Re: IML: EL Instrument Clusters

[RandalPark@xxxxxxx]

While I agree with everything here, if the gauges are fried, it isn't worth the effort to make the needles light up. That is unless you want to play with them as practice in working on EL stuff. That is how all of us learned.

Just as an FYI, I was buying Imperial parts on Ebay until last March. I bid on, and won, several new old stock gauges for '61, '62(black background), & '63 Imperials (gray background). The winning bid prices ranged from $100.00 to $250.00 for single gauges. You should consider this when you begin researching the cost of having your cluster rebuilt. Even though the cost may seem high, trying to fix one by purchasing new parts for it over Ebay may end up costing way more money. The gauges and clusters do come up for bid on Ebay frequently. 

Paul

In an email dated Mon, 15 11 2004 9:17:18 pm GMT, "Eric" <gearhead@xxxxxxxxxxx> writes:

>Hey Brandt,
>There are very thin, coated "Litz Wires" that connect the high voltage AC 
>power from the EL powerpack to the gauge needles. They typically oxidize 
>into a verdigris powder and lose conductivity. I was pretty successful at 
>using a flat copper tape to replace my Litz wires, it was flexible enough 
>not to interfere with the movement of the needles, which is why the Litz 
>wires were originally used. If someone out there could shed some light as to 
>where Litz wire is available, many of us would appreciate it. I didn't find 
>anything like it at my local electric supply store. JC Auto Restoration is 
>reported to fix these gauges. They are listed in the repair vendors section.
>It sounds like your EL powerpack is pumping out some power, thats half the 
>battle. If some of the EL rods around the speedometer are glowing, then 
>sometimes the trouble is that the little wire that is wrapped around one end 
>of the rod has broken or has moved enough to not make contact with the dab 
>of gray conductive paint that is on the plastic facia that the rods are 
>screwed onto. If none of the rods glow, then sometimes the entire cluster 
>isn't making good contact to ground due to insufficient torque on the number 
>of screws that hold the housing onto the chromed front bezel. They need to 
>be tight in order to compress the wound rod wires to the dabs of conductive 
>paint. It could be that the dabs of paint have cracked and have lost 
>conductivity to their next point of electrical flow. Also, some of the wound 
>rod wires need to be pinched between the plastic facia and the metal 
>housing, I think. Been a while since I've been in one of those clusters.
>
>Eric
>Portland, Oregon
>*******************************************************
>Clock glows but does not keep time.
>
>Temperature Gauge - needle does not glow, also possibly a bad sender?
>
>Speedometer - EL light does not work around it cannot see it at night.
>
>Oil Guage - needle does not glow. needle goes almost all the way to =
>high...
>
>Gas Guage - Bad sender, needle does not glow.
>
>
>
>
>----------------- ?http://www.imperialclub.com ?-----------------
>This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing List. Please 
>reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your response will be 
>shared with everyone. Private messages (and attachments) for the
>Administrators should be sent to webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>To UN-SUBSCRIBE, go to http://imperialclub.com/unsubscribe.htm
>
>


-----------------  http://www.imperialclub.com  -----------------
This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing List. Please 
reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your response will be 
shared with everyone. Private messages (and attachments) for the
Administrators should be sent to webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To UN-SUBSCRIBE, go to http://imperialclub.com/unsubscribe.htm