The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 1954 dash clock

Has anyone out there put a electric clock in the 54 dash clock instead of the wind up clock ? I want to put the electric clock on my truck but it would a big hole i would have to cut out .
http://s257.photobucket.com/albums/...=SU1HMDAwOTctMjAxMDExMDQtMTgxMC5qcGc.jpg

Just my opinion but the clock is one of those projects that you commit to anyway, Once you cut that hole in the dash, it is hard to go back. So as long as you are covering it up with the clock housing, what is the difference between the smaller hole and the bigger hole as long as the end results look good to you.

I've often thought that someone could use a clock housing
out of a 51/52 ? chevrolet car for this purpose. or maybe
it is the 53/54 ? model. anyway it is a torpedo shaped
metal housing that sits up on top of the dash, in the center.
When you rob a parts car of the housing, one could easily
make a pattern of the hole in the top of dash that was necessary.

Are you referring to a 1954/55 Chevrolet truck dash or a 1954/55 GMC truck dash?

The car and truck clock housings are both completely different from eachother.
On the truck clock housing,if you dont want to have the light in it,you only need to drill 3 small holes, or run a small LED into the back of the clock and drill an extra hole for the wires.
The car clock housings are shallower and different contour,it would take some reshaping and a big hole whacked into your dash.

im talking about the 54 chevy truck dash clock

I should have looked at your picture closer.
I guess theres no way getting around taking a big chunk out of your dash for that electric clock. Ive always seen the wind up clocks in them.

yea i always see the wind up clock to , i wanted the electric clock because i want all the cool accessories on my truck

As you most likely know, the wind-up clock was the only one listed by GM for Chevrolet trucks.

However, isn't the car electric clock the same size as the car wind-up clock (that windup clock fits the trucks' housing). Of course, the 1954/55 Chevrolet truck clock housing is a hard-to-find item (a member makes reproduction housings for the Chevrolet truck).

Back in the day it seams like the clock was the first thing to go bad. I don't think I ever rode in a car as a kid with a clock that worked.

who makes 54 clock housings
i would like to get one for my truck

Keith,

Welcome to Stovebolt.com

A member does (delux54panel, I think). Place a Part Wanted Ad in the Swap Meet or send him a Private Message. Most likely he will quickly contact you.

For what it's worth I've read of some folks who've removed the guts of a non working clock and replaced them (keeping the stock clock face) with a battery powered clock like you can buy at any hobby shop. I know nothing of the details, just know that some have done it.

Haa! I was just thinking the same thing. They never worked for long I guess. None of our cars had a working clock when I was a kid either.

Marty, aka delux54panel, clean up your PM's, your over the limit buddy.

Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Thanx Denny, Its sorted and cleaned!!
!

I have two wind-up clocks that I had cleaned and oiled. The one I use works fine and keeps good time (for about 24 hours, then it needs to be rewound).

tim who is the member that makes the clock housing for the 54 chevy truck. raymond

I think it is Marty, delux54panel (two posts up).

mflores52@sbcglobal.net

I have a clock in my truck and it will stay running for about two hours :-( I think the electric one would be the way to go but you would have to drive your truck regularly or the battery would drain down.

Joe

Electric clocks of the '50s did not run on electricity. They had a solenoid operated winder.

My 1954 accessory wind-up truck clock used in 1954/55 GM trucks and at least 53-54 Chevrolet cars runs accurately for about 24 hours.

The Chevrolet automobiles around 1954 also had an electric clock option/accessory.

Like Cletis said, they were a mechanical clock that had a solenoid that would "pop" it wound when a set of points contacted as it was starting to wind down.

The big failure was when the points would stick together and run down the battery.