All you guys that have installed a TPP instrument cluster

Discussion in 'Interior City' started by CJay, Mar 6, 2017.

  1. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    When installing the factory threaded gauge studs from the old cluster into the TPP cluster, did you drill out the bosses slightly or just screw the studs into the factory holes as supplied by TPP? I started screwing one in and its going in a little tighter than Im comfortable with. I don't want to snap or break a brand new cluster. I also afraid of the plastic bosses splitting so Im contemplating drilling the holes just slightly larger so they screw in with a little less effort. Whatcha think?
     
  2. mrolds69

    mrolds69 "The Cure"

    Jason, this info is in another thread here some place! I think they said to heat the studs......it was a few years ago. There were different solutions , I think.
     
  3. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    Yeah, I cant seem to find it. Im leaning towards drilling them out ever so slightly.
     
  4. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    Jason,

    I found that there were two different types of studs. One was a bit thicker on the side that screws into the cluster, than others. I found that out the hard way. I would drill them out a bit.
     
  5. 87GN_70GS

    87GN_70GS Well-Known Member

    Clean out your pm box
     
  6. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    Cleaned out, try that again!
     
  7. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    Just getting back to the issue at hand. The diameter of the holes in the bosses are too small out of the box, that's for sure. I started out by drilling them out the next size larger which was 9/64. Its a hair larger. I tried the one stud and it was still going in a little tight. I barely got a few turns on it and the plastic just started to split. No good! So I went to the next size larger which is 5/32. That was it. The studs still had some resistance in the hole as I screwed them in but screwed in so much easier. They bottomed out and got tight. So that's that. I suspect that the cluster is made from a more brittle plastic than the original. Not too much "give". Finesse and patience are the words of the day with this piece.

    The next issue is the damn woodgrain doesn't fit quite right on the repop cluster. I thought the woodgrain was cut wrong but it fits like an absolute glove on the OE cluster. This is the woodgrain that goes on the left side of the dash with the wiper and headlight switch. Its just "off". Like the hole for the wiper switch is just slightly off from where it should be and the area that the woodgrain fits into is just a hair longer so the woodgrain doesn't quite reach each end. Im going to have to trim the one end of the wiper switch hole to compensate and even out the shortfall on the left and right sides if makes any sense. I'll try and post up some pics later.
     
  8. mrolds69

    mrolds69 "The Cure"

    I thought the earlier TPP bezels weren't painted right...the black around the woodgrain was missing. Is that bezel painted right? I understand what you are saying about the cut on the piece. If you painted black behind that piece it might not show? It's a thought........
     
  9. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    Its not painted right. Its still chrome where it should be black. And the two screw holes on the bottom aren't countersunk. They're just two big holes. Not sure what Im going to do there either.

    But we're Buick guys so we should be thankful for poor quality repro parts. :rolleyes:
     
  10. Jim Weise

    Jim Weise EFI/DIS 482

    Jason,

    What your experiencing with the TPP bezel around the wiper, I have had same issues with the OE... not all of them are created equal.

    Ya, I miss that work...NOT... :rant:

    JW
     
  11. TORQUED455

    TORQUED455 Well-Known Member

    I installed one of these bezels last year in my convertible and had the same experiences that you are having. Whatever you do, don't mention it to Joe @ TPP. It's perfect according to him lol. It is clearly a very nice piece, and it wouldn't have taken much more to make it right. The wood grain around the wiper switch is frustrating, along with the paint issues. I spoke with Keith Diabo at length about the cluster as he has had NOS ones as well as a TPP one. The TPP one is good enough for my junk, but takes some correction, which can be very time consuming on a concours deal. On the screw holes, I carefully did the in and out trick with a lubed screw while holding my breath. It worked.
     
  12. mrolds69

    mrolds69 "The Cure"

    It IS a good piece that almost every 70-72 Skylark can use. It's like the fan shroud, nice piece, something that was needed, expensive...but considering your options, not bad. It's just that it would take just a little bit more to make these items REALLY nice and fit well. Like Jason, says..." suppose we should be grateful". It drives me crazy........
     
  13. bignastyGS

    bignastyGS Maggot pilot

    Sorry guys.but I keep saying they make mostly inferior pieces..You would think they would investigate their fitment better and get better quality assurabce on their parts..We are just money paying customers and are forgotten after that from them..
     
  14. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    I didn't try holding my breath as I did it. I used the standard butt clench method as I screwed them in. I'll have to give that a go for next time :)
     
    HotRodRivi likes this.
  15. Guy Parquette

    Guy Parquette Platinum Level Contributor

    I know TPP pissed me off...and I don't get pissed off very often.

    http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?237901-Stage2-style-hard-line
     
  16. IDOXLR8

    IDOXLR8 Senior Member

    I talked to Todd and he is first class, but after all my research I think I may buy the kit that Eastwood sells and air brush the nice core that Scott Miller gave me. I'm a nut on fit and after seeing some of the over seas reproductions I have installed for customers (Chevrolet) this looks par for the course.
     
  17. IDOXLR8

    IDOXLR8 Senior Member

    Why has no one posted a picture of a completed reproduction cluster with the wood grain installed? I can only find little pictures on the web sites.
     
    B-rock likes this.
  18. 12lives

    12lives Control the controllable, let the rest go

    Al - PM Bob and ask him!
     
  19. LouV

    LouV Silver Level contributor

    Here is my TPP bezel. The applique is from the guy in Arizona who says his appliques light up but don't. I have 2 sets of them that are the same and are dark. The bad spot is the lower left hand corner of t he headlight section. I measured the distance of the applique area and the respective distance of the applique and verified that the measurements were different. This corner was not square. I got some dark brown paint that pretty well matched the woodgrain and filled in the area before application. I noticed some other areas were also off just a tiny bit so I painted all the areas along the edge to cover the tiny chrome slits. I am pleased with the part.

    Lou

    upload_2020-3-4_11-56-49.png
     
  20. IDOXLR8

    IDOXLR8 Senior Member

    If I'm seeing this right there is a good size gap there! I would say if the company offering the dash should make the wood grain transfer that fits there dashes! I think I will be going the $$$$$$ route. I talked to "Just Dashes" and the guy said he does do the 70-72 Clusters. As far as the players in the game on restoration of our gauge cluster please post the BEST player to send my plastics parts to, AL
     

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