1948 Dash Clock

Blindhuckster

Blindhuckster

Senior Member
My buddy bought this nice 1948 Coupe yesterday. Very nice car. The clock is not working. The previous owner said it was a wide up clock. So I have several question. Is that correct? Was a wind up clock standard for 48 with an electric as optional? When you spin the thumbwheel at the bottom, it turns without resistance. Pull it down and spin and it and it adjust the time hands on the display. If it's a wind up, how is that accomplished. If it's electric, I assume it will need to be removed and sent out for repair. What is the best way to remove it from the dash. Car has been converted to 12 volt. Thanks Nate Anello
 

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Hello Nate, I have a '46 2 DR SD and have gone all over this car. I can't believe there is much difference between the '46-'48. On my car and perhaps your friends '48 the clock is a ELECTRICALLY wound clock . There is a spring loaded relay that allows the clock to run about 40- 45 seconds , a pr. of contacts close and the clock is wound up again. There are 2 leads to the clock, one is power( fused circuit) and the other for the light bulb ; works when lights are turned on. My clock is held in the dash with retaining clips. Perhaps when the '48 was converted to 12 V , the clock was put off for later. It's a bear to get to if you are over 5'5" . Have fun !
 
Look at the back of the clock. There should be a wire coming out in the area of the center of the clock. If that is present it probably is an electric clock. There will also be a wire for the light bulb and socket. My 42 has a wind up clock, but both my 46 and 48 have electric clocks. I haven't seen a wind up for 47-8 but it doesn't mean they don't exist.
 
I believe your clock is 6V electric, with the same mechanism as I have in the clock in my '46 Super Deluxe. If it has been powered up by 12V, the winding solenoid my be fried. There are two nuts on the back of the clock that holds it in the dash. I took mine out as it was not working, took it apart and found the the contact points that initiated the solenoid to wind the mechanism were not making contact. I cleaned them, reassembled the lock, powered it with 6V in the shop, and adjusted the screw on the back side several times, until it kept the correct time over the period of a week.
 

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As a point of interest, I have had both manual wind and electric wind clocks for 1951 Fords. It seems odd that Ford would have gone backwards. Anything is possible though.
 
Thanks for those responses. The car was obviously a frame off restoration with a mild hotrod treatment. 350 chevy motor and auto trans with a 9" ford rearend. Looks to be of very high quality work. After market wiring kit. What will make this a more challenging undertaking is that it has a Vintage Air aftermarket add on heat and A/C system. I believe the evaporator and heater core unit is mounted under the dash right below the clock location. I have to take a closer look next time I have a chance and see if it's going to be possible without removing that unit to get to the clock.
I wonder if by removing the glove box -liner if we'd be able to see the back of the clock wiring and mounting hardware.
 

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If you remove the glovebox you'll have good access. Just did it on my 46. It can be done without removing the liner but it would make it easier.
 
I had the clocks in my 54 (12V) and 56 converted to a quartz movement. They have worked great, earliest one was done almost 20 years ago.
 
Thats a nice coupe but suspected it had an ohv in when I saw the steering wheel and air in the dash. My NZ assembled 48 has a clock and it is pure windup...... then again all our 46/48 Fords carried a RHD version of a US 41 dash.

GB
 
You should be able to access the clock if you pull the glove box liner. I would convert the clock to a quartz movement. Only need to change the battery in it about every two years and they keep perfect time.
 
tubman said:
As a point of interest, I have had both manual wind and electric wind clocks for 1951 Fords. It seems odd that Ford would have gone backwards. Anything is possible though.
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Same up to at least '55. My '55 originally had a wind-up, but I have an electric for it. Same for all years prior, as far as I know. I had the same thoughts about it being strange if they didn't have a wind-up in '46.
 
Woodie may have nailed it. I had a 1965 T-bird with an electric clock. The contact points would get burned by the small spark between them every time it wound so I would occasionally have to burnish them with fine sandpaper. This might not be an ideal situation because those contacts may have been plated so cleaning them would remove that but Im not sure. I would think if a 6V clock was run on 12V there would be a problem eventually, the coil is only energized very briefly.
 
The Early Ford V8 club states there were wind ups in 46-48 along with electric. The sales literature states the wind up was std. on the Super Deluxe and Electric optional. The green bible only shows electric as a service part for 46-48. I replaced the clocks in my 46 and 48. Both were electric from the factory. Borg and Westclock were vendors. Everything I've read of that time period indicates they were fighting supply issues. I imagine it was whatever was needed to get the car down the line.
 
Has anyone seen a clock that worked back in the '40s, '50s, '60s . . . . My reproduction '68 Mustang clock still 'keeps' accurate time continually after three years. Thank you-
 
The one in my '51 is also pretty accurate; I had it professionally cleaned and had to fool around with the S/F adjustment, but I got it now.
 
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