Gauge restoration?

[Jagsare1]

Any suggestion? I think they all work, just looks like some of the lenses are potentially damaged. I tried cleaning and the surface is rough. Haven't had the chance to put more effort into them. Suggestions?

[bmorgil]

It can be quite a task restoring gauges. If they work you are ahead of the game. This is the guy you will hear the most about. I would send them here for a quote.

https://www.bobsspeedometer.com/

I did have an original speedometer in mine. In the end the cost to restore it and the look of the re-production gauges (looked identical) sold me on new ones. I think if I was really stuck on using the original gauges and I was certain they were the originals, I might have gone through the expense and time required. Mine would have cost a bunch and the wait was long.

[LarrBeard]

Many of the MIL-SPEC gauges were put together pretty tightly - very good near hermetic seals that can be diffficult to get open.

Look at them closely and see if there is an entry point (screws, etc.) Even so the glass may be hard to get out and you will need to get new glass made.

That dual scale (kM/miles) speedometer is unique - I've never seen another. Is the temp gauge in degrees F or degrees C?

[Jagsare1]

Here you go. I tried to blow the pic up a little to see more. I don't think there is condensation in them, the imperfection is on the outside of the glass.

[Jagsare1]

Many of the MIL-SPEC gauges were put together pretty tightly - very good near hermetic seals that can be diffficult to get open.

Look at them closely and see if there is an entry point (screws, etc.) Even so the glass may be hard to get out and you will need to get new glass made.

That dual scale (kM/miles) speedometer is unique - I've never seen another. Is the temp gauge in degrees F or degrees C?

I'll have to check the temp gauge when I get to the Jeep because I can't tell by the pics. This Jeep was made for the Swiss Army. Even the rear tires were made in Switzerland. Tells me the temp gauge has a good chance of being celsius?

[bmorgil]

If that "stuff" is on the outside of the glass that is a candidate for some polish. There are several glass polish compounds out there. You can even start with a dab of toothpaste. I have used toothpaste on T.V. Screens and auto glass. Straight up white toothpaste is very mildly abrasive and a decent solvent. It wont fill a scratch but it will polish away cloudiness.

If the gauges work I wouldn't touch them, other than clean and polish, until they don't work. If those are original, that is a nice set of gauges!

[LarrBeard]

The closer look shows that three of the four gauges are of US origin; they have a MIL-SPEC number on their face (MS-XXXXX). Even the dual-scale speedometer has an MS number! The temperature gauge is different - it does not have a flange around the case and it only goes to 135 on the scale - it's degrees C.

If you get a chance, please list the MS numbers for the gauges - I'll look and see if there is any info on getting them apart (non-destructively).

[Jagsare1]

I found this picture of a different Jeep but the cluster is almost the same. The speedometer is different(missing the kph) and the 2 right gauges are flipped. It looks like my gauge is definitely celsius. I was there today and forgot to take a look but will try and get the MS numbers.

Had a very bad thought.....since I just bought this Jeep. Found another fully restored M38. Mine is pretty nice and I believe all original which means it definitely needs some work and mostly maintenance but I could save all that work and get one already restored for not that much more. The question is what is mine really worth. Very bad thoughts.

[bmorgil]

It is all about the money for some Jags. All about the project for others and some just want a sweet old ride. It is all up to you, your enjoyment and your pocketbook. And you never know how well it was restored. I have seen some really nice restores in my time. Some of them looked good and ran well. Mechanically perfect. Expensive restores. Some looked great and hid many mistakes. I have seen some mega expensive restores that were beautiful pieces of junk.

When you do it yourself, or you work through it with a mechanic who is good, you know what you have. Unfortunately most restores done for resale are just a little lipstick on the pig. When you find a real restore, good quality work, it will usually cost you. After really going through mine, I can tell you no one would pay me what I want.

[TJones]

After really going through mine, I can tell you no one would pay me what I want.

I agree with you bmorgil 100%!!!

[LarrBeard]

"I found this picture of a different Jeep but the cluster is almost the same."

That second picture looks like the panel from an M-170 - the ambulance version of the M38A1. It has the four quick-release studs that allow the whole cluster to be "easily" removed for service. The tell-tale for that panel are the three lamps and their housings.

Your vehicle does not have the removable panel - the gauges are mounted directly to the dash. It is a different critter for sure.

[Jagsare1]

Yes sir, I wasn't saying it was the same, actually showing that some of the gauges appeared the same and a couple were different.

[5JeepsAz]

I found this picture of a different Jeep but the cluster is almost the same. The speedometer is different(missing the kph) and the 2 right gauges are flipped. It looks like my gauge is definitely celsius. I was there today and forgot to take a look but will try and get the MS numbers.

Had a very bad thought.....since I just bought this Jeep. Found another fully restored M38. Mine is pretty nice and I believe all original which means it definitely needs some work and mostly maintenance but I could save all that work and get one already restored for not that much more. The question is what is mine really worth. Very bad thoughts.



Oh lordy. We are in it for sure now. The dreaded pride of ownership is seeping in! When we get down to original versus replacment gauges it is bad enough. But when we get to original to the truck replacement replacement guages, oh my. Well, I regret going with a modern revisitation of the original instrument cluster. So i will butt in here. It looked cool. It was supposed to work. It didnt have mold. The red and green lights actually glowed the correct fractation. But dang it all. My plan is to go back the original cluster and just deal with the fact that it is 57 years old. So there it is!

[Jagsare1]

Funny you say that. I just want to drive a cool green Jeep. Not trying to make it into a parade show Jeep that is perfect. But, I think I have everything original so I am going to do my best to keep it that way. The worst part of this whole thing is that I am in the middle of a move and everything I own is packed away for now. I have no place to work on the Jeep and because of that, I am looking for things like carburetor rebuilders, etc. instead of doing it myself. I knew when I bought it that timing wasn't the best but felt it was a good deal on a nice condition 51 year old Jeep and I couldn't pass it up. Great time to sell a house....not so great to be building one. Raw land to top it off, have to bring in electricity, water, everything including building a 1500' road into the property. The fun part is the 36" of rain in the last 30 days. Makes road building a blast!

Someone earlier said the speedo was a little unique because it also showed kilometers.....so can't replace that because it is unique. Temp gauge is celsius.....can't replace that because it is unique(at least in this country).

[gmwillys]

The oil pressure gauge should be in bar or possibly kPa. KPa translates to a bunch of numbers clustered on gage.

The amp gage should stay the same as a universal measurements. Senior Chief master electrician can chime in if I'm incorrect.

[LarrBeard]

"The amp gage should stay the same as a universal measurements."

Amps is amps - unless some fizzicist wants to define the current flow as coulombs per second or some equally arcane unit.

[Jagsare1]

Tried to get more gauge pics. Obviously, the temp gauge is not original. Not 100% sure it is working. Same for fuel and oil pressure. But here are the pictures I got of them.