How To Restore Vintage Gauges

Overview: My experience with cleaning and updating the shoebox Ford's gauges was surprisingly straight forward; it needed it's wiring replaced, it needed new bulbs and most importantly it needed a good cleaning. Vintage gauges require a certain amount of care. Obviously they are old and pieces can be brittle, such as the needles, but you also have to consider the paints used to mark the indicators. When cleaning make sure you use a mild cleaner OR test your cleaning product in an inconspicuous location on the gauges. In my case I tested out the use of the Super Clean degreaser in a subtle spot and it proved to be fine for my gauges. You should test this out on your gauges first to be sure it's safe. Another option could be a glass cleaner which is generally a more mild product than a degreaser.

Important note: Some vintage gauges use a special paint from the factory to cause a "luminescent" effect. Over time this paint does degrade and become much less visible which is often the case with these old gauges. My gauges no longer emitted any discernable light which is why I chose to simply clean the gauge faces with the Super Clean product that I did.

Wiring/Converting voltage: 6v positive ground to 12v negative ground requires some planning and use of proper voltage reducers and fresh wiring. The guages on a 1950 Ford can be easily updated with a "runtz" style voltage reducer or something like the DROK reducers I used. The runtz are a simple in-line component and attach directly to the stud on the back of the gauge. The DROK reducers are wired inline. Both are pretty simple, but the DROK reducers required a little more wiring. I made a plate that housed all 3. No matter what you will need a reducer for each gauge.

The lights: Updating to 12v makes a world of difference, but there's an additional measure worth taking; removal of the bulb lens. This lens casts the light that reacts with the luminescent paint, almost like a black light with fluorescent markers. I removed these lenses and opted to use basic incandescent 12v bulbs #1893 which work perfectly with the plug in style bulb holders. These are a nice single wire holder with use the housing they plug into as the ground.

In conclusion: This is a very simple task but certainy requires some finesse and care for the old components. Sometimes they have become brittle despite still working, and because of this you must take your time. If you don't have a steady hand you may consider asking someone who does to clean the instrument faces so you don't damage the needles. The wiring is very easy so don't be afraid to dive in, just remember that soldering is the best way to make a solid connection. Good luck and if you have questions you can always comment on the YouTube video to get some feedback/advice!