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69/70 dash clock rebuild or replace?

13K views 14 replies 12 participants last post by  rangerdoc 
#1 ·
Hey guys,

im going to be tackling fixing my gauges and speedo cable and while the dash is all apart im trying to figure out what to do with my dash clock on my 69 mach.

i see they have those quartz replacement units. should i go that route or send my unit out for repair (if anyone even handles those anymore) or try and find a working used one.

my car is a nice driver, so im leaning on either having mine fixed or putting in the quartz movement myself. because im sure finding a working original will be almost impossible and big money.
 
#2 ·
i did the quartz conversion a few months ago. the directions were a little weak, but with the pieces of info they provide and a little thought, it went back together with no issue. the hardest part was removing the seconds hands. i had to pull pretty hard to get it off.

i thought about having my original repaired, but it seemed like a temporay solution since they must not last long.
 
#4 ·
I fixed a few originals- not really rebuilt as I have no parts; but really a good cleaning was all that was required. The original grease hardens and thats it for the clock. To fix disassemble the housing, spray your choice of lube/penetrants on the little gears, repeat several times, find the little "points" in the clock (near the gears) use wifes fingernail file, sandpaper, or a point file if you have one- and clean up the points contact area. Reinstall- you'll be surprised at how easy and rewarding this repair is. Now this makes it work to 60's standards so it still will gain/lose time so periodically you reset the time (which is also supposed to help the clock run faster/slower) but it will never be accurate over months like digital. But it is a free fix, about 30 mins IF the clock is already out of the car. FWIW this works on the 69 square (standard) and round (deluxe) clocks. It should work on other yrs but I don't have other yr clocks so YMMV.
 
#8 ·
Now this makes it work to 60's standards so it still will gain/lose time so periodically you reset the time (which is also supposed to help the clock run faster/slower) but it will never be accurate over months like digital.
If you look closely at the regulator, you'll see it's connected to the setting mechanism. This is intended to accurize the movement over time, getting a little more accurate every time you reset.

Quartz, on the other hand, can be used to verify your watch.

-I did clean and gun-oil my Rally Pac clock regularly, and it ran just fine into the 1990's, and one day a little puff of white smoke appeared inside the clock. I figured it either burned out the self-wind coil, or elected a pope. It proved to be the former, so a quartz movement was installed.
 
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#5 ·
I forgot to add: Avoid the clock face at all costs:. Don't get any lube on the face or you'll get a "wet" spot that is very shiney. Don't try to clean the face other than a dry rag EVEN then be extremely careful. The numbers either are water based, or after 40 yrs become so easily damaged they wipe right off. This will cause a very bad day especially if the clock starts working, but the face is now screwed up. FWIW NPD has the guage paint (white, orange, green) to repaint the needles. It is noticeable, as these colors fade over the yrs. The paint is flourescent NOT model paint, and very cheap. If your in NC I can let you use mine as you only need a couple drops.
 
#6 · (Edited)
i just sent mine out to Omnicron last week. $119 for quartz conversion including return freight. havent gotten it back yet.

or he sells the kit for DIY for $79. imo why bother...... me and clocks dont get along lol

he also sells the original mech movements for arournd $159 installed
 
#10 ·
I tried installing a quartz movement in the clock out of my 69' Mach 1. I could not get the quartz movement pushed up against the back of the dial plate enough to get the idler pinion and motion wheel to stay where they belong when setting the time. I ended up pushing on the movement hard enough to break the pin that one of the movement wheel sits on.

Since I didn't want to repurchase, I figured I would try fixing the original movement. I applied some lubricant to the gears and then spun the movement. It would work for a few seconds and stop. I continued to spin it and each time it would work for a little bit longer until the lubricant got worked in and the clock would run continuously. I then "borrowed" an emry board from my wife and cleaned up the points and connected it to power. It has been running ever since.

The hardest part was taking everything apart. I thought I was going to break the second hand when pulling it off. I also had to use vice grips to hold the set stem while using another set of pliers to get the set knob off.

Here is the clock back running.

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#13 ·
I have recently repaired my dash clock, same as your Mach1 clock. I bought the car last year and the clock was not working. I applied a small amount of WD40 to the mechanism and manually turned it quite a bit. Reconnected to power and it ran, but very fast, extremely fast, around 6 hours per day, which is useless really, and this is due to the hairspring being gummed up and wet with oil, NOT just the adjustment lever.

These old clocks are mechanical, and the winding mechanism is a contact array that is triggered every few minutes. The mechanicals are fairly robust. The electrics are pretty good, considering they are old, and in comparison to Chevrolet clocks of the same era, and later models too.
If the coil burns out it is unlikely you will find a repairer interested in installing a new coil and that is the time to replace the movement for a quartz unit.

I agree with the advice given to apply watch oil or light oil to the gears and the main base plate, little by little. AVOID spraying oil on the hair spring. the hairspring is the very thin coil spring under the balance wheel (balance wheel is the only thing that spins back and forth)
You can manually push down the small contact and get the clock running. If it runs on until the contacts close it is good to go.
Re-apply the power connection and watch it for a few cycles. If it resets and ticks over properly, then start timing it. If it runs grossly fast then you need to clean or dry the hairspring. I took mine to a local backyard watch repairer who cleaned the hairspring with some high octane fluid. I would think either brake clean, or methanol would work too, maybe rubbing alcohol. You cannot use Q-tips or anything like that, it will foul and stick in the tiny hairspring . Squirt it using a syringe or something.

That is the difficult thing, you need to oil the working parts without getting oil on the hairspring, and then clean the hairspring with 'alcohol' without drying out the oiled mechanism. Do you follow this?

After that, timing and adjustment is simple. if the clock is running reasonably close to correct, say 1 hour per day fast or slow, just keep adjusting it every day. As Bartl says, the time-setting gears are also connected to the 'fine adjustment lever' of the movement, and will eventually set the clock accurately.

I have replaced a 78 Corvette clock movement with the same quartz movement and they work fine. I was not impressed with the retaining discs/clasps supplied in this kit and urge care when or if reassembling the clock. As I implied, the Mustang clock sare pretty good, and their electric contacts are usually ok with very minor touch ups. Chevy must have gone cheap or got bad batches on their clocks. Almost every single corvette clock from the 60's through the 80's do not work and don't respond to a contact clean - they are burned through or fused.
So give it a go on the refurb, it cost nothing but time and you always have the quartz clock as a back-up plan
 
#14 ·
I converted the clock in my Cuda to quartz several years ago and have been happy with it. I think the same company makes kits for many old clocks. I have considered doing this for my 70 as well. It's a working movement but runs fast and doesn't seem to be slowing down after repeatedly rolling back the time.But now problem persist in its battery then i took it to Watch Battery Replacement and they make it new again.
 
#15 ·
Necropost! :skullnbones:
 
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