IH 54 R-100 4X4

[Jesse S]

Got a few spots I'm going to work before it's cleared ...
But for the first time out of the gate, I'm digging the look ..



Not sure what clear to shoot it with .. ??
Satin or full gloss ..

 

[OldCracker29]

Got a few spots I'm going to work before it's cleared ...
But for the first time out of the gate, I'm digging the look ..

View attachment 8058

Not sure what clear to shoot it with .. ??
Satin or full gloss ..

Satin, or semi-gloss. Of course, that's jmo.

 

[Jesse S]

Dome lens came in ..

 

[Jesse S]

Replacing the flat glass on the tach with the convex glass was super easy to do ...
Did have some work to do on the lens, had to remove about .180" from the O.D. in order to drop into the recess of the tach's bezel ..
Used a belt sander with 80 girt ..

Vacuum gauge was more involved ..
It's still in the works ..

Well, I wanted a different looking dashboard ..
Do believe I accomplish that goal ..

Very busy look it has going on ...
Buck Rogers would be jealous .. Lol

 

[OldCracker29]

Replacing the flat glass on the tach with the convex glass was super easy to do ...
Did have some work to do on the lens, had to remove about .180" from the O.D. in order to drop into the recess of the tach's bezel ..
Used a belt sander with 80 girt ..

Vacuum gauge was more involved ..
It's still in the works ..

Well, I wanted a different looking dashboard ..
Do believe I accomplish that goal ..

Very busy look it has going on ...
Buck Rogers would be jealous .. Lol

View attachment 8061

The dash is going to be one of a kind.

 

[Jesse S]

Are you painting that black? I think that it would look good.

With it being woodgrain, keeps the eyes moving opposed to being a solid color ...

More to see in other words ..

Road and Track tells how it done ...

https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/classic-cars/a19506337/discovering-the-nearly-lost-art-of-hand-painted-faux-woodgrain/

 

[Jesse S]

Ok ... Alright ...

I have decided to continue the search for a VDO Series 1 3-3/8" tach just like the one I have ..

Needing the bezel off of it ..
The bezel I have for the vacuum gauge is a bit too tacky to use ..

All the effort that went into the dash so far will suffer with using this tacky bezel ..

Guy's help me out here, will ya ??

Ask your Hot-Rod buddies if they have one laying around, don't care if it works or not cause all I'm going to be using from it is the bezel ..



This is what it looks like ....

 

[OldCracker29]

Ok ... Alright ...

I have decided to continue the search for a VDO Series 1 3-3/8" tach just like the one I have ..

Needing the bezel off of it ..
The bezel I have for the vacuum gauge is a bit too tacky to use ..

All the effort that went into the dash so far will suffer with using this tacky bezel ..

Guy's help me out here, will ya ??

Ask your Hot-Rod buddies if they have one laying around, don't care if it works or not cause all I'm going to be using from it is the bezel ..

View attachment 8063

This is what it looks like ....

Wish I could help you out, but I don't know anybody that would have one.

 

[Jesse S]

Much thanks ....

After making a boat load of calls ( No speed shops in Florida had one ) my thoughts was to start calling shops in the Hot-Rod state.

California, well Sir, went to the most well known shop in the state with my first call ...

Told them what I was seeking, salesman said he thinks he has a few used ones and would dig em up ..

This tach was obsoleted by VDO 40 years ago and finding one today has been a tremendous undertaking ...



Gotta say the work and super rare parts that the dash has seen has been one paramount long journey !!

But you know what ... When I climb into the cab and park my boney ass behind that dash, there will be a smile on my face !!

 

[Jesse S]

Hole saw came in from Amazon ..




Do think this will net a much better install than the first time around .. What I had before worked, just didn't look very good ..