oxidized with age.  I'd look at those things before considering a replacement movement.

[Andydodge]

After seeing that 1941 Plymouth clocks went for home mortgage figures I found a nice one on ebay, took a copy of it and resized it to the correct size......glued it to a piece of clear perspex and installed it into the dash......kept perfect time twice daily, didn't need to be wound nor adjusted and was a good deal price wise................I'll go back in my corner now............andyd.

[NickPickToo]

On 11/6/2019 at 12:43 PM, Sam Buchanan said:

Ok...I have to ask.....has any one considered converting a clock to a AA-powered quartz movement? 

Oh yes, I've got the inner parts already.  And once I get the 47 driving and shining I plan to park out in front of the Shinola hotel and see if I can get them to make me a custom clock

[MarcDeSoto]

3 hours ago, Andydodge said:

After seeing that 1941 Plymouth clocks went for home mortgage figures I found a nice one on ebay, took a copy of it and resized it to the correct size......glued it to a piece of clear perspex and installed it into the dash......kept perfect time twice daily, didn't need to be wound nor adjusted and was a good deal price wise................I'll go back in my corner now............andyd.

Now that's what I call great ingenuity, or being a super cheapskate, one or the other.  I'd like to see a picture of that.  Tell the correct time twice a day!  Well that's a start!

 

[Andydodge]

Marc, unfortunately the only dash pics I have of the Plymouth were taken prior to installing the dash clock........and yeh, I was a super cheapskate........the only 1941 Plymouth clock I'd seen on ebay was this NOS one that nearly 10 yrs ago had a price of $700 US which made it nearly $1000 Aus.....lol.....so the paper one was quite a deal...........lol..........sold the car in 2013............andyd

[NickPickToo]

3 hours ago, MarcDeSoto said:

Now that's what I call great ingenuity, or being a super cheapskate, one or the other.  I'd like to see a picture of that.  Tell the correct time twice a day!  Well that's a start!

 

One of those usually leads to the other.

[MarcDeSoto]

At that price I would get the paper clock too!  To me no clock is worth more than $150.