Clock clean and repair attempt

mcmlvii said:
If the clunk you hear is every 1-1/2 minutes or so, it's the mainspring winding.
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Hey that is pretty cool, now I like the noise it makes. Didnt know it winds itsself. At least now when people are standing in the garage and ask why the chrysler just clunked I can explain what it it. She sits in the garage with top and windows down so it quite noticable.
 
Big_John said:
As funny as this may seem... It's a sound that I remember from one of my Dad's cars when I was a kid.
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Not funny at all. My parents had a '66 Fury VIP 4-door when I was a kid and I remember the clock clunk too. Another thing I remember is the clock's knob used to get loose so Dad had to dig out a jeweler's screwdriver every so often to tighten up the miniscule screw in the center of the knob. They had the car for 20+ years, so I got a lot of seat time in that car over the years. That's one thing that drew me to my Sport Fury. It's a car I always dreamed my parents' car should have been.....
 
I got my clock back from clock works. Quick turn around. Hopefully I will have time to install it this weekend. :)

IMG_20150320_180212197.jpg

IMG_20150320_180212197.jpg
 
The clock is back in Goldie. 24 hours later she is keeping perfect time, which is always a good sign.

IMG_20150321_163435453.jpg

IMG_20150321_163435453.jpg
 
These clocks (at least the ones I've looked at) have a mechanism to slow or quicken the balance wheel regulator. I haven't quite figured out how it works but the gearing for setting the time is somehow linked to the hairspring regulator, so for example if your clock is running a little slow, setting the time forward somehow nudges the balance hairspring regulator in the proper direction to get the clock to run a little quicker. Someday I might have to delve into how that works....
 
mcmlvii said:
These clocks (at least the ones I've looked at) have a mechanism to slow or quicken the balance wheel regulator. I haven't quite figured out how it works but the gearing for setting the time is somehow linked to the hairspring regulator, so for example if your clock is running a little slow, setting the time forward somehow nudges the balance hairspring regulator in the proper direction to get the clock to run a little quicker. Someday I might have to delve into how that works....
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The guys at clock works must have set it or I am lucky. After 24 hours it is still right on the money, which is going to be good enough for me. I generally unhook the battery if I am not going to run it for a few days.
 
Great result. I repaired the clock in my 1965 Newport around 1993. I used a quartz conversion kit from J.C. Whitney catalog. I still have the original innards. It appeared to work by a "solenoid kicker". When the contacts came together (>10 min interval?), it would actuate a solenoid that would wind the spring more, similar to old "self-winding" mechanical watches of the day. Years later, the quartz clock stopped working. By then, I had come to rely on my wristwatch anyway. I don't think the clocks in any of my cars are correct today, since too much trouble resetting them after disconnecting the battery. I recall in the 1970's when having a dash clock was a big feature, but nobody cares today. About as critical as the old "electric eye dimmer" proved.
 
Edison said:
How hard is it to get these out of the dash?
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It's been a long time since I took mine out, and if I remember right that it's easier if you take the glove box out, or you get it from under the dash. Then everything is right there for you.
As other's have said. I did my conversion about 15 years ago, forget from whom but spend about $80 bucks back then. Mine's been running fine since, still have the old movement somewhere. As a Horologist, now that I leaned something about the old movement. I may just ply with it and see if I can get the old one going?
 
I am resurrecting this thread as I am going through the same adventure of getting a working clock.
Got one of my spares working last night but it is running fast.
I see there is a hole masked over and just wanted to know how easy it is to adjust.
 
mr. fix it said:
I am resurrecting this thread as I am going through the same adventure of getting a working clock.
Got one of my spares working last night but it is running fast.
I see there is a hole masked over and just wanted to know how easy it is to adjust.
Click to expand...
Just a note, if you do get it running right, do not adjust the time via the adjustment stem. It will actually change the clock's running speed, and cause it to run fast or slow depending on the way you turn it. The best way to adjust the time is to disconnect the battery overnight and plug it back in when the clock and real time match.
 
The Horvaths said:
Just a note, if you do get it running right, do not adjust the time via the adjustment stem. It will actually change the clock's running speed, and cause it to run fast or slow depending on the way you turn it. The best way to adjust the time is to disconnect the battery overnight and plug it back in when the clock and real time match.
Click to expand...
ok... interesting approach and since I have not repaired or adjusted one before I'll follow along
 
i have my clock out of my car just haven't got around to cleaning and fixing it yet...
 
mr. fix it said:
I am resurrecting this thread as I am going through the same adventure of getting a working clock.
Got one of my spares working last night but it is running fast.
I see there is a hole masked over and just wanted to know how easy it is to adjust.
Click to expand...
If it is gaining time, just keep setting the clock back everyday. Don't worry about turning it backwards etc. The clock has a self regulating feature that will eventually make it keep perfect time. Same if it losing time.

I've done this adjustment on many cars and it always works.
 
Thanks mine is running fast too. For some reason I didn't think you could turn it back.
 
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