Z900 clock restoration (now sorted, thanks)

[Gray17]

Afternoon Guys,
As part of my ongoing restoration i have stripped both my Tacho and Speedo to replace the faded faces, re paint the metal surfaces and also the glass. Using the screwdriver method and wirking my way around several times i have eventually removed the alloy trim rings without damage to the front face.
Bought new clock fronts and perspex screen covers, i am reuseing the original rubber seals. I checked both gauges using a battery drill to ensure working ok.
The needles were then removed using 2 teaspoons and a cloth under each side and levering upwards. The complete insides were cleaned and checked then new faces were fitted. The exterior was re painted after being carefully flatted. I have then re assembled everythi g in the reverse order and its all back together right ip to the point of fitting the trim rings.
I can fit the trim rings in the upper shroud ok by soaking in boiling water but no way can i squeeze the rubber gasket back in place, every time i try it just falls out. Now it sits around the green colured inner fascia and sandwitches the top and bottom together to form a seal before tapping the trim ring around again.
Question how the H@ll do you get the trim ring on over everything ready to tap down and hold everything in place?
Anyone whos done this please give me some tips.
As stated ive tried soaking rings in boiling water, could try in oven but dont want to damage new paint.
Any advice greatly appreciated
Thanks

[warren3200gt]

From memory Graham the rubber seal fits between the upper and lower shells. I think last time I had clocks apart I used contact adhesive and glued it in place on the top shell then compressed the shells together and then fitted the ring.

[Gray17]

Hi Warren, yes theres 2 the top rubber gasket fits between the glass cover and has a conical shape on its top this sandwiches the glass to the cover to the upper black surround, then you get the green (what i call light reflecting insert) which again is metal fits next with another rubber circular u shaped gasket, as you say this fits between the light insert and upper surround, which in turn sandwiches the upper and lower halves together to create the seal. I can get all these together fine. However when i then try to get the trim ring on place, its almost like its shrunk and wont fit, yet if i take the lower seal off it will.
Hence why i asked if you have to heat it up before fitting but dont want to blister new paint.
Im thinking maybe the gasket have swollen as soaked them in hot water to soften them before re fitting, been apart a few weeks awaiting delivery of the new faces too.
Another option may be to use 2 bits of wood top and bottom and a clamp to squeeze the 2 halves and compress the gasket. This is where i wished i had 4 pairs of hands Ha if only!
Ill keep trying they've got to go back together that for sure.

[warren3200gt]

It's a long time since Ive done it but recall compressing the two halves together in a vice adequatly protecting the face and base with thin ply wrapped in cloth.
Need to remember to have the ring loose on there before sticking em in the vice!

[Gray17]

Thanks Warren, i did think of that but my idea is to open vice wide enough to lay the 2 edges of the top cover into the jaws protected by a cloth so that the trim ring sits on the flat of the vice jaw top, but not tightened just enough so it rests on it. use the clamp to compress the 2 halves together and tap the trim ring closed, gradually rotating it as you go.
I know member Phillippe from Belgium has done this (seen a post) and believe he made a holder out of plywood unfortunately i dont have a big enough hole saw to do it and its a lot of work to make for a 1 off. Another option would be to leave lower gasket off and use a gasket material between the 2 halves to seal it, im using a special silver type at moment for the engine cases that starts off as a liquid but changes to a gasket when it dries but pulls apart easily. Just thinking out loud.
Thanks for your input, ill keep at it. As i say its got to go back together one way or another
Cheers

[Gray17]

Hi Guys, well progress made with the help of Percy.
Clocks now fully refurbed or at least as fully as im able to do myself.
New faces fitted, new glass screens, fully re painted, new bulbs as needed, replacement top idiot lamp sticker, new ignition switch, all wiring tested and gauges too using a drill.
As you noted if you do this yourself once you release the rubber gaskets they expand slightly, this means when you come ti refit trim
rings they are extremely tight, however i used a plastic clamp between 2 blocks of wood and dusters to sandwich the assembly together the re fitted trim rings. Its extremely difficult to re git trim rings without causing any damage, but I've done the best i can (see photo) considering they were scratched, rust on the covers, the faces badly faded the glass screen scratched with dust internally and several bulbs not working, no warning sticker at all. Im happy with the end result maybe not perfect or as good as a proffesional but near enough for me.
Ps if youre wondering who Percy is Percy-verence Ha!

[deka]

nice work

[LTD Project]

Hi Gray
Where did you get the new gauge faces from, used in this rebuild?

Thanks

[warren3200gt]

Nice work Graham just a quick observation, I thought your bike is an A4, those style pictured are of clocks/idiot lights for a Z1A and Z1B.

[Gray17]

Hi Warren, yes your correct, yet another part thats not quite right for my model, i think the previous american owner tried to turn the bike iinto Z1 rather then leave it as an A4, other distinguishing points, remains of black on engine casings (now fully stripped and vapour blasted back to original), the silver in the original photos was silver spray very poor quality too. Black on the wheel hubs, again vapour blasted and polished to original now. The clocks since that photo i have bought the a4 idiot lights and correct mounting bracket and new ignition switch so now looks as it should, the only thing not correct is the brake light warning in the clock the A4 shouldnt have 1 but not stripping down again now, thats something ill hav to live with unfortunately. Already spent a small fortune.
In fact see my other post re front wheel rim.

[warren3200gt]

Unrestored original A4. Neutral, oil, high, stop

20230207_085018.jpg (111.18 KiB) Viewed 484 times

[Gray17]

As everyone says their only original once! Its a fine line between wanting originality but needed functionality and good looks, mine looked original but were faded nearly white in places the needles were faded too and casings rusty in places, i could have left them but felt i needed to restore them to as new condition to suit me, i have kept the originals should any new owner wish to revert back, not that im selling anytime soon!
Incidentally someone asked where i got my clock faces from, not sure if i answered but it was a company in Holland CB750 faces.com