dash clock wanted for Triumph Spitfire 1500

The Stag clock looks good in the Spit 1500, because it had a matching bezel. They aren't made by Smiths, I think Kenzle or somebody made them. They were standard fitting in the Stags, but try and go for a Mk2 version, as some early Mk1's won;t have the black inner bezel.

There aren't any on eBay - I looked yesterday!

David

The Dolomite also has the same clock as the Stag, so that widens the search a bit.

David

Those 2" Kienzle clocks were used on a variety of cars. The P6 also had them. They were clockwork electrically wound, hence the clunk every so often.

Thanks David,

I have been looking on eBay myself for a while but I can't see any,!!

Simon.

Thanks David,

should be some dolomites in the Irish scrap yards then, but if anyone has what I am looking for, please let me know as the hole in the dash is bugging me!

Simon.

You would not notice the clunk from that clock in a spitfire then ;~)

Simon.

I'm not really surprised. I looked for one at Stoneleigh restoration show a couple of years back and had a job finding one of that size. ISTR there was a chap selling new or refurbished ones for 45 quid. There were plenty of larger clocks though.

They come up on Ebay all the time. But they're not cheap, especially Smiths.

Willy Eckerslyke realised it was Tue, 18 May 2004 18:30:40 +0100 and decided it was time to write:

I haven't looked hard, but there's at least one 2" Smiths clock on Ebay now. It has orange hands, though, which would be completely out of place in a Spitfire dash.

This doesn't seem too bad for a new one, then:

You mean the 60mm Smiths ones? I could have had a dozen for a quid each at a recent autojumble, but got just one. Should have bought them all and flogged them for loadsamoeny on Ebay.

I am fairly sure I have some Smiths and ex-P6 instruments & clocks lying around somewhere. eBay here I come!

Simon H

I have owned two Dolomites. The clock didn't work in either of them, so I never heard the clunk.

Jim

In general, they are pretty reliable. For some years before quartz clocks arrived they were the answer to a decent electric clock from a DC source. Clocks with a form of DC motor were very poor timekeepers - due, I suppose, to the vast voltage and temperature variations in a car.

Yep I ued to replace them with the VDO clocks which kept on working.

What's a VDO clock?

Jim

True. I ended up with a Kienzle clock with orange hands and a modern looking face that looks wrong in my Vitesse, though better than an empty hole.

That looks very similar so I guess the Stoneleigh ones must have been new then. You're right, it doesn't seem bad value, until you start thinking of all the other more essential bits you can buy for the same money...

Yup. They were selling at anywhere from 5 to 15 pounds each S/H.

What's the bet that someone else did exactly that!

"Jim Warren" realised it was Wed, 19 May 2004 10:21:10 +0100 and decided it was time to write:

VDO instruments.

Also thinking about it I used the bezel from the Triumph clock and pushed the new clock through it. The Triumph clock is a larger diameter than 2". There are heaps of 2" instruments around and easier to procure.

Smiths make a range of 2" instruments.

rm

Simon

See my other post re clock which on recall I used the bezel off the old clock, used as a reducing ring, and pushed the 2" new clock through it as the Triumph clock is much larger in diameter. The clocks and warning lights were recessed into the wooden dash.

Having said this then I think that the bezel from the segmented warning light arrangement will also fit the clock through its inside diameter. These are in a range of Triumphs 2000 2500 Dogamites etc

Failing that you could always have a reducing ring turned up from Stainless steel or aluminum and polished to fit any 2" clock.

rm