Can this cracked gauge cluster bezel be repaired?

[Mark E.]

Can this be repaired? Or is it junk?
It broke at the usual weak point.

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[Richard M.]

Re: Can this cracked gauge cluster bezel be repaired?

Mark,

That looks pretty delicate but I've had good results for many years with my BSSG method.

Rich

[Harry S.]

Re: Can this cracked gauge cluster bezel be repaired?

I just ordered ---- > https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...G01HBOZ1&psc=1

Watch the video.

It's for a non-car project. It might work for you.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Can this cracked gauge cluster bezel be repaired?

The one in my 72 has been cracked as long as I've owned the car.
I carefully align the two portions, and it has not (yet) been detected in judging.

Repros and later service replacement pieces have extra "slag" in the wording for the radio, so I've not been interested in replacing mine with an obvious non-original piece.

Just sayin'.

[Edward J.]

Re: Can this cracked gauge cluster bezel be repaired?

Mark, how about a piece of small flat steel and some Jb weld.

[Grant W.]

Re: Can this cracked gauge cluster bezel be repaired?

Hi Mark
Muggy weld.
You will have to score the chrome side and add a piece of aluminum metal to brace it.
I will try it later this week on my broken bezels and see how it comes out.

JB weld holds for a while and will sooner or later break, Same with the liquid glue with the light. Same stuff I tried on some certain plastic and didn't work. I use this stuff for fly tying

Grant

[Greg L.]

Re: Can this cracked gauge cluster bezel be repaired?

This is how I fixed the one side of mine. What I did was make a doubler/brace from some thin metal about .030 because that's what I had laying around. Regardless you want it thin enough so that it doesn't interfere with the side panels or be seen if there is a slight gap. Then I cut it to match the back side of the panel and extend about an inch beyond the crack. Then roughed up the back side with my Dremel so the JB Weld would stick, carefully set the crack in the panel and bonded the doubler to the backside.

Its much stronger now than it's ever been and you have to really look to see the repair and at this all you will see is a very small crack in the chrome.

[Leonard M.]

Re: Can this cracked gauge cluster bezel be repaired?

I didn't take all the before pictures, but I did what Greg has said. Except, after making the "angle brackets" out of steel for the back side, I also drilled 4 holes through the bracket and the bezel, used JB weld, inserted pins through the holes for correct alignment and added stability, (used the shafts of 1/8th rivets) let it set up, then grinded the excess pins, added JB weld to back of brackets for some bulk and filled, sanded and sprayed. I did one side at a time.
I try to fix things mostly out of curiosity and have way more in the bezel than it's worth (75.?) It seems very sturdy, but it sits on a shelf and has not been installed.
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[Mark E.]

Re: Can this cracked gauge cluster bezel be repaired?

Wow, thanks guys for all the advice and how-to's.