|
|
Veteran
Posts: 103
Location: Phoenix, Arizona | We are having a couple of Benrus steering wheel clock mounts for 1957, 1958 made (second series). We have until the beginning of next week to give them an amount to produce. They will be made of stainless steel so they can be polished and don't need to be chromed. The price will be about $500 each.
If anyone wants to have one made at the same time please let me know as soon as possible. Send a PM, or email me at frank@arizonaclassic.com.
|
|
| |
|
  
Location: Under the X in Texas | That's one expensive machine shop doing the work. |
|
| |
|
Veteran
Posts: 103
Location: Phoenix, Arizona | It is pretty expensive, but it will be done right. These of coarse will have both upper and lower parts machined, not just the sheet metal brackets that the other years use. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1357
Location: Iowa USA | I hope you have an original to use as a pattern?
Have seen them made before that are very easy to spot as incorrect because of their profile being wrong.
I have seen them made in aluminum and un-plated brass and they stand out because of the different material and shine.
Have you considered using brass so that they can be chrome plated to match the horn ring?
|
|
| |
|
Veteran
Posts: 103
Location: Phoenix, Arizona | Hey Roadkill. We have the option of using any material, but choose stainless because not all chrome is the same, but stainless can be polished to match the very best chrome job. For example, one of our clocks is going into a wheel with 12 year old chrome, and the other is going into a fresh, show chromed horn ring and we should be able to match both with stainless. Of coarse stainless could also be chromed.
I know what you mean regarding reproductions typically looking 'off'. We had a re-pop kit here 10-15 years ago and I remember that it did look a little off because it was slightly too tall.
As far as styling, ours will look like the originals on the exterior bezel side, but on the interior of the horn ring they will be different because the lower housing will be machined instead of the stamped metal.
Since you are the authority on the Benrus clocks, do you have any pictures or links to mounting kits that have been reproduced? I would like to compare the style of the ones we are having made compared to others. I have seen the Italian one Raffe had made and it seems to function well, but I never saw it installed in the ring.
I will send you some pictures of ours when they are done and installed. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1357
Location: Iowa USA | ARIZONA-CLASSIC - 2013-06-12 6:41 PM
Hey Roadkill. We have the option of using any material, but choose stainless because not all chrome is the same, but stainless can be polished to match the very best chrome job. For example, one of our clocks is going into a wheel with 12 year old chrome, and the other is going into a fresh, show chromed horn ring and we should be able to match both with stainless. Of coarse stainless could also be chromed.
I know what you mean regarding reproductions typically looking 'off'. We had a re-pop kit here 10-15 years ago and I remember that it did look a little off because it was slightly too tall.
As far as styling, ours will look like the originals on the exterior bezel side, but on the interior of the horn ring they will be different because the lower housing will be machined instead of the stamped metal.
Since you are the authority on the Benrus clocks, do you have any pictures or links to mounting kits that have been reproduced? I would like to compare the style of the ones we are having made compared to others. I have seen the Italian one Raffe had made and it seems to function well, but I never saw it installed in the ring.
I will send you some pictures of ours when they are done and installed.
I am not an expert on polishing stainless so I will take your word on it that you can make it match.
I agree that the back of the clock does not matter as long as it properly holds the clock. And I will also state that very few people would know the difference in the front profile but if you are going to spend that much money making the retainers nobody(including myself) should be able to distinguish it from an original while installed.
I do not have any photos on my website of wrong retainers because I want the documentation to be correct and not confusing. but I think I have one on my laptop that I will have to dig out. The back of the original retainer is diecast not stamped steel. I do not currently have a complete assembly in hand or I would be glad to loan it to you for dimensional data. I do have a few of the mechanisms on hand! |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1357
Location: Iowa USA | Lots of pictures on this page to help get the profile right http://roadkillontheweb.com/desoto_chrysler_benrus.html
You should also be able to see the back is die cast pot metal not stamped steel.
Edited by roadkillontheweb 2013-06-12 9:53 PM
|
|
| |
|
 
Location: Parts Unknown | And to think I had a hard time getting people on board for one of these at $100 ! 
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 4589
Location: Northern New Jersey | Hey Rosy...
Here's Your Chance! |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2788
Location: USA - KY | 
Bwahahaha...very cool, those Benrus clocks be!
(And why am I talking like Yoda?  )
 |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1352
Location: Springville, CA | The very best polished stainless can look amazing, but it will not look like the very best chrome job! They are two different metals! And, depending on which stainless is used they can even have a very yellow cast. Now don't think I'm trying to say they won't look great, they just won't look like chrome! |
|
| |
|
Veteran
Posts: 103
Location: Phoenix, Arizona | Well since I have the attention of a few veterans, I would like to ask for opinions on a little debate we have been having here regarding the clocks.
By far the most common setup for cars with Benrus clocks is to also have a dash clock. Some of us feel like this would not have been correct. We have seen, and have, original dash clock delete, or block off plates. Although it would probably be frowned upon on a high dollar car, would having a dash clock delete be more correct on cars originally sold with steering wheel clocks?
I know people have seen numerous cars with both, but it could be said that alot, if not most, cars with Benrus clocks had them either added by a dealer, or at a later time.
Opinions? |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | I don't think I ever saw an original, unmolested 57-58 DeSoto or Chrysler with a
Benrus clock installed. 56, yes, but I cannot remember ever seeing a 2nd generation
car with one that was not added by a latter day collector. Large stocks of these
were still available N.O.S. into the 1990's when I bought mine for a mere $30 a pop,
indicating they made far more of them than demand called for at the time.
My guess is they were dealer installed, even if the car was ordered from the factory
with one, just like wheelcovers. Just too easy to lose in transit.
As to whether the dash-mount clock was deleted, since I question how many of these
were ever really installed in the cars when new, I am going to say the latter day observation
is contingent on whether any given car was ordered with a dash clock new or not.
I kept the original dash clock in my Desoto. One never knows when your passenger
might want to know what time it's not. 
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1357
Location: Iowa USA | My old Adventurer ragtop had one installed and had the block off plate in the dash at least it was there in 1960 when the second owner got it. I believe if they were factory ordered by the dealer (a check box on the order sheet) the car would have the block off plate installed. Now if the clock was shipped locked up in the trunk or not I do not know! More than likely if a car has both it was either installed later or installed by a dealership at the point of sale. I would also assume that on occasion if the dealer sold one they would pull the dash clock to sell to someone else or put in a low option car on the lot. Of course all of this is just guess work as I have never seen any factory correspondence that deals with this issue.
Yes in the 90s they guts of the clock could be purchased fairly cheaply and Benrus produced many more than there was demand for. But this was just the working mechanism with no retainer. The same clock was used in VW applications as well as Plymouth and Chrysler/Desoto
In the shot below you will see Tom White's FI Adventurer. It has a dash clock and a steering wheel clock. It also has a record player even though the factory was no longer offering them or standing behind warranty service since 1957. However if the customer wanted it and the dealer had it on the shelf you can bet they would be glad to install it. Also shown is a VW Benrus application.
Edited by roadkillontheweb 2013-06-13 1:10 PM
 (ndc05 123s.jpg)
 (vwbenrus1.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
 ndc05 123s.jpg (154KB - 144 downloads)
vwbenrus1.jpg (44KB - 137 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Regular
Posts: 89
| I know this is an old post but if anyone is still looking at it, I can add that I have an early 1957 Adventurer which according to the Chrysler build sheet was definitely ordered with a steering wheel clock. It also has a dash clock but I obviously have no idea when the dash clock was fitted - at assembly or at the dealers or even much later by an owner. My thoughts are the a high end car like this with an expensive steering wheel clock option looks very odd with just a blanking plate on the dash and if it had been me ordering one of these from new I'd have wanted both clocks - just to make the dash look right! Of course people might have thought differently in 1957! |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2196
Location: Muskego, WI | I had a 1956 Imperial sedan with a steering wheel clock and the clock on the passenger side by the glove box. To be honest, the standard dash clock is pretty useless to the driver because of it's location. So in the imperial, clocks on both ends of the interior didn't seem redundant. |
|
| |
|
Regular
Posts: 89
| Great to hear your thoughts and I agree. I think the same is true of the '57 Desoto's the dash clock which is quite a way over on the passenger side and certainly not ideal for the driver. However, quite a few of the "top" cars I've seen advertised have a steering wheel clock (possibly retrofitted) but no dash clock but a rather ugly blanking plate.
Mark |
|
| |
'57, '58 Benrus steering wheel clock mount, need one?
