Wanted Slat grill speedo dial face plate, bezel, and glass

[gfos]

Hi All, I'm looking for a replacement slat grill speedometer face plate, bezel, and glass. I have the remains to 2 slat speedometers, enough good parts to make one.... I hope. Thanks to the tutorial on rebuilding one here on the g list. One Speedo came from a dash were someone put a bullet through each gage, but missed most of the internal parts and the needle of the Speedo, at least it let the water drain out. The other has a bashed in face, it had a useable outer canister, but little else was salvageable. I might be able to silver solder two good sections of the outer bezel together, but a good replacement would make things far easier.

I would like to get an original useable Speedo face plate if possible, or restored one. A repro as a last resort.

I had read a few years ago that someone used a rescreened speedometer face from a later long needle MB / GPW Speedo, as a replacement. I have no idea if that's true, or which of the 2-3 manufacturers the donor would have came from. It seems ify to me, but if true it would be nice to know if there is another source for a rescreen able face plate if it comes to that.

Please PM me if you have one, or know who might I might look.

Thanks,

gfos

[Chuck Lutz]

The slat grill speedo uses a cupped face and all others use a FLAT face. Maybe you can salvage the cupped one with the bullet hole it it with a little time and effort?

I think the glass is the same thickness but as you know, the bezel is also different from all the other speedos the jeep used.

Good Luck

[DavidA]

My good friend Paul Fitzgerald sent my speedo face to Bobs Speedometer and it came back looking really nice. I have heard lots of opinions as to the services from there but in my particular case, it worked out fine.

[gfos]

I wish there was enough left to save of either Speedo face The bullet hole is about .45 caliber. It hit along the bottom of the beveled edge, rust ate away the rest of the lower part of the face plate once the fir needles held water there. The other is mangled and split.

I wonder if there is another Speedo by the same manufacturer of that vintage, that shares the same speedo face plate regardless markings (civilian or military). Or shares the same opening spacing for the odometer numbers, etc, but has a larger dial face? A larger dial face would allow me to either die press, or metal spin the correct bevel angle and trim to size, and rescreen. Does anyone know the manufacturers model or part number for these speedometers, I can't see anything marking on mine.

I've also had good luck with Bob's speedometer. They did a nice job on some Smiths gages for me. I haven't tried them yet. I've read in the past that a fellow in France does nice work on these, as well as someone in Australia. Does anyone have contact info for these people, maybe they might have a spare face?

I appreciate all the info very much,

gfos

[DavidA]

If I understand you correctly, you have two faces that are bad? Is it possible to make one of the two?

I believe you can use an early Moto-Meter face but then you would have just as much fun finding one of those as you would the original.

[gfos]

I tried sectioning out the damage on the one face with the bullet hole. I made a die to press the beveled edge into a replacement section. Making and fitting the section isn't hard. The problem comes when you solder them together, the heat warps the face, and the seem then becomes an issue. I tried annealing and reforming, but the thickness difference at the seem in the join, and how quickly the thin metal work hardens makes it nearly impossible to form acceptably with a consistent bevel.

If I can't find an original replacement. I guess my options come down to this.

I find a Speedometer dial face that has roughly the same spacing for the odometer number Windows, but is of a large enough outer diameter to give me enough material to either die press the correct bevel all the way round, or to make a spinning buck (spinning die, for metal spinning the bevel on a lathe)

Or just start from scratch and make complete die and punch set to make my own. At least I could screen on the dial face before it was formed. It would be a fair amount of work for a one off though.

Does anyone have the contact information for the fellow in France, or Australia that I have read about on the g list who rebuilds these. I would like to talk to them about any possible substitutions, reproductions, or replacement face plates.

Thanks,

gfos

[wo2jeeper]

I tried sectioning out the damage on the one face with the bullet hole. I made a die to press the beveled edge into a replacement section. Making and fitting the section isn't hard. The problem comes when you solder them together, the heat warps the face, and the seem then becomes an issue. I tried annealing and reforming, but the thickness difference at the seem in the join, and how quickly the thin metal work hardens makes it nearly impossible to form acceptably with a consistent bevel.

If I can't find an original replacement. I guess my options come down to this.

I find a Speedometer dial face that has roughly the same spacing for the odometer number Windows, but is of a large enough outer diameter to give me enough material to either die press the correct bevel all the way round, or to make a spinning buck (spinning die, for metal spinning the bevel on a lathe)

Or just start from scratch and make complete die and punch set to make my own. At least I could screen on the dial face before it was formed. It would be a fair amount of work for a one off though.

Does anyone have the contact information for the fellow in France, or Australia that I have read about on the g list who rebuilds these. I would like to talk to them about any possible substitutions, reproductions, or replacement face plates.

Thanks,

gfos

I think when you reproduce some you can share your costs here on the Gee perhaps even with Ron. Reproduction faces are not avaible so if someone makes them others are for sure interested. But be aware the quality has to be high then because you are entering the world of the Jeep Police then also So perhaps you only need to invest some time and costs in advance but I am sure you will get your costs out easy. The French guy you find here http://www.leboncoin.fr/services/188771583.htm?ca=7_s
Good luck

[DavidA]

Aaaaaarrrghhhhh.....I knew I should've taken French. I have a temp gauge that needs fixing.

[wo2jeeper]

Aaaaaarrrghhhhh.....I knew I should've taken French. I have a temp gauge that needs fixing.

Just use the email function by pressing above the photo on his name. The rest is figured easy. He speaks English and will respond to the email adres you fil in. Bon chance !