66 corsa have cluster rebuild

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jefe188
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Joined: Wed Nov 04, 2020 7:25 pm

66 corsa have cluster rebuild

Post by jefe188 »

Does anybody know where I can send my gauge cluster to the rebuilt?
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Mcwho
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Location: DeBary FL

Re: 66 corsa have cluster rebuild

Post by Mcwho »

Dont know about rebuild, but a local guy here has used pods, odo didnt worm on mine. i got one for the speedo/ odo. All guages worked and i put in a tachometer in tbe center.
jefe188 wrote:Does anybody know where I can send my gauge cluster to the rebuilt?
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1965 Corvair Monza Coupe 110, 4 speed, Liberty Blue
66vairguy
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Re: 66 corsa have cluster rebuild

Post by 66vairguy »

jefe188 wrote: Wed Nov 04, 2020 7:27 pm Does anybody know where I can send my gauge cluster to the rebuilt?
Not much information. Issues, location, etc. Clark's does sell repaired gauges. Nobody makes new gauges for the Corvair, unlike some other vintage vehicles.

I rebuilt two Corsa instrument assemblies for my 66's. The speedometer is 825 revs per mile, not the common 1,000 to one on American cars. The two odometers in Corsa speedometers used metal drive gears. Once the lube dries out they wear out. Now finding working speedometers is not easy and they should be cleaned, lubed, and magnetically calibrated. I'm in a big city and years ago only ONE shop still did the old magnetic calibration. The tachometers are easy to fix, EXCEPT the meters. If the return spring(s) break there is no pratical repair and they have to be replaced. I did my own tachometers and four others for club buddies and my average repair/calibration time was SIX HOURS! Needless to say I decided not to pursue doing them for a fee. DON'T paint the tachometer needle or it will take hours to physically rebalance the needle.
joelsplace
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Location: Northlake, TX

Re: 66 corsa have cluster rebuild

Post by joelsplace »

There is a company that refurbished instrument panels but I can't remember their name. Spectacular work for only around $7500. The price didn't encourage me to make note of their name.
157 Corvairs, 5 Ultravans and counting
Northlake, TX
66vairguy
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Re: 66 corsa have cluster rebuild

Post by 66vairguy »

Jay Leno once showed a complete restoration of an older car instrumnent cluster. It was spectacular, looked as good if not better than new. Jay gave the companies name, but I don't recall it. Check Hemmings for vendors.

So that raises the question: Do you just need the gauges repaired, the faceplates refurbished, lens repaired and polished, painted gauge surround, etc.

Decades ago you could pick up nice looking used Corvair instruments, paint the surround, polish the lenses, and in my case do your own gauge repairs.

Even complete Corsa model instrument clusters in good to fair condtions were not that expensive at one time. Those days seem to be over.

Brad usually has a list of vendors, but haven't heard much from him lately.
rcavictor
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Re: 66 corsa have cluster rebuild

Post by rcavictor »

https://www.bobsspeedometer.com/1/120/index.asp

Those who have used him say the work is excellent.

Rob
Rob

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erco
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Re: 66 corsa have cluster rebuild

Post by erco »

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terribleted
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Re: 66 corsa have cluster rebuild

Post by terribleted »

erco wrote: Wed Nov 11, 2020 9:50 pm ebay cluster, currently $103.50: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1965-Chevrolet ... 3320834580
So he could buy this one and then look for someone to rebuild 2 of them?
Corvair guy since 1982. I have personally restored at least 20 Vairs, many of them restored ground up.
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Located in Snellville, Georgia
66vairguy
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Re: 66 corsa have cluster rebuild

Post by 66vairguy »

erco wrote: Wed Nov 11, 2020 9:50 pm ebay cluster, currently $103.50: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1965-Chevrolet ... 3320834580
The current bid is reasonable for an unknown condition cluster. Just me but I wouldn't pay more. There is no way of knowing what does or doesn't work so you have to allow for the expense of refurbishing it.

BTW - It's a 65 unit because it has the "shiny" edge on the surround, but it could be repainted to look like a 66 surround.
erco
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Re: 66 corsa have cluster rebuild

Post by erco »

Monza owner here. What is the center warning light for? (Between the turn indicators)
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fred bagnall
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Re: 66 corsa have cluster rebuild

Post by fred bagnall »

:tu: High beam indicator. :tu:
erco
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Re: 66 corsa have cluster rebuild

Post by erco »

Thanks, I kinda suspected that. We poor Monza guys have to look way down to see our indicators! I swapped in some blue LEDs here.

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