++ 53John3100 -
I am using your post and pics to guide me. Thanks.
++ Tim -
Here are pictures of my '54 gauge project so far, plus a question at the bottom of the post. I haven't completed the gauges yet. Pics include two sets of gauge clusters and speedos.
Click for slideshow of my gauge resto pics.
Click for album of the same pics.
> GREEN STRIPES
The speedo and the gauge cluter had green stripes on the inside of the housings. Possibly to provide a green glow to the gauge faces. I have a stencil of green stripes inside speedo housing. Let me know if you want it. Forgot to cut a stencil for gauge cluster housing. Eyeballed the outline with tape. You can use the notch in the gauge housing to position the stripe. Painted with Rustoleum Satin Hunter Green, because that's what I had. Pretty good match.
> HOUSING AND INNER BEZEL GREEN PAINT
Painted the lighter green inside the housings and the backs of the inner bezels with Model Master "Fifties Again" '55 Chevy car turquois rattle can paint from a hobby store. The original housings had a slightly darker shade of the turquois green inside the housings than on the backs of the inner bezels. This was a good compromise for both. Center of the gauge cluster housing is bare. After blasting the gauge housing, I sprayed the center with varnish (I was out of rattle can laquer) then painted the rest of the housing. Sanded the varnish off to the bare metal under the gas gauge. No pics of the newly painted gauge housings yet.
> INNER BEZEL BLACK PAINT
I will paint the fronts of the inner bezels with Rustoleum Flat Black or with Dupont A-5099S Satin Black Bumper and Trim rattle can paint. Depends on which matches the sheen of the gauge decals. The original gauge faces and bezels were about the same sheen as the Dupont trim paint. I may use an air brush on the black parts of the back of the inner bezels.
Note black ring around bottom of the center bullet in gauge inner bezel and center bullet of speedo. The black accents make the bullets visually stand out. I will spray the gauge inner bezel black, then cover the bezel with a stencil that exposes the bullet before spraying it with Rustoleum Aluminum paint. I'll try to paint the ring on the speedo bullet by hand.
> CARDBOARD TUBES AND LENSES
The original cardboard tubes are attached to the speedo housing with the green interior. This is the original paint. A broken tube lies in the speedo housing with the incorrect silver interior. A pic of the red and green lenses is also in the album/slideshow.
>>> QUESTION ABOUT THE BACK OF THE SPEEDO BULLET:
I blasted the speedo bullet without photographing or recording the color(s) of the back of it. What color is the inside/back of your speedo bullet? Does it have the black outline on the inside similar to the gauge cluster bezel?
