BushwackerBob
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2016
- Messages
- 54
- Reaction score
- 22
- Location
- Colorado
- My Car
- 73 Mustang Mach 1, Q code.
Today I'm taking that broken factory clock and making it a nice quartz clock. Total cost of this project was less than $30.
After I got started on this, I thought I should do a little how to while I was at it. Sorry, I thought of this after I got started. The only thing you missed was the disassembly of the clock and taking out the old guts. To dissemble gently pry the four tabs that hold in the clock lens and start lifting out the parts. Take off the hands and set then aside. The clock motor you won't be needing anymore and can discard. Take the little chrome button off the center hand. It's just glued on. Also save the time set stem. Set everything aside and pick where I am.
I purchased this tiny clock from Ronell Clock Company. Here's the link to this quartz movement. When ordering be sure to get the hands and a second hand. I used hands H-110 and second hand sweep S-100 $.20 extra. It's best to call your order in, because there is no way to add the second hand sweep when ordering on line. Their phone number is (800) 334-0135 and they are very nice. All together with shipping it came to about $17.50.
https://www.ronellclock.com/product/micro-mini-clock-movement/
This clock uses a 1.5 type N battery. Since we don't want to have to disassemble the clock every couple years, I built a battery eliminator for the clock. I cut a piece of 3/8" wooden dowel 1" long. I drilled pilot holes in the center of each end. I attached wires to each end using #4 3/8" flat head screws with small red terminal eyes. There are slots in the bottom of the case that I routed the wires through and put the battery cover back on.
I used the thinnest double sided tape I had laying around. I wanted the shaft to be able to extend as far as possible so there wouldn't be a problem putting the hands on. I attached the clock with the battery box instead of being at the bottom, I faced it to the left. This allows everything to fit in back in the clock case with no problem.
Next I trimmed the hands with scissors using the old hands for size. Then used a small file to round the end of the hands. There is a thin film on these hands. Make sure you remove it before painting. I masked the hands to keep the centers clean so they wouldn't bind. My kids had some small cans of green and orange fluorescent (hobby lobby), or better yet if you have something like hipro needle paint would work too. The little chrome button from the original second sweep was attached with a drop of super glue.
I pushed the old time setting stem all the way in and put a drop of glue from the inside of the lens to keep it there (it's just for looks now). Install the hands and reassemble the clock case. Route the wires out through the grommet where the electrical connector used to be. Crimp a AA battery holder to the wires and your done. Use double sided tape or Velcro to attach your battery case where you like.
Pro's and Con's
Pro... It looks original, because it is original. Just upgraded. These old clocks really didn't keep accurate time anyway. It doesn't cost $200 like the repoductions.
Con... The only way to set the time is to set an alarm on your phone for what time the clock says and when it goes off. Pop the batter in. I had thought about drilling a hole in the back of the case and using a pencil eraser to try to turn the set wheel on the clock... but this will work just fine this way. Batteries in these quartz movements can last a couple years.
After I got started on this, I thought I should do a little how to while I was at it. Sorry, I thought of this after I got started. The only thing you missed was the disassembly of the clock and taking out the old guts. To dissemble gently pry the four tabs that hold in the clock lens and start lifting out the parts. Take off the hands and set then aside. The clock motor you won't be needing anymore and can discard. Take the little chrome button off the center hand. It's just glued on. Also save the time set stem. Set everything aside and pick where I am.
I purchased this tiny clock from Ronell Clock Company. Here's the link to this quartz movement. When ordering be sure to get the hands and a second hand. I used hands H-110 and second hand sweep S-100 $.20 extra. It's best to call your order in, because there is no way to add the second hand sweep when ordering on line. Their phone number is (800) 334-0135 and they are very nice. All together with shipping it came to about $17.50.
https://www.ronellclock.com/product/micro-mini-clock-movement/
This clock uses a 1.5 type N battery. Since we don't want to have to disassemble the clock every couple years, I built a battery eliminator for the clock. I cut a piece of 3/8" wooden dowel 1" long. I drilled pilot holes in the center of each end. I attached wires to each end using #4 3/8" flat head screws with small red terminal eyes. There are slots in the bottom of the case that I routed the wires through and put the battery cover back on.
I used the thinnest double sided tape I had laying around. I wanted the shaft to be able to extend as far as possible so there wouldn't be a problem putting the hands on. I attached the clock with the battery box instead of being at the bottom, I faced it to the left. This allows everything to fit in back in the clock case with no problem.
Next I trimmed the hands with scissors using the old hands for size. Then used a small file to round the end of the hands. There is a thin film on these hands. Make sure you remove it before painting. I masked the hands to keep the centers clean so they wouldn't bind. My kids had some small cans of green and orange fluorescent (hobby lobby), or better yet if you have something like hipro needle paint would work too. The little chrome button from the original second sweep was attached with a drop of super glue.
I pushed the old time setting stem all the way in and put a drop of glue from the inside of the lens to keep it there (it's just for looks now). Install the hands and reassemble the clock case. Route the wires out through the grommet where the electrical connector used to be. Crimp a AA battery holder to the wires and your done. Use double sided tape or Velcro to attach your battery case where you like.
Pro's and Con's
Pro... It looks original, because it is original. Just upgraded. These old clocks really didn't keep accurate time anyway. It doesn't cost $200 like the repoductions.
Con... The only way to set the time is to set an alarm on your phone for what time the clock says and when it goes off. Pop the batter in. I had thought about drilling a hole in the back of the case and using a pencil eraser to try to turn the set wheel on the clock... but this will work just fine this way. Batteries in these quartz movements can last a couple years.
