Speedo Restoration

[N PRGRES]

I am very torn on adding a different set of instruments, mainly because I really like my clock and the other options to me just don't look as nice.  With that being said, is there a shop anyone has used to restore the gauges? 

[nUcLeArEnVoY]

I asked the same question on PY forums when my speedo was on the fritz. Never went through with it, since it turns out it was just the cable so now it's working fine again and is in real nice condition, anyway.

Pete Serio at Precision Pontiac is the apparently the go-to go for rally gauge restoration. Good luck.

http://precisionpontiac.net/Rally_Gauges.aspx

[Maxthe222]

I've had multiple sets restored domestically here in Australia, and they turned out sublime. However, the clock, while rebuilt, tends not to hold time well as I unplug the battery for long periods of time, so it becomes uncalibrated. Surely there are a few people in the USA doing them as well?

The gauges were fully stripped down to each gear, the shell blasted, zinc coated, all gears and faces cleaned, lubricated and put back together perfectly. Have another two gauges I'm waiting to get back right now, and the original Z49 KMPH cluster in my Y84 has been perfect since I had it rebuilt by this guy half a decade ago.

[N PRGRES]

I asked the same question on PY forums when my speedo was on the fritz. Never went through with it, since it turns out it was just the cable so now it's working fine again and is in real nice condition, anyway.

Pete Serio at Precision Pontiac is the apparently the go-to go for rally gauge restoration. Good luck.

http://precisionpontiac.net/Rally_Gauges.aspx

Thanks!

[N PRGRES]

More questions. Seems that the 81 gauges aren’t worthy of restoration. I don’t really like the aftermarket stuff such as Dakota digital so I am contemplating maybe restoring a set of 78 gauges. Is it possibly to put 77 gauges in an 81? 

[5th T/A]

If you are looking for an 8K tach and a 160MPH speedometer, I guess you can say they are not worth restoring. If you are looking for originality, nothing wrong with them. The 80 and 81 Speedo do have a trip odometer. The cluster housing is different on the 80 and 81 because the addition of a check engine light. I briefly tried putting a 160MPH speedometer in my 1980 but abandoned the idea. I purchased a new Speedo from Classic Industries and had it working but didn't like the look (different texture on the paint). Also if I didn't have the speedometer cable plugged in just right the needle movement was not smooth. Like a lot of Repo parts it was close but not as nice as OEM.

You can install 77, 78 or 79 gages in an 80 or 81, but will need the complete cluster housing and will probably have to change some of the pins on the connector that plugs into the housing because the printed circuit is also different.

[b_hill_86]

X2. Actually I’m curious why you were told the 81s aren’t worth restoring. As far as I know they’re functionally the same as the mid year 78 on up

[N PRGRES]

Maybe not worth restoring wasn’t correct verbiage.  Just those I have contacted don’t have the proper layouts for the numbers and such. My guess would be there are far few of those years out there compared to earlier models.

[aussieta]

i picked up a nos 1981 canadian metric cluster for my 1978
i used a 1980 housing and circuit board
and moved a couple of pins around
its nice to now be able to see km/h at night time
as the old speedo had km/h on the inside but not visible at night

[Wallington]

You mean like this type with KM on the curved outer edge? I haven't heard of that issue before, using LEDs?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/275828830233

[aussieta]

similar
but only km/h no mph at all
0 to 200km/h