Dash gauge "welding"

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clementine

clementine

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Dear FABO,
How do I re-weld these gauge lenses back into place? I have an original plastic dash that has had new chroming done to it and I'm trying to figure out how to get the lenses/turn signal lenses etc glued back into place. The little titties have been melted away during dis-assembly, and they must have a way of re-assembly or they wouldn't have gone through the trouble of re- chroming the plastic. ...no?

Thanks FABO!

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If you have enough left to fit the lenses but not enough to heat them back to secure then maybe try some clear silicon to hold them in place.
 
I guess you could use a small drill bit and use screws.
 
I have looked at plastic welding and just dont want to cook it and end up with a worse situation. Im guessing the silicon idea is starting to "hold up"...although .....do I need to worry about a positive mechanical attachment?

I appreciate the input. Thanks.
 
I just did this wed.night for my 70 duster rally dash & I use a hot glue gun with great results.
The hot glue guns are cheep @ Walmart
 
Anything except super glue. It will screw up lenses. I use a scrap piece of donor abs plastic and soldering pen/iron.
The rally panel has difference that comes into play here. Because it has its voltage limiter in the fuel gauge, that one gauge is grounded. What does that have to do with this bezel topic?
There are two scenarios. One is a collision, I wont go there. The other...
There have been cases where 1 of the 4 gauges stopped working, someone noticed and started tapping on the lens. Eventually that tap was hard enough to break the factories melt stakes. The metal matting frame fell back against the gauges, short circuiting the ALT" gauge ( which is fire cracker hot ) to the fuel gauge. The needle of the fuel gauge lights up like a bulb element and turns to ash instantly. Can put a nice burn scar in that screen too. I've got two examples here if you want pics. Or you could search for the one members thread about it happening to him. I've been here about 8 years, seen this event posted only once. Proves the chit does happen though.
Bottom line... silicone, epoxy, whatever most everywhere else. Secure the lens and matting frame at the 4 gauge pod as strong as possible.
 
they sell all these repop bezels without the lenses. and there are people that pro restore them. wonder what they use/suggest? ABS cement as demonic recommended?
 
Drill it use small Phillips screws like used on pair of glasses insert small nylon washer between ...attach!
 
I like the hot glue gun idea. More pe
RedFish said:
Anything except super glue. It will screw up lenses. I use a scrap piece of donor abs plastic and soldering pen/iron.
The rally panel has difference that comes into play here. Because it has its voltage limiter in the fuel gauge, that one gauge is grounded. What does that have to do with this bezel topic?
There are two scenarios. One is a collision, I wont go there. The other...
There have been cases where 1 of the 4 gauges stopped working, someone noticed and started tapping on the lens. Eventually that tap was hard enough to break the factories melt stakes. The metal matting frame fell back against the gauges, short circuiting the ALT" gauge ( which is fire cracker hot ) to the fuel gauge. The needle of the fuel gauge lights up like a bulb element and turns to ash instantly. Can put a nice burn scar in that screen too. I've got two examples here if you want pics. Or you could search for the one members thread about it happening to him. I've been here about 8 years, seen this event posted only once. Proves the chit does happen though.
Bottom line... silicone, epoxy, whatever most everywhere else. Secure the lens and matting frame at the 4 gauge pod as strong as possible.
Click to expand...

Is this why guys bypass the ammeter? Or do I have that wrong...
 
clementine said:
Is this why guys bypass the ammeter? Or do I have that wrong...
Click to expand...
No sir. bypassing the amp meter and/or replacing it with a volt meter does relieve the possible short circuit scenario. Best plan is assemble the bezel as rigid as the factory did. Never tap on a lens.
With hot glue, silicone, whatever... Scratch away the chrome plating as needed so you're adhering to roughed up plastic and not the chrome. I repaint the inside of the bezel back to white with black areas, just like OEM was so... I scratch away some paint and chrome before heat staking.
While I'm typing... When I'm taking the bezel apart I find one of the stakes at each green lens is fairly easy to get to while the other of the 2 is more difficult. I melt away just enough of these OEM stakes to tilt the lens out from under the difficult one. Then at re assembly I need to work the lens back in and under it. That probably doesn't help you at this point. I've done all of this a bunch of times. Made my mistakes. Learned some dos and don'ts. Good luck with yours.
 
Thanks for the post,
My 66' Barracuda dash has been sitting after re chroming for a while waiting on a solution.
Love the small screw idea. Those gauges are heavy and road vibrations can rip the silicon.
 
el5dart said:
they sell all these repop bezels without the lenses. and there are people that pro restore them. wonder what they use/suggest? ABS cement as demonic recommended?
Click to expand...
A new bezel should have stakes tall enough to reach through the parts so melting them like OEM is doable.
 
rklein383 said:
I guess you could use a small drill bit and use screws.
Click to expand...
I kind of thought you were crazy about drilling and using tiny screws... but it seems like a good solution now. I will try a little silicon, a little screw, and maybe a little glue strategically to get her solid!

Thanks!
 
clementine said:
Where do you guys/gal send out your plastic dash to be re chromed?
Click to expand...

» Turn-Key Dash Restorations Instrument Specialties

I’ve used them for about $3,000 in plastic chrome restorations and smaller pot metal stuff. A tad pricey BUT always perfect work.
Ask for Thomas (Tom) just a reference a perfectly restored dash housing heater control housing . And glove box panel for a 1966 Barracuda was like $1500.00. Mine was stripped and came back museum quality. 8-14 week wait also. Plus they did all the paint work on the new chrome.
 
Home is probably your best direct route for plastics rechrome.
From what I've read in the past, Those that do instrument/gauge services farm out vacuum metalizing/rechroming plastics, bezel restore in general.
There is a toy restoration company ( muellercorp or something like that ) that does it but they wont deal directly with us John Q. Public type automotive customers. I'll bet my quarter that is who Instrument Specialties uses.
Gcar is one of the very few who still do this process and will deal us individuals. EPA regulations along with Chinese reproductions forced quite a few out of the business several years ago.
The candid telephone conversations I recall about customers that expected their returned parts to look BETTER than they did when new... Charles @ CV Platers, Glen @ MrG, and more. That was just another factor in their decisions to leave the business.
 
Redfish-

Not so sure. I was told by the place I use in East Hartford CT for metal plating that they do some of the metal playing for I.S. They told me I.S. Uses a place close to Boston, Mass (just up the road from them in Rhode Island where I.S. Is located) not sure who but it is an industrial plastic plater.
I’ll keep digging. The wait time is mostly getting a large enough batch together to make it reasonable.
Joe
 
looking good 74GD!

Im going for a factory look inside even though my seats aren't year correct and I'm not doing anything super concourse. I would love to trade them for correct stuff, but really it's just a '70s theme car .
 
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