I'm preparing to repaint my speedometer face plate. Both my speedos are currently painted black, but I want to go back to the original color. I've seen speedos which are either a smooth, or a textured light shade of gray. Anybody have spray paint color recommendations? Thanks!

If your looking to spray the face plate the factory gray wrinke finish, VHT sells a wrinkle gray (as well as black and red) in spray can form. It's an extremely convincing version of the original finish.

Here's a couple of online sources.

http://www.pitstopusa.com/detail.aspx?ID=1458

http://www.caswellplating.com/vht/vht_high.htm

http://vht.carshopinc.com/product_info.php/products_id/56289/SP205

http://www.autotoys.com/x/catalog/VHT_WRINKLE_FINISH_VHT_SP201_204_205_p_1996.html

I do believe that NAPA still carries this line as well, however, I do not recall seeing the red or the gray on the store shelf. Maybe they could order it for you.

Before you spray the face plate, spray some test panels to determine the exact texture that you desire. The amount of heat and light applied to the surface AFTER spraying will change the appearance of the texture. More heat and light results in a larger, more grainy surface. When using wrinke paint, it is really important that the paint itself AND the item to be sprayed are at a decent temperature. 65 to 75 is perfect. If the paint is warm and the surface to be painted is cold (or vice versa), the wrinkling affect may not be satisfactory.

If the color is not close enough for you, I would suggest that you still spray the face plate with the VHT gray (unless of course you want it black or red). This will give you a textured surface and will be a perfect basecoat for the final color. After it is completely dry, you could spray it the color of your choice. A lot of larger automotive paint supply stores will put whatever color you want into spray cans for you. Just go through their color chip books and pick a color you want. I would suggest having the paint made in either enamel or urethane as lacquer could attack the surface, changing the appearance of the texture. Spray your chosen color in very light coats. Too heavy of a coat will obscure the texture. You may need to experiment with this process to make sure that you can pull it off without changing the texture too much. It has been done this way before, but I have only seen it done when using paint sprayed out of a gun where the paint could be thinned enough so as not to affect the texture. If you are spraying from a rattle can, you will have no control over the consistency of the paint itself. This may be the limiting factor, but it's worth a try.

Christopher

I cannot give you a direct colour-code - but the original paint is textured, in a green toned grey - if that make any sense!
I'll try make up a photo reliable as possible!

/Soren

Thanks for paint color advice. Now, I'm trying to figure out best ways to clean, and more importantly, lubricate various internal speedo parts. Really don't want to go to the speedo repair shop with this, unless I absolutely have no choice.

It's pretty easy to see remnants of grease on various pieces, I was thinking of relubing these particular areas with either white lithium or wheel bearing grease. I'll try to eventually get a pic posted to show exact areas/ parts I'm talking about.

The odometer and trip odometer assembly is different story, there is no way I'm going to take those apart and have all the little numbered discs, washers, etc... possibly breaking or go flying out of my hands, to be lost forever....

I took my junk speedo apart and sprayed PB blaster all over the odometer and trip odometer assemblies, cleaned up nicely, but I'm not sure I want to do that with the actual assemblies I end up using. Concern is that using the wrong lubrication may only work temporarily, and also harm the tiny plastic gears in these mechanisms, and lead to failure.

Read on internet how somebody washed their entire odometer assembly in water/ dish soap, dried off completely, and lubricated with machine oil. Not sure if thats the proper way to go either.

Going to hook up my 2 extra speedos to cable in car next week, and see how far off the odometer readings/ speed is on them. If it's way off, might end up taking speedo to speedometer service shop after all for the cleaning, lubrication, and calibrating. If readings aren't that far off, I sure would like to try and clean/ lube myself and save 6 weeks time and $100++ Any advice would be appreciated.

I'm sorry to say, that I really don't know much about restoration of the speedo. I think the dry climate you might be living in is more rough to the speedo? To be honest, I haven't heard of any here in Denmark gone thru that much of attention to the speedo. Only the general problem with the paint for the front drying out and falling of..

As a matter of fact, I have had more than 40 120's thru my hands, none with a speedo broken...

Anyway, I would pay a visit to a local watch/clock-repair store and ask for hints for lubrication.. If you have a store like that ?

Air-brush lightly - shouldn't be anything else than dust in there. For electrical industry you can get a little spraybottle with a tiny brush mounted, for cleaning electrical switches and so - that would probably be a good method and cleaning-product.

Do it yourself! Thats a hole lot more good feeling afterwards! If anything really goes wrong I would ship you a complete nice used speedo for apr. the same amount.

/Soren

I have rebuilt a couple of speedo's, but never a Volvo one. I used white lithium grease on all of the gears and such, and used 3 in 1 oil (a light lubricant made by WD-40) on all of the areas that could affect the actuation of the needle. Simple Green worked good for cleaning all of the old crap off of the parts before reassembly.

Christopher