Let there be light..........

[Brosky]

Just two quick pics until my camera batteries recharge. The gauge project came out well. The lights are infinitely brighter than before.

And the dash and new pads look great too, but more on that in the daylight.

 

[tdskip]

Looks good Paul, brighter than stock (which is good!).

 

[Trick6]

Paul:
Cleaning the gauges and a rheostat rebuild produced that? WOW. Most impressive. I have got to do this now.

 

[poolboy]

Nice job, Paul. I can even see the reflection in the bezels.

 

[Tinster]

Nicely done, Grasshopper!!

 

[2wrench]

Very nice, Paul. I notice in your second shot, the "hazard" light is
glowing brightly. Mine does as well. This made me consider that I
might have gotten one of the lights in the wrong hole or something.

Like I'm going down the road thinking...."HAZARD," and doesn't something
about that just strike as being wrong?

On the other hand, I kinda like it cause it's nice and bright so I've
let it be. I guess with the bad rap....Prince of Darnkness....and all,
anything glowing brightly on the dash was a good thing.

 

[Brosky]

Al,

It was cleaning the gauges, painting the inside of the cases and then new bulbs, with the rheostat that makes them brighter. I just went back to 1974, but with 8 watt bulbs.

 

[mrv8q]

Hello, Paul, any hints on pulling off the rheostat knob itself? Mine seems to be "JBWelded" on. I want to try your rheostat rehabilitation.....

 

[Brosky]

That could be tricky. I'd get a spare and then try a battery clamp puller.

Gently, that is........with one of those, you won't scratch the dash.

 

[TR3driver]

What works for me is to use two small pry bars (like the smallest ones from this set ) with wooden pads between them and the dash. It helps to have an extra pair of hands, but I've done it myself. The balanced pull on the knob is the thing.

Problem seems to be that the plastic used in TR6 (and Stag) knobs tends to shrink over time, grabbing the switch shaft firmly. A small file can be used to enlarge them slightly before you put them back on.

 

[Brosky]

What about the plastic tools for door trim removal? They're like mini pry bars, but I'm not sure if they are stiff enough.

 

[TR3driver]

What about the plastic tools for door trim removal? They're like mini pry bars, but I'm not sure if they are stiff enough.

Wouldn't have a chance, with the knobs I was pulling off. We (the TR6 owner and I) had basically agreed that it no longer mattered if we broke the switches, the knobs had to come off. The Stag was the same way; I honestly thought the switch would break first but it didn't.

Not sure about a TR6; on a TR3A the rheostat knob also has a pin that has to be depressed. But the Stag rheostat knob just pulls off.

 

[poolboy]

I think the problem with that knob is that the plastic gets hot from the rheostat resistance and kind of molds itself to the shaft.
I have a rheostat from my 74 right here in front of me and it does have a spring loaded, I guess you call it a detent pin, but I don't have the knob to examine because I glued it back in the dash.

 

[2wrench]

Al,

It was cleaning the gauges, painting the inside of the cases and then new bulbs, with the rheostat that makes them brighter. I just went back to 1974, but with 8 watt bulbs.

Paul, I want to be clear. Are you saying all things are stock, but you added an
8 watt bulb? Higher wattage than stock, I suppose? Were other changes made to
accomodate? That dash sure looks pretty all lit up like a Christmas tree.

 

[Brosky]

2W,

That is correct. There is really not much difference between the new stock bulbs and the 8 watt. The key is painting the inside of the housings and removing the green or blue (on earlier cars) plastic diffusers to allow more light to reflect around in there. No other changes, just the refurbished rheostat.

Just be careful taking the gauges apart. I noticed today when I filled up that my fuel gauge needle is hanging a bit as it moved from 1/4 to full. I must have bent the needle just a bit taking it apart. That's the only tough part.

See below. First the original housings, then after being bead blasted, then masked, painted white inside and lastly clear on the backs.