Topic: Instrument appliques - how to get inside the speedo/tach?

[cookindaddy]

I have a green face speedo and a black face tach and I'd love for them to be the same. I think the 78K had green instruments, so I'm looking on Ebay for a green tach and come across these vendors of pretty nice looking stick on "appliques" that you can get in many colors including white.

My question is: how do you get inside the instruments to apply these? I just recently had my dash apart and took the gauges out of the chrome housing and looked closely at them. I wanted to open them up to clean the glass on the inside and to repaint the black housing they are in. I couldn't figure it out. Even though there are two small screws on the back of each, undoing these does not open up the instrument. They seem sealed by the swagged metal ring which goes around the perimeter.

Or have a missed the secret of how to open them up?

Or does anyone want to comment on refacing instruments with these stick on things and your experience with them?

Or, does anyone have a pretty nice green face tach that they would part with (or trade for my black one if you have a black speedo)?

Thanks!

[noisebomb]

That ring is holding them together.  You can carefully pry it away, or you can cut it.  Either way, you will have to reseal it when you put it back together.  There is a rubber gasket between the halves, and it is damn near impossible to get it back in there.

[Chester345]

Mine are both cut, and a new curved ring around them with a screw to compress the ring and pinch the halves back together.  I kinda wish it was more elegant looking, but it does the job and the screw is on the underside anyway.

Had to put new speedo guts in.  Be gentle in there, and lube up the gears while you have it open and are cleaning it out.

[pecan26]

I just asked about thi the other day but it was for he KO instruments with the plastic case. Someone sent me a link to another post that had posted(WFO) this link which is specific to the metallic cased instruments which you are speaking of:

http://www.salocal.com/sohc/tech/speedo/spedo1.htm