UncleMaz

Want

sweet928

Check out this face. I like this one even more. I guess one could just buy the watch and use the face/hands? These are selling for @89 bucks!

mpesik

I removed the clock out of the vehicle to get better performance and track times.

sweet928

I emailed one of these guys and they said they would make us a custom face/size as needed for a run of 100!

If you could have a cooler clock what should it look like? Remember we're not changing the guts, just the face. It should be a fairly easy DIY.

Based on the existing face prices we can probably be @25 bucks or so here. Any designers out there with Photoshop skills? We need a cool design.

sweet928

This would be cool. Radar instrument in the car.

sweet928

Guess there's not much interest?

OK I'll just do a "one off" and post how I did it for your all's reference later.

tmpusfugit

I think a completed prototype and photos would prompt discussion and possibly interest. One of the issues would certainly be providing solutions for the several styles of clocks and bezels already in our cars, from OB through GTS, and both analalog and digital...I have one of each, and neither of them work, and a generic solution would not fit both.. I like the protortype dial that Jerry Feather shows, not certain that silver would be my first choice what with all the rest of my guages being black....so, colcr, as well as multiple bezels, becomes another variable.....

sweet928

Working on the prototype but keep in mind that my idea is not a clock replacement but just an enhancement. Seems 928 Intl sells used clocks for 50 bucks. Having examined my spare --it is fairly simple inside and a watch repair place should be able to fix these when broken. I don't have a GTS clock to study but seems the approach should be similar. I'll post more as it comes along.

Jerry Feather

As I mentioned before, the clock dials for my clock project will likely be black. I found where I had left the black versions and have taken a few pictures of what I have on this project for now. I wont be back to this one for while, but I think I have approached it pretty much the way Sweet928 suggests.

UncleMaz

Gorgeous! Please let us know when you will be taking deposits.

sweet928

Jerry, Nice work. Another option might be to combine my idea with yours. Make a template for a circle window and insert all kinds of existing watch faces in there. Either way great work with what you came up with for the 32 valve crowd.

Jerry Feather

Actually, for what it is worth, my approach could be used in your project and with the same clock movement. It is back lited and electronic and fairly compact. They are about $75 each. If a backing plate can be fashioned for the round clock, a round face can easily be designed and fabricated to fit in it and end up with a round clock pretty much like I hope to end up with the rectangualr one. In fact, it may not even be necessary to form something like the little rectangle clock face and inner bezel I am having to fabricate for mine.

By the way, it is my inpression the the rectangular clock well predates the S3 32valve cars. I have seen very few lower trim pieces for the round clock and an awful lot for the rectangular ones. Am I wrong on that?

Jerry Feather

tmpusfugit

Both my '84's have LED clocks, non functional naturally. My '81 had the round analog....

sweet928

I believe it was only 78-80 with the round clock. Maybe 81 too? Not sure and yes the round clock console trim is NLA and I would know as I've been looking for one for two years! (Mine is 95% but it's warped above the ashtray and it bugs me. - I'd pay a small fortune for a mint one but so far no luck!)

I'm not sure what you mean about using your square idea on the round clock. Can you elaborate? I like what you've done and if it's backlit - I like it even more.

The OEM has a clear plexi part that sort of carries the light from behind around the solid face and lights it from the front. I assumed it was back lit until I took it apart. It's kind of like a primitive fiber optic set up. Kinda cool and elaborate considering it was the 70's.

Jerry Feather

I didn't mean that the restangular clock would be adapted. I just mean the the procedure I used might be adapted. If you have the base plate for your clock that could be duplicated and then have a round hole in it like mine is going to have next, then a new clock face can be designed and made out of clear plastic that has a black or other color surface on it . That face is lazered through with the new clock face design, then the face is installed over the clock movement which has two led's in it, one to lite the hands through a shielded hole, and the other backlites the face into the clear plexiglas which refracts throughout the whole face, and shines through the lazered out markings.

The only thing I can't envision is how the bezel and crystal or lens will be designed--maybe much like the new instrument bodies I developed for Jimmy's flush mounted center console project, which I have not quite finished, but I think a bezel and or body can be made that a newcrystal can be put into and made a part of the clock body or plate that we are talking about. (Look through the FLUSH center console thread for the part about the new instrumenmt bodies.)

I know that I seem to be saying that this kind of project is quite simple. It is not. One of my sayings is that if you can envision it you can create it. The limit is that you need to know and/or have a lot of things like machinery and tools, and you need to know a lot about materials and processes. After all these years I have a lot of all of that, so it makes it fairly easy to create something in my mind that I can usually recreate in my shop and/or with help from resources I have available to help where I am limited.

Therefore, don't take any of my description as flippant. I don't mean to come across that way; and I am an old teacher, so I like to try to open the minds of my students to new possibilities. I hope some of this means something and maybe even helps you think through some of your good ideas.

Ask some more questions so I can tell where you are in your thinking and where I can explain it in more detail.

Jerry Feather