VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1946-1948 Wind up dash clock

So I was getting ready to get my dash clock wired up and working and discovered it's a wind up and not a battery powered. What's the correct procedure for winding this....I don't want to overdo it and break something.

The one in my 52, I just wind untill it stops winding. Work good.

Good deal, thanks!

Is it wrong of me that I find this wind up clock as cool as I do? Lol

Yes. Those clocks from 41 thru 48 were very nice and complemented the speedometer very well. Beautiful.

What i never have gotten is an understanding which ones after 1941 had the red hands. Maybe some one can enlighten all of us. Gene, Chipper, Ray or anyone?

They do tick a little loud. If you don't think so try sleeping in your car with the clock a-ticking away. it will be difficult to sleep. Reminds one of Poe's "A tell tell clock" I think. So if you and the missus have had any hard feelings you may want to make up before going out and sleeping in the old Fleetline.

Good thread. Thanks for posting.

Charlie

BTW; There was a nice shot of a 47/48 clock in the movie, "Hail Ceasor." It was toward the end of the movie. Excellent movie. I recommend it.

The 1942-1948 clocks had the red plastic hands. The faces were the same for 1942-46 and 1947-48.
Also the clocks were made by three different manufactors.
An eletrically wound clock was an accessory.

Did the red bleach out? Mine are white and I have spare speedo and clock that are also white. No red anywhere on them.

Keith,

Your experience mirrors mine. I was thinking that some models came with clear/white and some with red depending on the model.

Gene's post has me more confused than ever. And, I perttly much stay confused. I know, I know.

Charlie

This is what is in my 48...

They were all a vivid red when new,,,were not expected to be exposed to the sun for over 60 years.

Nothing has changed. My '95 S15, pointers were the bright orange you see at the warning areas on the dials when new. Now a pale yellowish. Only 22 years.

I like the wind up clocks,they do not run the battery down when in storage. I just put one in a car that was converted to 12 volts until I get the original converted to 12 volts.

My 96 Monte Carlo needles bleached out also.

I had the wind up clock in my '48 sedan repaired recently and after it was repaired and sent back to me I had this exchange with the repairman, Paul Stoehr:

Paul: By the way, your clock was manufactured 5 … 26 … 1941....

Me: So...was the clock originally in a '41 and maybe salvaged and put in mine later? Or did Chevrolet have many of them made in '41 and warehouse them til after the war and use them in the '46 -'48s?

Paul: You know, I am not sure. Your clock was the same style I had in my 1941 Chevrolet. If I recall, the clock was an option, so maybe someone bought the clock later and installed it in your Stylemaster. Same way with the radios... Heck, even the heater/defroster was an option!

I just went through some of my photos, and the 42 clock was different.

...Mickey Holton

First the clocks were made by thre different suppliers. Westclock, lux and Waterbury.
The 1941 clock had a silver face.
The brown face of the 1942 and 1946 was the same
The face of the 1947 and 1948 was the same (brown face with tan center.)
The Master Deluxe/Stylemaster did not come with a clock. If a clock was desired it was a dealer installed accessory. An eletric clock was a dealer installed accessory for all models.
The clock always matched the speedometer.
I can assure you Chevrolet never made a surplus of 1941 clocks but a dealer could have had some left over and installed them in later models but the the silvver face would have looked odd.
What color is your clocks face?

"I can assure you Chevrolet never made a surplus of 1941 clocks but a dealer could have had some left over and installed them in later models but the the silvver face would have looked odd."

Gene,

All we 1941 owners take exception to your use of the word "odd" in your statement mirrored above. The grand pontentate of our marque has asked me to respond. So, the next time you compare a 1941 to some other year Chevrolet please use the term "different" or, as in the instant case, "better" would be more appropriate. I trust this note will be sufficient for you to realize your poor choice of wording and change your ways. We will be watching. Will too!

Charlie

Gene,

i checked with the grand potentate and he says your response is adequate. And, that your apology is accepted. He says you may rise.

He says that your complete capitulation demonstrates that you knew all along that "odd" was disrespectful to 41ers and is crystal clear evidence that you have been caught red-handed and without a smidgin or scintilla of defense for your demeaning choice of word.

He wonders where you learned to grovel so well. I said I didn't have a clue but such skill may come from mental damage owing to many years of having to explain the grease under your fingernails at weddings and balls and such.

Enough.

Charlie

Found this thread and am having a clock issue. My '41 Master Deluxe has the wind up clock but isn't working. I can turn the knob to the left, which I assume is just free wheeling but not the right, which is presumably the way it winds up. I can pull the knob and set the hands to the right but can't just turn it. I took it apart and exposed the gears but can't figure it out. I lubed the works with WD-40 but no soap. Can this be fixed or should I shop for a clock delete plate or another clock that works? Thoughts?

I think you have "overwound" the clock.

I am not a fan of using WD-40 for clocks. Mix some Oil Eater with some water and soak the clock in the solution. Occasionally, remove the clock and make the clock be in the same plain as what you are working and twist violently. Repeat!

Thanks, I'll give it a try. I think it was overwound when I got it and I've mostly just left it alone. I'll let you know how it turns out. I have a delete plate in place for the time being. The WD 40 was just a spur of the moment idea.

While were on clocks, I remember getting in my Grandfathers Customline when I was a lad, and my job was the official clock winder. Gramps taught me to wind the knob back and forth until you could feel the spring starting to resist you ,then stop. I have always wound clocks/watches this way, but now it sounds like everyone just keeps turning it in one direction. Does it matter how its done?

So, after overnight, and with WD-40, the clock started working, but only for a few hours. I couldn't find Oil Eater locally, so I tried something else: WD-40 rust release penetrant and that seems to have done the trick! I've reassembled the clock and am letting it run for awhile before reinstalling just to make sure everything is operating. I'd like to see if it runs down and I can rewind it and keep it running. If nothing else I am getting better at removing clocks and disassembling them! Thanks for your help.

I've read that WD40 is more of a solvent than a lubricant.

I suggest talking to a local clock smith and get his/her recommendations on a lubricant for the clock mechanism.

You certainly don't want to pull the clock out again in the near future.

Cheers, Dean

I have fixed several wind up clocks in 1950 Chevrolets. I was in camera repair for over 40 years so something about small precision mechanisms. Assuming it is entirely metal, clean it by soaking or flushing in a pure solvent. The idea is to dissolve the remaining old lubricant and in that way get rid of the fine grit that has accumulated in the bearings. Dry it completely. Overnight would be good. Then lubricate each bearing with a tiny amount of light oil. I have used TriFlow oil for many years after I was exposed to it at Leica where they used it in the shutters of the Leicaflex cameras. Bicycle shops have it and I think Home Depot. By a tiny amount, I mean, if you can see any oil after you have put it in the bearing, it was too much!

Thanks for the tips. As of now the clock is running well and winds up properly. I'll keep an eye on it. I'll bet it got a miniscule amount of dirt that kept it from operating and maybe I did just enough to break it loose. Thanks!