C3 Clocks help

[Kenneth T.]

My clock quit, as most do and I replaced it with a Quartz movement clock.

Now, I miss the stutter of the second hand and the snap of the solenoid winding it up. I have several clocks that stop and go, no coil issues, they will snap when the contacts are made. It seems that they stop just prior to closing the contacts.

If I apply slight pressure to the spring mechanism they will continue. Has anyone tried to increase tension on the mechanism buy clipping the spring?

I have lubed them and watched them go for hours, sometimes minutes, but they are not reliable for judging.

Ken

[Edward J.]

Re: C3 Clocks help

Ken, when I took my clock out of the 72 ,I took it apart and blew the dust out and 3n1 oiled it and cleaned the points its been 2 years now. maybe I just got lucky.

[Kevin G.]

Re: C3 Clocks help

Ken,

If you page through your owners manual, you will find that an annual cleaning and lubrication is recommended. I wonder how many owners actually went to the trouble of tearing the center stack out to perform this maintenance?

Best of luck,

Kevin

[Kenneth T.]

Re: C3 Clocks help

Kevin,
Annual? I have all the Corvette News mags that offered tips on suff to do, but my car is forty years old and I do not want to put the real clock back in until I can hope it works long enough to pass without me having to stumble into the car and bump it to get the clock started. Question? Will the judges notice if I do?

Ken

[Kevin G.]

Re: C3 Clocks help

Just have someone distract the op's judge just long enough to snap the knob and get it started!

[Gerard Q.]

Re: C3 Clocks help

I replaced the quartz clock in my 71 with one that had a NOS movement. I purchased it from the Clock Works and it's been working for the past 3 years without a problem. They can also restore your clock.

http://clockwks.com/The_Clock_Worx.html

[Bob D.]

Re: C3 Clocks help

I had D&M redo my clock as original and it works great. Keeps time perfectly. They use brass gears in place of the plastic used by the GM contractor.

[Kenneth T.]

Re: C3 Clocks help

My thanks to Gerard and Bob, Kevin of course; always a good source,for your input. The prices for Clock Works are very reasonable.

I have a Q clock in the car now and wanted my original back. So, I did clip the spring, call it a britz if you will. It has been running on the bench for a whole day now and I think increasing the tension has helped.

If it continues until tomorrow I will consider pulling the dash and putting it back when the weather improves.

Again, thanks all...this is spring fever at work, I can't help but tinker with all this stuff.
Ken