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So, I got the OD cable routed this weekend, as well as the steering column and shift linkage in. The linkage I need to clean in the steering column, and adjust a little bit. It is not so smooth as it could be. I also got my kmh speedo, and started going over the dashboard....The clock needs cleanind oiled and the points cleaned up.... Gushaaaa....What, where can I get/use here for ?hrmachen ?l? Neatsfoot oil? Fragezeichen? How about just using brake cleaner or so to clean out the old oil?
I was amazed to learn that the gauges which are all grey used to be red! That blew my mind. Now I have a red speedo in the middle and grey clock and gas/temp gauges...

The gages in 53 juniors were very pretty when new, but the red dye used to color the annodized aluminum faces was not particularly stable and faded. I was many years in the packard hobby before I knew they were supposed to be maroon. Here is a 13K car with original faces.

I have had excellent result recoloring the faces with Duplicolor Castblast red, which is basically a red tinted clear laquer. One or two light coats jumps the faces back to their original maroon. Of course this requires complete disassembly, Fortunately, the numbers are on the clear plastic dials and are unaffected. After the color coat you can go back and retouch the white tic marks on the temp and gas gages with a small brush. Use flat white model paint on those and on the instrument hands for a stunning result. Yes its a pain but a first class dashboard makes me smile every time I get in the car.

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Is there any trick or helpful hint on removing the two screws from the bottom of the instrument panel under the dash? I can't lay on my back very long to make an extended attempt. I need to replace all lights and also see if I can get the speedo cable connected and operate.

If your cluster is like the one above, the two on the bottom should be studs with a nut and lockwasher. IIRC, one on the right is a bit hard to get to because of clearance. I think the mounting is still the same on the revised 54 Clipper cluster. No trick I know of, just perseverance.

One thing to be aware of when trying to remove the cluster is the wiring. It may be tight as well as stiff and insulation may be brittle. Be prepared if it does not co-operate when trying to pull the cluster out. If a segment of loom was looped and installed behind the steering column brace, believe those wires will have to be disconnected before cluster will move more than an inch or so.

Thanks for the info, I will take a hard look at the wiring before I attempt the removal. I had hoped there was a special tip that would make it easier, but I know now my back will pay for getting this done. Did you put both nuts back on or just the easy one?

I had the dash out when removing the cluster so both nuts went back on. I know others have left one or both off. I don't think there is an issue leaving one off but to eliminate vibration or any sign of looseness, maybe add a thin strip of felt or something to the cluster or the dash opening. Anything to provide a cushion and filler to make it more of a tight fit going back into dash opening.

I removed the governor from my Ultrmatic and cleaned it up, per instructions from Ross. I never thought I would get it out, it took me several hours under the car. It was reinstalled in less than an hour. I knew it had to be done so I kept at it until it was. Now onto the instrument cluster. Thanks.

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Mike, in the 1950s a few vegetable watch oils like castor oil were commonly used but much more animal watch oils like bone oil (neatsfoot oil) or, especially in USA, whale oil from toothed whales. It was good but after a couple of years it became resinous. A decade later, in the 1960s the mineral oils have been the means of choice. Less resiny but the lubricity leaved much to be desired. The 1970s brought us synthetic oil, which is the latest state of the art.
For cleaning universal thinner is a marvel but it attacks plastics, paint and varnish. Brake cleaner embrittles plastics too. Therefore WD-40 is perfect to clean your clock. 75% of WD-40 is cleaner's naphta. Let it sit over night.
To oil it use precision mechanic oil (deutsch: Feinmechaniker?l). WD-40 and the oil you'll get for peanuts at the next do-it-yourself store.

=> what The Washington Post reports on WD-40

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Mike, that's now 5 years ago. Congratulation for your stubborn will that survived uncounted hours of hard work. I see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Thanks Gerd, Yeah "project creep" is something serious here. Well, at least I got to drive the car for about 10 years before this restoration.
I purchased some finemechanic cleaner and oil at the local 'hagebaumarkt' (home depot type place) and used the cleaner last night. The clock runs fine when I wind it by hand. I will perhaps give it a second clean with WD40, and the use some of the 'fine mechanic oil' Also have to see if I can get a 'kontaktfeile' (contact file) at conrad and dress the contacts. Then I'll make a test run with my motorcycle battery and see if the electric part of the winding mehanism is ok.
The kmh Speedo that I got has 0.5 km on the odo, which looks like NOS. The problem is that the rotating part that attaches to the speedo cable only goes 1/3 of a turn and then sticks...Somebody already worked on it with pliers. I can see the witness marks on the brass(?) ring on the back of the speedo....I sprayed some of my fine mechanic cleaner on the mechanism and tried to loosen it up and let it sit overnight. The mile speedo that I had in the car spins freely, so I assume this is the proper function....Hope I can get it freed up.

About painting the gauge faces and complete dis-assembly that would be required....Do the needles just pop off the gauges?