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Sun Oct 03, 2010 7:25 am

Hi,

Does anyone know if I can buy a new fuel gauge chrome bezel anywhere for my split bus please ?

I haven't had any luck on this side of the pond, and wondered who everyone goes to in the USA ??

Any help will be much appreciated.

Cheers,

Phil. :D

Sun Oct 03, 2010 9:59 am

None such as far as we have heard of.....

Sun Oct 03, 2010 10:08 am

To the best of my knowledge and judging by some wanted ads I have seen on the site, it looks like people locate another gauge with a better bezel when they need one.

I had a ratty gas gauge that had a really nice bezel and someone purchased it immediately when I posted it for sale. He only cared about the bezel condition.

Mon Oct 04, 2010 2:11 pm

Buying another gauge with a better bezel is your answer. Buy one that has a broken needle but a good bezel. The way to get the bezel off without destroying it is to grind off the lip on the back that keeps it on the gauge very very carefully with a Dremel tool & cutoff wheel. The Dremel tool buffer with chrome polish works great to polish and clean up the chrome as well. There is a plastic or metal insert under the lip and on the back side of the bezel that will get destroyed when you grind it off. You have to use a small metal pick or dental tool to get it out so that the bezel comes off easily. Once you get it off you do the same to your old gauge and then swap and use some 2 part epoxy like JB weld to glue it back together. I have done this a few times to clean up gauges and they look good. I can post some pix if this is too confusing.

Mon Oct 04, 2010 2:30 pm

Not to jack the thread, but I'm assuming the same process would be needed to clean the underside of the glass?

Tue Oct 05, 2010 4:39 pm

If you're lucky, you can find an old gauge with good chrome but a broken needle. It's impossible to remove the bezel by prying on the back, without cracking it in several places. The brass is very brittle from work-hardening during the manufacturing process, to a much greater extent than a normal bezel due to the curvy design (concave back to fit the Bus dash), and existing micro-cracks will open up dramatically when you start prying. You need a Dremel of Foredom flex-shaft with a mandrel for mounting miniature cutoff wheels to have any chance of removing the bezel without breaking it.

Tue Oct 05, 2010 5:36 pm

A little simpler way to do it, is to dremel the case of the gauge farther forward. That way you do not need to epoxy the bezel back on. Then all you need is two hose clamps and a bit of thin metal (like from a soda can) to clamp the now two halves back together.

Yes, the only way to clean the inside of the glass is to take the gauge apart.

Tue Oct 05, 2010 7:39 pm

zozo wrote: Not to jack the thread, but I'm assuming the same process would be needed to clean the underside of the glass?

I removed mine, cleaned it and had it installed in less than 2 hours
(with no experience whatsoever) following SCZ9-1-1's instructions. Thanks, btw.

Just be careful cleaning the face of the gauge, as the printing on it is very delicate and prone to fading or wiping off completely. Take it slow if you attempt this. Also, the needle is also very delicate and will snap off very easily if it snags on something or you apply much pressure to it.

Good luck.

Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:56 pm

oarse wrote: zozo wrote: Not to jack the thread, but I'm assuming the same process would be needed to clean the underside of the glass?

I removed mine, cleaned it and had it installed in less than 2 hours
(with no experience whatsoever) following SCZ9-1-1's instructions. Thanks, btw.

Just be careful cleaning the face of the gauge, as the printing on it is very delicate and prone to fading or wiping off completely. Take it slow if you attempt this. Also, the needle is also very delicate and will snap off very easily if it snags on something or you apply much pressure to it.

Good luck.
Better to just re-needle the pointer if the needle looks dried out and brittle. I have strips of needle material I can sell IF ANYONE WANTS SOME. You can clean the face with dish soap+water and your fingertip, then clear coat it with Rustoleum Crystal Clear, and it will look like new.

Tue Oct 05, 2010 9:01 pm

I've also found that the face plates from old gauges will fit new VDO gauges, unfortunately the bezels will not. Use the similar process to take apart the new VDO gauge, pull the plastic needle off and paint red, undo the two screws and put the old original face plate on, push the needle back on in the same position it was and voila! brand new gauge with old faceplate. The problem with the new VDO gauge is that you won't have the curved bezel. One solution to this is to use a about 3/16 of aluminum fresh air hose and trim it a little and when the gauge is tightened down it will compress to the curve of the dash. This looks better than just having a straight gauge. I will post pix soon if anyone is interested.

Tue Oct 05, 2010 9:05 pm

SCZ9-1-1 wrote: I've also found that the face plates from old gauges will fit new VDO gauges, unfortunately the bezels will not. Use the similar process to take apart the new VDO gauge, pull the plastic needle off and paint red, undo the two screws and put the old original face plate on, push the needle back on in the same position it was and voila! brand new gauge with old faceplate. The problem with the new VDO gauge is that you won't have the curved bezel. One solution to this is to use a about 3/16 of aluminum fresh air hose and trim it a little and when the gauge is tightened down it will compress to the curve of the dash. This looks better than just having a straight gauge. I will post pix soon if anyone is interested.

yes please post pics of the taking apart process and the final product, thanks

Thu Oct 07, 2010 5:09 am

I think I have found a supply of NEW bezels :D

I will place an order, and post some pics when it arrives (they are on back order so will be a couple of months though :( ).

It also has the curved back correct for a bus dash :D

Will keep you all posted (as I may need help / advise on how to assemble).

Thanks for all the help / comments so far :D

Phil. :D

Thu Oct 07, 2010 12:45 pm

OxonPhil wrote: I think I have found a supply of NEW bezels :D

I will place an order, and post some pics when it arrives (they are on back order so will be a couple of months though :( ).

It also has the curved back correct for a bus dash :D

Will keep you all posted (as I may need help / advise on how to assemble).

Thanks for all the help / comments so far :D

Phil. :D
Pics or it didn't happen.

Tue Nov 02, 2010 9:14 pm

Bumpity bump. Just a little more advice I thought I'd toss in,
If you're removing what's left of the pointer to re-clearcoat the face, don't remove the entire thing. Leave the brass hub/counterweight attached to the axle, because the axle is hair thin and snaps off 1 out of 2 times and the hub is equally hard to reattach without breaking anything. Grind the back of the plastic pointer away around the brass hub and pull it off, then when you're ready to reassemble, glue it back on the hub. If you spray the face with clear and it starts to bead, grab a brush and drag it back and forth through the clear before it dries. Sometimes the face is smooth and non-pourous, and the clear doesn't want to stick in the smoothest spots. There will be brush marks left behind, but it will eliminate any beading.

Wed Nov 03, 2010 9:45 am

Spoke to Morris at West Valley instruments after I destroyed my bezel trying to remove it. He said he can get the bezel...I guess will see!

http://www.westvalleyinstruments.com/

Wed Nov 03, 2010 6:07 pm

You might be able to get an elongated 52mm bezel out of England, and cut the concave into the back. I know some British motorcycles had elongated bezels, and they have that kind of thing reproed nowadays, in Taiwan. I can't seem to find what I'm looking for on UK ebay, though.

Mon Nov 15, 2010 9:27 pm

I've recently spoken to a supplier in England who's interested in reproducing the fuel gauge bezels. I'll probably be sending an original example to him this week. Everybody cross your fingers.

Sun Dec 26, 2010 2:14 am

It has arrived in the post !!!!!!

:D :D

I'll post some pics of it when I get a moment.

Very good quality, just need to work out how to fit it now :?

Phil. :D

Mon Dec 27, 2010 9:54 am

Here are the pics as promised......

(the original bezel is in the background).

Does anyone have any advice / tips of how to fit the bezel please ?

What should I use to fold over the tabs ?

Do I need to fold over a return all the way around ?

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,

Phil. :D

Mon Dec 27, 2010 10:54 am

Wow those look like the real McCoy. I'd contact Hollywood Speedometer or someone like that that does professional work. I'm sure there are people on TheSamba with the tool and skills to do it, too. It has to be perfect or it will scratch and gouge the paint.