First decal on. It's "pretty good' but hope the installed quality goes up a bit before I get to the 70 gauges.... Removed old paint 320 then 600 both with water/dish soap, then a bit of buffing compound, got the plastic smooth. I managed to get some little piece of something under the decal but I'm prolly the only one will notice.
Glued the little rings and colored plastic jewels back on with a bit of black plastic bumper epoxy and a toothpick.
Just want to give props again to the mailman and way @Twomanyx1bs for their pioneering work here!! it's so much easier to reach the goal when standing on the shoulders of giants.
Using the soldering iron to heat it trick, the reset extension screwed right off the shaft (LH thread, unscrews clockwise) with no damage!
The two spoon trick to pop the needle a winner tip!
Made up another tool, just a 20 penny nail heated red, flattened, bent and filed. After using the thin edge pry to get the uncrimp started, the thicker more rounded second tool gets the crimp fully opened with minimal scallops or kinks in the edge. Patience weed toker, Rome wasn't built in a day and several trips around
slowly unbending the 90 crimp is key.
The aluminum holder is nice but a large hose clamp with a layer of electrical tape on it serves the same purpose.
The chrome covers on these 72 gauges cleaned up nicely after a dip in metal rescue and some time on a cotton buff with the finest compound i have.
No doubt there will be a couple more breathless updates. LOL.
It’s very satisfying to complete such a delicate job. I’m curious ,are those the decals that have to go on wet, from Diablo, like I used? They are a little trickier to install.
On this set the glue was brittle and dry and it cracked loose, bingo, bango gauge open..
I understand that completely! It’s ridiculously hard to do.
