How to fix your h-body clock

[gotmud7]

Hi Everyone. I spent an hour today fixing the broken clock in my 72 Vega GT. I contacted a reputable member of the board about a NOS clock. As soon as he said "expensive" I stopped the search. Thanks to him though for looking. I looked on ebay for "quartz movement" and found a place here in Illinois that sells the parts, and will also restore the gauge. $55 plus shipping to do it myself. Turns out the same part number fits the standard Vega dash and the GT clock. See pictures for the difference. Then I thought, what if the internals are all the same? I picked up a NOS standard Vega clock on eBay for $25 shipped to me. They are usually $40 plus shipping. Today at work I disassembled both at my desk. I took the good guts from the NOS clock and replaced the non-working internals of my GT clock.

[gotmud7]

This picture shows the side by side of the two. I took the pictures in case some of the gears popped out (which they did).

[gotmud7]

Here is a picture showing that all the movements are the same. All I had to do was pry everything apart with a small flat blade screwdriver. The hardest part was removing 3 round lock washers that held the movement in the case. Prying on them with pliers breaks them. But prying with the screwdriver while my thumb was on it helped get them out in one piece. Putting them back on is a PIA.

[spyder_xlch]

This should be in the best of. Good job.

[SunbirdMan]

This should be in the best of. Good job.

Or at least move it to restoration tips so it doesn't get lost in the General. I just did a search for "clock" and this thread doesn't show up. Huh?

[gotmud7]

More of the clock. I looked out the window at work and decided to take off!

The hardest part was putting these retainers back on. The clock doesn't have a good place to hold on to it. Once these are on, the movement is back in place. From there its a matter of re attaching the clock face, bending the tabs back to hold it on. Then the hands slip back on. I thought about putting the NOS hands on, but they are a differnt color, and also larger. There is no right way to align the hands when they go on. They just push on, one at a time. When you set the time, the hands just rotate, one inside the other with the second hand pushed into the middle.

[gotmud7]

The mechanism. Once I had both movements out, I forgot which was which for a second. Old vs. new. But I figured it out. They were exactly the same.

[gotmud7]

Here is the first picture again. Its the first time I saw the two clocks side by side.

[gotmud7]

What I learned. I have a working clock now. Total of $25 and about one hour. My dash is already out of the car. I did break part of the NOS clock mechanism trying to press those clips on. 35 year old plastic is not very strong. It does not affect the movement though. The place that sells the quartz movement has a 1 year warranty on the quartz, and a 90 day warranty on the NOS movements. So I am expecting this clock to last through the summer! If it stops, I'll probably go with the quartz next time. The NOS clock was not working when I pulled it out of the box. A metal pin in it was pushed out of place. A little coaxing with a screwdriver put it back into place, and it started right up. With most Vega NOS clocks going for $45 on ebay, I think I would spend the extra $10 next time and go with a new quartz just because of the age of the part.

I hoped this helped some of you. With a little patience, and some good reading glasses, anyone can do this.

Mark

[gerbsinmd]

Heh, are you implying we are getting old??? With that reading glasses comment?

[AusRs]

Heh, are you implying we are getting old??? With that reading glasses comment?

Dunno about you but i am !

[gerbsinmd]

[Dunno about you but i am !:(

I guess I just don't want to admit it.

[AusRs]

Actually i have no problem whatsoever about getting older...........what i do hate is the aches and pains that go with it :(:(

[spencerforhire]

Nice how-to; the movement from any GM of the same vintage will probably fit as well. I didn't realize GT clocks were a much sought after item; I usually leave them out so I can substitute an oil pressure gauge. Maybe I'll dig up a couple of spare ones, get them working, and put them in the classified section.