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Gauges question

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jvandyke

jvandyke

Luke Skywalker
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Took Fuel Gauge out as class was cloudy, found it is pitted heavily. Can I just get any old MG fuel gauge or what? Maybe I can replace the glass.
This brings up another question, which guages are supposed to be lit? There doesn't appear to be any means to light this one, just as soon have a lit one. (Same for the oil/temp gauge, not lit). What would have been lit in a '63 Midget?
 
heheh... All mine are supposed to be lit, and I'd also just as soon as have them light up!! Once in a while randomly the lights come on. My rheostat is disconnected. If that's the only lights not working I feel like everything is OK.
 
Just go to a glass place and have them cut you some spares. I have done this several times over the years. Easy as pie, and no amount of cleaning can duplicate fresh new glass. New gaskets and O rings are available from Nisonger in New York. If you have the domed lenses, Moss ( or another favourite supplier) may be the best choice. It helps to bring the old one with you.
 
Hi J,
The gauges on my '63' are lit. On the small ones the light is attached to the bracket that holds the gauge to the dash. Light filters in through the blue plastic that surrounds the gauge. Make sure you have a good ground attached to the bracket via the nut that cinches it tight. No ground no light. We don't get a rheostat, just a switch at the bottom edge of the dash below the fuel gauge. Most glass cleans up nicely with 0000 steel wool. Bar Keeps Friend works well for this also, even for windshields.

Happy wiring,
Walter
 
The early guages are lit from the outside thru little windows on the side of the guage. They should have a blue cover in them. Check the bracket for the guage to find the bulb. KA.
 
Yep, it's all about the grounding isn't it?
 
Jeff,

The fuel gauge from a later car (I think 66? or later??) will not work in yours. The sending unit is different and will cause the gauge to read backward, ie full when empty, empty when full.
 
Okay, thanks, I don't have the pieces behind the dash that light the little guys (fuel, temp/oil) up, wonder how hard it is to come by those? I'll work at getting new glass (if I can get the old lens off!) Or I can rig something up. I don't like not being able to see oil pressure.
 
jvandyke said:
Okay, thanks, I don't have the pieces behind the dash that light the little guys (fuel, temp/oil) up, wonder how hard it is to come by those? I'll work at getting new glass (if I can get the old lens off!) Or I can rig something up. I don't like not being able to see oil pressure.
Click to expand...


There are several gauges (fuel, temp/oil) with proper light brackets on ebay as of yesterday. I believe they still have 5 or 6 days left. I was tracking a fuel gauge for several days at $9 and at the last couple minutes it went to $35, still a good price for an original, but I just needed the glass. So give ebay a try, and thanks to whoever said to go to the local glass place to get the gauge glass cut.

Magyar
 
Got a piece of glass made for $1.60. I think I know why there's no light ring on the back of mine: custom wood dash is about 1"thick so that may have eliminated the option for those backs. Maybe I can rig something up, or a light on the keychain and I can flash the gauge when needed, I never drive at night anyway.
BTW
Anyone have an extra tach mounting "tube and stick" thingy? Know what I mean?
 
That does sound like a very thick dash. If you do decide at some point that you want light on the gauges, perhaps you could use a router to carefully relieve the back side of the panel around the gauge(s) so the external lighting can reach the slots around the gauge perimeter.
 
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