37 dash/gauges restoration

[pyrodork]

i'm trying to figure out how to get my dash off. it seems the only thing holding it on still is these bolts along the windshield line that have half-moon shaped nuts under the dash. how do i remove these?

gauges:
trying to restore/repaint the gauge numbers on the underside of the glass face. i can't be the first one, but i'm finding nothing online. i bought a florescent gauge paint on ebay, but now that i'm trying to apply it, i'm having problems. i don't have a brush small enough to paint only the number etchings. i tried painting a little around them, then wiping the excess clean ever so slowly, but it will pull up a bit of the paint that's supposed to stay. a decal would be great, but i doubt there's such a thing for the 37.
i'm also seeking a cleaner for the gauge faces. it's white-ish and textured (possibly a bit luminescent, too). my past experience says that a standard cleaner will remove the finish. is there a safe alternative?

i'm also seeking affordability. the well-off shouldn't be the only people to fix up old cars. i'm on a very tight budget.

ply33, these may be issues you'd like to address on your site.

[broker-len]

send me a E mail at bobnroman@yahoo.com we can talk on the phone I may be able to help

[pyrodork]

i got the gauge numbers painted by using a tiny screwdriver as a brush, an exacto knife, and glass cleaner. essentially wiped the paint across the numbers like a silk screen and cleaned it up after it dried. i used up the whole bottle of paint through repeated errors, but i got them done and it looks nice. painted the adjacent brown trims with a rustoleum dark brown satin enamel spraypaint. it's not exactly the same (but consider 80 years of fading), but it looks really good. now i need to get the green lenses replaced; which i will obtain through a pro audio store via spotlight gels.

have not found a cleaner for the gauge faces, but a paint guy i've known for years at home depot said to use krud kutter. i noticed they had a similar spraypaint to the finish; but i don't know about luminosity or new decals for "plymouth" and "floating power." i lightly used goo gone, and it seemed to work ok, but i still wish i could rejuvenate the colors.

[1isenuff]

Hi, sounds like you may have solved the painting of the numbers on the glass but in case there are any others facing the same problem, here's how its done.just paint over the numbers or the letters with a good enamel paint, I have used testors white model paint and also ivory pin striping paint. make sure you fill the etching in the glass, no need to get real sloppy but make sure you cover all the etchings. When you are done there will be about a 3/4 inch paint stripe all around the glass. Let it dry over night. Take a new single edged razor blade, mist the glass with a little water from a spray bottle,place the razor blade on the glass about 10 degrees from flat and simply shave over the numbers--the paint in the etch will remain and the excess is history. I have done quite a few and it's really easy, must have been the way they did it at the factory. have fun

[jpage]

Check out the thread on the Dodge and Dodge Bros. forum under '36 dodge gauge colors. I have posted a photo of a gauge panel with new decals I had made for my 36 Dodge. Not quite exact but they look good. I had them made at a graphics shop.You miht be able to find a refletive paper closer to original color

[DodgeKCL]

I took my gauges faces to one of the local computer graphics places,the guys that put those huge graphics on trucks, and they scanned my gauge plates into their computers. They then cleaned up the printing,hit black and white which put the colours back to original clean and bright condition, and printed out self sticking decals. They make the decals bigger than the plate so you can cut it down to the edges. They actually cut the needle opening and the holes for the 2 plate screws. I think by laser. The decals are VERY forgiving. If you screw up and stretch the decal or get it on crooked all you have to do is take it off hold it in front of a heat gun and it will assume it's original shape. You can then try again. Two decals done this way for my oil and gas gauge cost $40. I went back about 2 weeks later and got another set,they keep all work in their computermemeory, and they made 2 more 'spares' for $10. I suspect that they could do glass decals by simply printing the letters on clear substrate? You would apply the decal on the back side of the glass. If you can't remove lettering from your car because it's part of the dash say, they can use a digital camera photo if you can give them the measurements. They recommend the letters in this case be slightly bigger than the originals to cover up any ghost of the originals.