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TR2/3/3A Instrument Cluster TR 3A

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Tinkerman

Tinkerman

Darth Vader
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I'm enjoying putting switches and gauges on the instrument panel today, yea! However I'm sitting here wondering how to tighten the switch bezels without scratching up my panel or the bezels.

Any thoughts?

Thanks Tinkerman
 
Dick - you can pay around $15 for the "proper tool" (they're like needle-nose pliers with inward-pointing tips), or do it the frugal way. Cut a piece of coat hanger about six inches long, bend into a U shape, then bend the tips in about 1/4" each.

That's the way I tightened the bezels on mine. The bent tips fit into the two "dimples".

But it never hurts to shield the dash around the bezel when you're working.

Tom
a/k/a Frugal Zealot
 
A snap-ring pliers works well.
There's a guy on eBay selling the "right" tool. I think he wants $19.95, or something...
 
Wouldn't be to hard to use a piece of steel strip the correct thickness and grind a semi-circle into it, kinda fork shaped.
 
Yeah, I agree - the tool is a splurge but I like it. Takes out the risk of ruining any paint and you aren't going to accidently mark up the bezels either.
 
Another option is some quality time with a short piece of pipe & a Dremel.

Sometimes the old ones are stuck too tightly, and the other methods slip.
 
About 20 years ago when I was finishing the restoration of my 1958 TR3A, my neighbour who has a lathe, made me a tubular type tool like the MGA tool, with two "tangs" at one end and he put a cross bar at the other end so I coulsd get some torque on the tool - even with my fingers turning it. Used it just this week.
 
I use a half a spring-type clothespin as a drift and tap the stick with a hammer. Clothes pins are made of fairly stout wood. Works pretty well for snugging them up and doesn't scratch anything.
 
I cut a suitably sized flat washer in half, filed the rough edges then covered them with masking tape. Works well for me.
 
How about a pic Geo and the washer idea sounds great as well.
 
Andrew Mace said:
Moseso said:
There's a guy on eBay selling the "right" tool. I think he wants $19.95, or something...
Click to expand...
Here's a current listing, under MGA Dash Nut Spanner Tool. NFI, but I do have one of these, and it is worth its weight in the proverbial gold! :hammer:
Click to expand...

Wow $27.50 these days? I bought one back in the dark ages and I know that I wouldn't have paid anywhere near that.

Now I've got to remember where I put it....

Scott
 
That's what I love about this forum......... for every "here's the link to the correct tool" there is a well thought out ingenius "MacGyver" method. What a great group!
Gordon
 
I wonder if one of those flat rubber jar openers would grab the bezel well enough to tighten it by hand?
 
I ended up using a small brass drift punch and taped the bezel tight with a brass hammer that worked quiet well. Did it very carefully of course. Thanks for all of your suggestions. I'm with Gordon,a lot of well thought out suggestions!

Thanks to all, Tinkerman
 
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