Restoring rallye dash cluster.

[bb71challenger]

I am wondering if I could get some input from people who have restored their own gauges. I have a cluster I need to restore. I need to know the best source for a kit. I am also looking for the best oem looking woodgrain applique for it also. I think I remember something about one of the woodgrain appliques looking too glossy, I am wanting more the factory look. I want to go through everything, probably update the clock to quartz and possibly update the tach. Thanks tons for any input on sites.

[Harts56]

I used RTE for the clock and tach, good prices and Greg was good to work with.  Also replaced limiter with solid state unit as a little insurance on a 38 year old part!  While the gauges were there I had him also check the Fuel, AMP, Temp and Oil Pressure gauges (I also have an aftermarket pod as they are much more accurate).  Think the clock, tach kit and limiter installed were about $250 plus shipping and I know it was done correctly.  Took about two weeks.  http://rt-eng.com/mediawiki/index.php/RTE_E_Body_Parts

As for the woodgrain applique, I tried that....did not last long.  Peeled and shrunk, summers in So. Ca. are a little hot and tough of stuff like that.  I ended up going with P-G Classic on Ebay.  Parts are metal and I am happy with the quality.  Cost is about $175 for Gauge and 4 switch bezel.  Sticker are cheaper, about $35 but I was not happy to pull it out again to replace them!

Good luck!

[Katfish]

I'm thinking about the metal bezel.  How hard was it to put in?  Can you provide details of how you bent it, I'm a little concerned about installing it cleanly.

I also tried the decal, this was a total waste, it bubbled in less than a year.

[bb71challenger]

I am gathering that you paid to get your gauges restored and if so that is a great price. What I was looking for though was a kit to restore all the gauges myself. I know the stickers you guys are talking about are just a bandaid but I thought there was more than one company to get the metal/woodgrain panel from. I have seen a flat woodgrain panel that you have to bend yourself to fit the contour of the dash. Evidently there is more than one maker because I have heard one of them is overly "glossy" instead of the more oem woodgrain look. I have access to a polisher and several kinds of jewelers compounds and know I can polish the clear plastic but I want to do as much of the rest as I can. How do speedo and tach number stickers compare to a re-silkscreen? I have a cluster that was left to the elements and has surface scale inside on the gauge faces. Thanks so far for the replies.

[rusty dodge]

 just got the PG Classic woodgrain. I think it looks great. It is more glossy than your 34yr old one, and why that is I have a thought on. I have had 2 original ralley panels. On both of my originals, there appered to be some kind of a clear coating applied to to it. I think that coating is some type of protectant, and it also dulls the finish. As the panel ages I bet it gets duller. But anyway, here is some pics of the new one. the pic with 2 switch panels shows an OEM one next to the PG Classic one. On that OEM one, I washed off that clear coat I was mentioning before. Once that is off, you see it is almost the same sheen.

I have seen the decal ones also, and that looks good also. The decal ones are duller than the PG classic, and the woodgrain is a little different. Seems that people who have used that are having issues with it lasting though.

[Katfish]

Rusty,

That does look good.  So what are the steps to install it?  Inquiring minds need to know.  Do you receive it flat?

Thx

[rusty dodge]

To remove your old one, once you get it off the plastic bezel, use a heat gun to the backside metal plate to loosen the glue. Then the old woodgrin will peel right off of the metal mounting plate.

Yes it comes flat. I was nervous bending the 2 sides, but this is how i did it. A 3/4 steel water pipe matched the radius of my original panel, so I used that. I laid my old woodgrain directly over the top of the new one. Positioned the water pipe in the radius for the bend. I then held the pipe up a little and slid the old woodgrain out of the way. Placed the pipe down and then bent the side up with my thumbs, while holding the pipe in place. You need to bend it up like 70-80 degrees, to be like the old one.

When you glue it onto the metal mounting plate, be sure to use the weatherstrip glue like they recommend. Don't ask my how I know that!

[Katfish]

Now I'm really confused, thought this was the only metal piece?  You're saying the original is glued to another piece of metal?

It's a 2 piece deal, where you reuse part of the original?

[Harts56]

Great minds must think alike...I also used a pipe to get the bends in mine!  Just go slowly and the bend will be perfect.  Be sure to clean up your metal backing plate (bezel glued to backing plate then it attaches to plastic housing) before you try to glue the new bezel to it or it may not stick well.  I used 3M weatherstrip glue, yellow "gorilla snot"!

John

[rusty dodge]

Yes, that woodgrain is attached to a steel backing plate with glue. The steel backing plate attaches to the plastic bezel. look at the back side of a plasic bezel, and you see these twisted tabs holding the woodgrain in place. These twisted tabs are actually from the metal backing plate, not the aluminum woodgain panel.

Soory no pic of it as i have mine all back together now.

The heat gun tip I gave earlier is important, because when you pull off the old woodgrain from the steel backing plate, you do not want to bend that backing plate or distort it. The heat gun gets the old glue nice and soft. Then they just peel apart.

[bb71challenger]

That looks much better than the pic of the really glossy one I saw. I could definitely live with that. Now about restoring the gauges. I thought I read about kits to do them yourself. I will send them out if the results are not going to last, like stickers on the gauge face instead of a silk screening. Thanks for the info, keep it coming!!

[Harts56]

RTE sells the quartz clock $75 and charges $25 to install.  Tach kit is the same if I remember correctly.  These kits are new circuit boards to replace the 70's mechanical clock/gauge.

I was able to clean, lube and get my original clock running but it was fast and would pick up about a hour in a day.  Ended up getting the quartz kit and had RTE install, thought it was better than screwing up one and having to buy another!  Other than installing a circuit board I have not seen kits to rebuild yourself.