Console Clock restoration / repair

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Thought I would throw this out as a possible solution if you are not worried about original. Or you can tell them it is a rear option, lol.

I bought 6 consoles from a guy in Michigan and one had a Quartz clock in it. The Ford # is D4ZF-15000. I checked on eBay and there are several for sale. $39.77, $53.02 & $78.79. They say in ads it is from a 1974 - 1978 mustang. The original wire harness works but there is only one light bulb in the quartz and two in originals. So one of the originals will need a blown bulb to close off the unused socket.

All mounting lines up so no rework required to install. It is also a G.T. made clock.

Sorry for lousy pics for some reason the camera has started holding shutter open over a second so any movement blurs it and that is with flash on.

Link to eBay ad. http://www.ebay.ca/itm/1974-78-Mustang-II-Original-Used-Right-Dash-Clock-/332075027975?hash=item4d5136ce07:g:OYMAAOSw241YZAUl&vxp=mtr

Probably not quartz after reading some of the ads on eBay.





sites for uploading pictures

 
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As this has sparked some interest, I thought I'd add that I have had my clock running on a 12V power adaptor ( with jury rigged wires!) for over 24 hrs and it ran great, but did gain about 2 minutes over that time. Just strange to hear it clicking and clunking every minute or so. Now I don't know if I want to sell it or keep it. I only have a mini console in my car and don't really want to mess up my new carpet with screw holes to put in a full length one I just (sort of) restored. I do like the full length console, I just don't like banging my elbow into it when I shift hard and that's from passed experience with my previous Mach 1.

It's good to know that there are options for clocks in these consoles. It's a big ugly hole without one!

Thanks guys for ongoing information on the subject.

Geoff.

 
Good info from David. Now you have an alternative if not worried about staying original or can't find/afford the OE clock. The D4ZZ-15000-B (D4ZF-BB) is cheaper since it's not associated with the first generation Mustang. It was standard or optional, depending on the model, on 74-78 Mustang and 75-80 Granada and Mercury Monarch. While not Quartz, it is digital and was a trouble free clock when compared to the analog models. I installed a 1975 LTD digital clock in my parents 74 LTD after their twice repaired analog clock failed again. It kept perfect time and was still running the day they traded the LTD in for a 79 T-Bird!

Now you have a plan B!

 
Good info from David. Now you have an alternative if not worried about staying original or can't find/afford the OE clock. The D4ZZ-15000-B (D4ZF-BB) is cheaper since it's not associated with the first generation Mustang. It was standard or optional, depending on the model, on 74-78 Mustang and 75-80 Granada and Mercury Monarch. While not Quartz, it is digital and was a trouble free clock when compared to the analog models. I installed a 1975 LTD digital clock in my parents 74 LTD after their twice repaired analog clock failed again. It kept perfect time and was still running the day they traded the LTD in for a 79 T-Bird!

Now you have a plan B!
 Thanks Steve, some useful info there.

 I recently sold a nicely restored full length console, but missing the clock and the ash tray. I told the guy I'd sell him a clock if I could get a working one. Now I have alternatives to offer him as his car is not totally as original and I think he'll like a better clock anyways.

As for the missing ash tray, does anyone know of a source for these in good condition? I didn't see any on e-bay, but I might have not been looking too hard.

 
Funny thing - I have some of those pre-LED 'digital' clocks. I got them to use for parts, but there are none I can re-purpose into analog clocks. When I offered them up as console clocks years ago no one was interested. I may have to go blow the dust of of them.

(see, this is why you should never throw anything away!)

 
Funny thing - I have some of those pre-LED 'digital' clocks. I got them to use for parts, but there are none I can re-purpose into analog clocks. When I offered them up as console clocks years ago no one was interested. I may have to go blow the dust of of them.

(see, this is why you should never throw anything away!)
 Yes, blow the dust off them. IF they work, I might be interested in one,............. but my first born is no longer living at home! lol!

 
Here is Sam's schematic, feel free to build one.

It can be made about the size of a Zippo lighter.

Coils are fired by the capacitor bank, no direct

connection to battery.  No fried coils or burnt points.

https://www.repairfaq.org/sam/sgmccsch.pdf

mike
 Interesting Mike, but that's over my head!! Maybe some one can build me one. Nuts and bolts I'm fine with, but wires............ not so much!

 
Here is Sam's schematic, feel free to build one.

It can be made about the size of a Zippo lighter.

Coils are fired by the capacitor bank, no direct

connection to battery.  No fried coils or burnt points.

https://www.repairfaq.org/sam/sgmccsch.pdf

mike
 Interesting Mike, but that's over my head!! Maybe some one can build me one. Nuts and bolts I'm fine with, but wires............ not so much!

I have a plan.  Have an extra clock that is not quite right.  Where is that

place to send a clock for repair?  I think I saw $50.  Then we build Sam's

gadget and add it to the clock.  My mechanic was an Air Force electronics

tech in the 70's and 80's, this is child's play.  Parts maybe $10.  So far I am

out $60 and have two modified, only two on the planet, working Mustang

clocks.  I send you the modified one and you send me yours to modify.  And

we do it again.

mike
 
Here is Sam's schematic, feel free to build one.

It can be made about the size of a Zippo lighter.

Coils are fired by the capacitor bank, no direct

connection to battery.  No fried coils or burnt points.

https://www.repairfaq.org/sam/sgmccsch.pdf

mike
 Interesting Mike, but that's over my head!! Maybe some one can build me one. Nuts and bolts I'm fine with, but wires............ not so much!

I have a plan.  Have an extra clock that is not quite right.  Where is that

place to send a clock for repair?  I think I saw $50.  Then we build Sam's

gadget and add it to the clock.  My mechanic was an Air Force electronics

tech in the 70's and 80's, this is child's play.  Parts maybe $10.  So far I am

out $60 and have two modified, only two on the planet, working Mustang

clocks.  I send you the modified one and you send me yours to modify.  And

we do it again.

mike
   Mike, not following you on "where is that place to send a clock for repair" Perhaps I missed something.

So you know a guy who can build this "gadget" and add it to a now working Mustang clock. Where does it get power if no direct contact to the battery? If this idea is viable, it may be worth looking at IF I/we can get non-working clocks cheap enough. Am I following you correctly ?

Maybe go to a PM on this.

Geoff.

 
 Interesting Mike, but that's over my head!! Maybe some one can build me one. Nuts and bolts I'm fine with, but wires............ not so much!

I have a plan.  Have an extra clock that is not quite right.  Where is that

place to send a clock for repair?  I think I saw $50.  Then we build Sam's

gadget and add it to the clock.  My mechanic was an Air Force electronics

tech in the 70's and 80's, this is child's play.  Parts maybe $10.  So far I am

out $60 and have two modified, only two on the planet, working Mustang

clocks.  I send you the modified one and you send me yours to modify.  And

we do it again.

mike
   Mike, not following you on "where is that place to send a clock for repair" Perhaps I missed something.

So you know a guy who can build this "gadget" and add it to a now working Mustang clock. Where does it get power if no direct contact to the battery? If this idea is viable, it may be worth looking at IF I/we can get non-working clocks cheap enough. Am I following you correctly ?

Maybe go to a PM on this.

Geoff.

In Sam's schematic the capacitor bank is connected to the battery and not the coils, at least not directly.

When the spring winds down and closes the points in the original design that would fire the coils turning

them into electromagnets and activating a "hammer" that would knock the mainspring back to start over.

When the mainspring ran down and the points touched, repeat series.  Problem being when the points

occasionally stuck together it would fry the coils, full battery power on a dead short.

In Sam's design the coils are connected to a capacitor bank.  When the points contact the bank discharges

and fires the coils to drive the hammer and mainspring.  If the points where to stick somehow, no problem.

The capacitor bank cannot be recharged until the connection is broken.  Dead in the water, no smoke.

mike
 
I had mine repaired

Click to enlarge

Clock Servicing - Ford, Lincoln, Mercury OEM movement 1964-1973

Don't want to lose the classic movement of your factory clock by converting to quartz? Let me repair, clean and adjust the original movement. I can perform minor repairs to the movement for less than half of a conversion. If your original movement is not repairable I have a stock of repaired OEM units so I can replace the entire movement if necessary.

•If I can't fix your clock I only charge $10.00 for diagnosis and refund the rest of the service charge.

•Price includes a NEW set of contacts. The contacts are the most failure prone part of these clocks.

•If any other parts are needed you will be contacted before any work is done.

•Clock repair requires the core clock be complete and have a working set mechanism (used to set the time).

•Purchase a new lens from me and I will install it free of charge.

•Repaired clocks have a 2 year repair or refund warranty.

Available?  I need your clock. Estimated Turn-around is 10 business days between receipt of your clock and return shipping.

Clock Service

$50.00
 Where do I send the clock for repair?

mike

 
What kills the clocks is long term storage without a battery tender.

When the car battery dies it reaches a point where the battery doesn't have enough power to run the coils in the clock. The contacts that open and close for the coils gets stuck closed, that charges the coil but it doesn't have enough power to magnetically throw the contact to discharge. So the coil burns out usually right at the end of the connection. That kills the clock. If you are good with soldering you can unwind the lacquered coil that burned out 1/2 turn and resolder the coil connection that burned out and get the clock going again.

The trick is leaving the battery on a minder all the time preventing the battery from getting weak and killing the clock

 
+1 on Rocketman! +1 on a Battery Tender too! I had my fair share with my clock even frying my battery, after the car sat for a few days,  got it replaced under warranty :whistling: and a few months later the battery boiled over while driving down the Autobahn at a "decent" speed :whistling: , needless to say it left nice acid etchings on over half the engine compartment :mad: ALL THAT CHROME...RUINED :shootself: By the time I pulled over it was too late! I'm not saying it was caused by the clock but some gremlins were working under my hood ::devil:: ! This all happened in the mid 90's!  :cool:

 
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