Cloudy Gauges

Yale · Post by **Yale** » Sun Jun 06, 2004 10:36 pm

My speedo was making some pretty awful noise at one point and my cousin and I removed it to see if we could lubricate the noise away. While out I cleaned the glass and the gauge looked beautiful when we put it back in the dash.

I was saying this to Tom when he remarked on the cloudiness of his gauges. I didn't realize that the 250 gauges have printing on that plastic film. With the 330's the printing is on the black gauge itself.

Yale

David Booth · Post by **David Booth** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 12:10 pm

The GTE-era gauges were made by Veglia and have the important information silkscreened on a piece of clear plexiglas that is the same thickness as the glass cover plate or lens. Plex yellows and/or gets cloudy with age and exposure to UV rays and sadly, no amount of cleaning will change that since it's a property of the material itself.

There are a few vendors that can service/rebuild the gauges themselves and make new gauge faces. My SII Cab gauges are on their way to Palo Alto Speedometer this week for just that service.

Post by **tyang** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 12:48 pm

Hi Guys,

I just spoke with Mike at D&M Restorations and he can remake all plastic lenses from scratch, and silkscreen the characters on the new plastic. It won't be cheap at about $800 bucks! This is for the inserts only, because I'll install them. I'd be curious what Palo Alto charges. Mike claims he does a better job, but I'm using him because I've seen the work he's done for some of Francois' customers.

He had the same comment on the lenses. Veglia used some bad plastic that fogs up over time. The speedo and Tachometer will be very hard to remake because there is a bevel to the plastic ring that shows the numbers.

I guess my baby's not getting a new pair of shoes!...or clothes, or socks either to pay for this Ferrari!

Tom

lukek · Post by **lukek** » Tue Jun 08, 2004 12:12 pm

...just a word of caution. Search the web for feedback on Palo Alto Speedometer. I did hear a number of stories myself, but did NOT listen . I had them do some resto work and very much regretted it. Parts were lost, delivery took 3 times as long as promissed, bits repaired incorrectly, and calls to correct the situation were ignored. I live 15 minutes away from their shop, so I thought....how bad could it be....?!

David Booth · Post by **David Booth** » Tue Jun 08, 2004 2:16 pm

Thanks for the heads-up. The UPS label isn't printed yet, so your caution is coming at the righ ttime. Mike is currently out of the office, but I'll talk to him tomorrow and probably send the stuff his way.

Just goes to show ya... just because someone can afford to advertise in all the right places, doesn't necessarily mean they're deserving of the work. Thanks again for the advice.

Post by **tyang** » Tue Jun 08, 2004 5:07 pm

Hi David,

Don't mail those gauges just yet! I've got some new developments, and should have some better information in a day or two. Stay tuned!

D&M is still my #1 choice, but I'm working on saving us some money. Let me talk to Mike tomorrow, and I'll let you know what's going on.

Tom

David Booth · Post by **David Booth** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 2:32 pm

Hey Tom:

Was just about to pick up the phone and talk to Mike at D&M when I saw your post. He wasn't in yesterday, so I was just about to call. I'll be standing by for your update.

Just as a note, I'm going to include the ammeter from my GTE in the box to whomever gets the project, and install it in place of the clock in my Cab. The orignal instrumentation complement in the cabs were speedo and tach, plus oil press, oil temp, water temp, benzina and clock - no ammeter.

Post by **tyang** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 11:20 pm

O.K. Here's the update.

I took my cloudy plastic lenses to a place called "Industrial Plastics Supply Company" here in NYC. I showed them my small flat lenses, and the guy remarked that they were originally molded, but he could easily duplicate these lenses by laser cutting them on his machine. He would need an Adobe Illustrator file of the shape of the lens so he could input it to the cutter. I asked him if he could get me an estimate, so he looked it up in his book..."about 275" he said...I paused, and said, "2..." "Yeah, $2 dollars and 75 cents each."

Although I still have the problem of duplicating the speedo, and tach lenses (I'll explain in an upcoming post), the smaller lenses will at least be cut up here. IPS can also do the lettering, and at these prices, it's worth having them give it a shot. I'm having a friend of mine scan the lenses to create the Illustrator file so I don't have to learn another program, and should have the files early next week. Once IPS gets the files, they should be able to get me lenses in a day.

David, I don't know if you want to wait long for your gauges, or what kind of restoration you need, but I think I found a way to save some money on part of the process!

I also spoke to Mike at D&M and he'll do the lettering for about $400 provided I can get the ALL the lenses to him, but at this rate, I may only have to have him do the tach and speedo!

Tom

JAshburne · Post by **JAshburne** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 12:50 am

Tom

$2.75!!!! When was the last time ANYTHING for a Ferrari cost only $2.75? LOL

Of course, I would imagine that you NEVER mentioned the word "Ferrari" when you were speaking with IPS!

Good job!

John

lukek · Post by **lukek** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 1:16 am

I want IN on this deal, boys ! If you can convince them to recreate the plexi pieces with the lettering from the AI file, I am interested in participating for the bulk discount scenario. Mine are somewhat yellowed...

Post by **tyang** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 8:05 am

Hi Luke,

I am definitely going to make a few sets of the small acrylic lenses and have them try their hand at applying the lettering to them. When I take the AI files down to them next week, I'll see if they can replicate the tach and speedo pieces as well.

John,

The only "F" word I mentioned was FIAT! As a Ferrari owner that does not wear gold chains, I know it's usually a disadvantage to let people know what I own!

Tom

Art S. · Post by **Art S.** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 10:15 am

Luke,

Bulk discount?! Off of $2.75 for one?

Art S.

lukek · Post by **lukek** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 11:53 am

nah, it was the $400 figure I was referring to. Maybe it is a one time cost.

Racerrad · Post by **Racerrad** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 12:04 pm

If the workmanship meets Tom's standards, I would be in for a GTE set as well.

Thanks, Rad

David Booth · Post by **David Booth** » Fri Jun 11, 2004 12:09 am

Tom:

Hard to go wrong at those kinds of prices. I'd be in for two sets - one for the Cab and one for the GTE. But you probably ought to put something in there for your time and the creation of the AI files. I'd be doing the same as you then, and sending just the tach and speedo to D&M. Nice one!