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TR2/3/3A TR3 Gages

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In that case, I'd suggest leaving the panel in place and just removing the gauges you want to work on. Less work, fewer things to go wrong.
 
Randall,

Your suggestion worked great. I've restored the needle and washed the glass. It looks great.

Now, to replacing my oil pressure gage. Can I simply disconnect the oil line without oil dripping out--or do I have to do somehting else?

Thanks.

Paul
 
Odds are, you'll get a drop or two no matter what you do. I first 'cracked' the nut while using a wrench on the gauge body, and then held a rag underneath while loosening the nut. Left the rag spread on the carpet in case there was another drop, but there wasn't AFAIK.

Watch for the little washer, which was originally leather I believe. Without it, the joint will leak after reassembly.
 
Thanks Randall.

There is no washer with the rebuilt gage. I have to assume it is there on the original.

If not, I'll stop work and try to get one.

Thanks again. I really appreciate your help.

Paul
 
Hey John if you notice on the back of the instrument panels there is often a fuse. The fuse is usually for the tail lights/dash lights. I has seen a couple of tr3s that did not have that and when the wrong thing happens the red wire inside the harness lets the smoke out, so while you are in there you might consider putting that fuse in.
Steve
 
Not a bad idea, but the fuse was originally clipped to the edge of the dash just below the instrument panel. You can see mine hanging off in space in the photo above (taken as I was stripping parts off the wreck).
 
I saw that, but didn't look close enough to see what it was. I did check the dash light rheostat to make sure it wasn't fried...but I thought I was just lucky that it wasn't!?!

Thanks guys!

John

PS...I'm waiting for the flourescent white paint to continue the cleaning...
 
The fuse provides only minimal protection to the rheostat, since the resistance of the rheostat itself will limit the current if it is set to dim the lights and there is a short. The main purpose of the fuse is to prevent an electrical fire after someone hits your taillight and mashes the socket.
 
Till you guys told me I never would have thought these gages would clean up! Here's the before and afters...

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Andrew Mace said:
Very nice...but how is it you have less total mileage than before? :laugh:[/quote

Funny. My trip meter now shows 2 miles, but the odometer shows 0. If anyone was foolish enough to ask if that is 'original mileage' as shown, I would answer 'there is almost nothing original to this car'.

Nice work, Your steering wheel looks great as well.
Click to expand...
 
John-

What's your address? I have some gauges to send you! :laugh:

Very nice job!

Randy
 
Andrew Mace said:
Very nice...but how is it you have less total mileage than before? :laugh:
Click to expand...

Aaah...you caught me. My wife thinks it's like Christine in the King movie!

John
 
This is interesting. I've known for some time that my gages aren't in the correct arrangement. I've thought of taking the panel apart and putting them in the correct order but they all are working the way they are and I know if I mess with them one or more of them will stop working. "If it's not broke, don't fix it!"

But looking at the Temp gage in the pics I just noticed something. My Temp gage is in Celsius! Anybody else havea one like that?
 

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I believe they varied by destination market. The parts catalog lists both varieties, but doesn't specify which markets got which gauges. Your car may have been a "personal export", or perhaps someone has changed the gauge.

But, isn't that an electrical gauge? I don't recall the mechanical gauges having the 4 tiny dots below the main tic marks.
 
Not an electric gage, it does have the capillary tube. According to the BMIHT cerificate it was imported to the U.S. It was dispatched to "Gener and Foreman, Inc, New York" on May 17, 1961. So I would have thought that it should have a Fahrenheit gage in it. According to the title the previous owner was from New York so I guess it spent it's whole life in New York.
 
What's your secret for restoring the tach/speedo chrome trim rings ?
 
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