JoeyB

Sorry to dispute your assertion, but back in the winter of 1973 I bought two oversized snow tires for my Spit. And I had them put the metal studs in, as studded snow tires were legal then. What I didn't know was the they didn't have the right size studs, so the kid doing it put longer studs than it was supposed to have. But they gripped great in ice and snow, and made a neat sound on dry pavement, and actually made sparks. Any way, while traveling down the highway at about 65 mph suddenly the whole rear of the car started swaying violently! At that speed the car was floating on the studs alone!

Yes. Just about all of our trusted dealers should have one with the DG3804B Chinese movement that should be easily under your budget. You should be able to find one with the Asian 2836-2 for right around $200. I think most people rate the Asian 2836-2 as good as the 'Swiss' ETA 2836-2, same parts and some question about "genuine Swiss", both are modified to be GMT movements. The DG 3804B is a GMT by design. It is a very good movement, and should not be passed over just because it's made in China. If it goes bad 5 or 10 years from now, a new movement costs $25.

You'd have to remove the cyclops, AR the underside, and then glue the cyclops back on.

Nice 1500s, and the `68 - `69 (?) is really nice! They were fun cars.

I was searching for a Tropic 16 for my 6204, but the price, like the price of 6mm + brevet crowns, is absurd. What I found was that Tropic 19 come in different dome shapes. I got a more curved dome Tropic 19 from Clark's and it looks good to me.

I hadn't heard those two before! They are very funny, and accurate!! Lol!

Lol! Lucas and electrical are conflicts in terms! I had a used 1965 Triumph TR4A and them bought a brand new 1972 Triumph Spitfire MK IV. The TR4A was an electrical nightmare. Being young, and not real bright, I bought the Spit anyway!

Like most everyone else, I've used all sorts of adhesives to secure a bezel insert. I am a bit rough on my watch, but GS Hypo didn't hold very long, and while I like RTV and it lasts the longest, it does have it's 'boogers' if you're not precise. I haven't, and won't use epoxy/JB Weld because I know that someday I will want to remove the insert to do something stupid to my watch again. Heating the metal bezel is touchy because most are plastic backed, and that's where the epoxy is. And using acetone will melt the plastic. It is further complicated for me using the plastic insert with the decal and paint sealed on the 6542. RTV does not clash with the material, but with no 'snap fit' of the insert to the bezel, all that holds it is the RTV and I've had failures. When regripping golf clubs the old fashioned method is to use ¾" or 2" wide double-faced tape, and activate the tape using a petro-based solvent such as Naptha. NOT acetone! Wrap the shaft with the tape, with a finger covering the hole in the butt end partially fill the grip with Naptha which softens the rubber, then quickly pour the solvent from the grip over the tape on the shaft to activate the glue on the tape, making it slick. Pinch the opening on the grip to slip it over the butt end of the shaft and slide it home, position it. It sets very fast, and after a few hours is playable. This bond stands up to twisting and torquing and pulling and moisture and weather, etc. So, I tried this on a plastic, enamel paint backed insert. I took a 2" wide piece of double-face golf grip tape (it is thinner than masking tape), put it on the bezel, 'tucked' it in the lip of the bezel with a finger nail, and trimmed it and the center out with an X-acto knife. Remove the tape backing paper, 'Dribble' Naptha on the tape, apply the insert and position. It's set in a few seconds. Clean-up of any residue, if needed, use the Naptha on a rag. I haven't has a failure yet, and it is easily removable. A small 'dribble' of Naptha, wait a few secs, and it comes free (any solvent will work, the old timers used gasoline when it was cheap! I found Naptha to be best and readily available in small quantity with a squirt top container. Cigarette lighter fluid is pure Naptha, and the tiny squirt top is perfect for the insert),

'Never Forget'. A Fine tribute. Well Done!

Looks very good, and simplifies the job. I feel the same about crown guards as you do. That's why I like my 6542 and 6204 so much. I know I got the crown guards right on them both!

Ink degradation will depend on the printer and ink used. I don't think anyone knows yet how long photos printed by an inkjet printer on good photo paper will last. And I surely have no idea how long the inkjet ink will last under a coating of Krylon Crystal Clear.

Yep. If it still tells time, it's vintage.

That is the date wheel overlay I made, pretty much 'freehand' on my computer. It does need some tweaking, but it is close and made for the ETA 28xx movements. I have tried various papers, including peel and stick photo paper. Depending on the build, the paper thickness can be an issue for clearance. The last two I did I used water-slide decal paper. It is about as thin as you can get, and if you use Krylon Crystal Clear to seal the ink on the decal paper it comes in gloss, satin or flat.

Yes, I believe it's glass. Looks perfect. Otto Frei cyclops Different sizes and UV cement listed.

Very nice. Now the real question. If it's 4:29 in Texas, where is it 16:29? Or if you prefer, if a train leaves Los Angeles at 100 miles per hour...

I use a 1.3mm cobalt for the lug holes from McMaster-Carr.

I haven't tried it yet, but have a case that the drill bit 'walked' and made the hole oval. I read a pinned post at Repgeek about using solder on the lugs of a Panerai case, and it looked perfect in the pics. So I think the same method might work in filling holes and then re-drilling. The author used 'Harris Stay Brite 1/32 solder, part #SB11, and Stay Clean Liquid Flux. I think the post is in the Panerai section or the repair section, I can't recall which.

On a plexi crystal you can sand down the cyclops to remove it. Obviously being careful, I've used 400 wet sandpaper to take the cyclops just shy of the crystal surface, then 1500 wet sandpaper to finish and blend in. Then polish it all, I use 'Brasso' with terry cloth, and it looks like new. This method was suggested to me by Gary Clark when I needed to relocate the cyclops. I bought a cyclops from Otto Frei and used UV glue to relocate it.

Happy Birthday to the United States of America!

VERY nice! I see a Corniño in my future. I have to agree, the DG3804B is not only substantially less expensive, but it seems to be more durable.

Very well done! Those white dials are growing on me.

Yep, me too. Put in a new crystal and save the old one. I retired after 38 years of service, but I didn't sit on a shelf. Old soldiers don't die, they fade away...

freddy is right, one thread or even 3 won't last long. If you can't re-thread it, I'd use a good epoxy to hold it in place.

Drilling could be a problem too. I ruined a case by not being smart. The outside 'half hole' doesn't line up with the inside 'quarter hole'. When you drill and the bit reaches the inside hole it can take the bit and 'walk', following that hole making a very ugly oval on the outside of the lug. I used a 1.0mm split point bit to go all the way through, then followed with the 1.3mm bit. The split point did not walk, made it's own way through. freddy said that with just enough of the bit out from the chuck to go through the lug is stable enough to go through straight. I haven't tried that yet, but his write-up is in the archives.

All mine have replacement tubes from Clark's. Very high quality, and no issues ever. There are many methods used by the members here to remove and install a crown tube. I think we're all too smart to pay $25 or more for a specialty tool to do it, or too cheap, like me. An inexpensive set of 'Easy-Outs' from most hardware stores, Auto Parts or Harbor Freight work beautifully, and are about $5.