Tiger Fuel Gauge Restoration,
or,
"Put on a Happy Face!"
An Article by Joe Parlanti
March, 2002
Page 2
To remove the inner face, you’ll need to take it out at the same time as the movement itself. The needle is very fragile, so care must be taken to keep it from bending. Unscrew the 2 slotted barrel nuts on the back of the gauge and work the inner face out of the housing while holding it face down. This will allow the movement to fall free and be supported by the face with no load on the needle assembly. Once removed, gently slide the needle and movement out from the face. Here are photos of the inner face and movement:
Now that everything is apart it’s time to start cleaning, polishing, and painting. Note the discoloration on the needle tip exposed to the light.
- Gauge Faces
Clean them with a mild cleaner such as soap and water or glass cleaner. Test first on an area that won’t be seen for adverse reactions. The paint and silk-screened letters seem to be pretty durable though. The main area to be improved is the lower 1/3 of the gauge faces. Apparently, these gauges tend to fill up with water or moisture which collects there and leaves a stain. Washing as described above will get most of the dirt off but won’t restore the paint if it’s faded from UV exposure.
- Glass
Wash with soapy water and then polish on a buffing wheel if desired. I find that buffing really get the glass clean.
- Movement
Check first to make sure that the thin wire is still connected to both terminals. I haven’t checked with a meter but there is probably an optimal resistance that can be measured (if anyone has input, I’d appreciate it).
**
