Dash clock accuracy

[69280sl]

Since I have my clock out while having the radio fixed (it has been a month and a half and Becker still doesn't have it right), I have the clock on my bench with a 12 volt source and have been making adjustments for accuracy. About the best I can get is 1-2 minutes in 24 hours. This of course is 10-15 minutes by the end of the week.

Does anybody get better accuracy from their original, non quartz clock?

Is it reasonable to expect better accuracy if Palo Alto or one of the other instrument shops refurbishes it?

Thanks for advice and suggestions

Gus

inspectorgm

68 280sl, signal red/ beige/black softtop

[TheEngineer]

Inacurate clocks drive me up the wall. More so than my wife. The clock in my 2002 Blaupunkt radio display gains 2 min a week, at least. RDS will reset it, but is still bugs me. My clock in the  dash is very accurate: I can't detect any deviation during the several month from PST to Daylight time when I have to reset it. Very satisfying! I bought a VDO clock, they come with a smaller face, and installed the works in the Mercedes clock. Two weeks ago the hour hand quit moving! Hair pulling time! (and I don't have much left) Found that there are two slotted screws that hold the dial. one screw had the slot aligned precicely with the turned down edge of the hour hand. The hour hand was hanging up on the slot. If I had wanted to do that, I couldn't have done it in a thousand years. So, here's my 2 cents worth: Replace your clock with an electronic one: Just the guts - keep the looks. And turn the screws until the slot is vertical.

[George Davis]

I just don't understand why everyone hates those poor old clocks so much.  The Rolex/Timex/Whatever on your wrist is for telling the correct time, the old electomechanical clock is for fun.  Mine is off by about 1-3 minutes a day and I enjoy every clunk.

George Davis
'69 280 SL Euro manual

[psmith]

I agree with George.  As Alfred taught us, time is relative.  And time in a pagoda either flies because you are having fun or is slow because you're savoring the ride...

Pete S.

[Chad]

There is a quartz VDO version available, I believe. The old clock I have always seems to be in the range for "morning," "afternoon," "evening," which is about as accurate as I care it to be. Can't remember ever really caring what time it was in the car. Anyway, it seems like an updated quartz clock is easily available out there somewhere.



1967 230SL (Manual)

[joelj]

Hi chad,

that was so funny

I never thought of it that way, " ...that is morning, afternoon and evening". I guess its indicative time.




Hi gus,

Everytime I use my pagoda, I make it a point to turn the hands to the proper time. This will be good for a few days before its totally off and  it becomes  "indicative time".

I thought of changing it to the quartz mechanism but I have a watch on my wrist that tells the accurate time. so my SL clock which tells time, though inaccurately is ok by me. I try to keep things original.

Cheers,

Joel-j

1969 280sl auto
White exterior
Blue interior

[bpossel]

Even though I have tried to adjust mine on many occasions, it is still about a minute off each day, so I too adjust it when I get in the car.

A few months ago, my clock stopped completely.  I really missed ye ol clunk of the minutes passing....  so I followed a few posts from our site and repaired my clock.  The internal fuse separated, so I put a small drop of solder on it, and walla... it worked again.  A very happy occasion.

Keep the old clock and reset it when you get in.

B.


bpossel  (Memphis, TN.)
'71 280SL  /  '97 E320

[JPMOSE]

Hi Gus,

While you may never get the minute accuracy of a quartz clock, a respectable time telling instrument can be achieved.  Like most things mechanical, your clock probably suffers from years of dust and dry lubrication.  Clock lubricants are very light in viscosity and used sparingly, yet it's application certainly lends to accuracy and smooth operation.  The folks at Palo Alto are quite respectable and honest....I think a call to them will answer your questions.

I would also perform a good search on this forum, along with the other Mercedes sites, for discussions on mechanical/electrical clocks.  While I haven't tackled mine yet, I do recall postings discussing how to clean and service the clock yourself if you are so inclined.

I know many vintage car owners who have converted to quartz movements and never looked back (after all, the clock will end up looking the same).  Yet others, like me, prefer the charm of the original instrument with it's noises and quirks.  But that's a choice you'll have to make.  Good luck!

Best Regards,

J. P. Mose
1968 250SL
1987 560SL

[KevinC]

My clock loses 10 minutes per week. It doesnt bother me as when I am driving the car, I really dont care what time it is. I am just into a routine of re-setting by hand each time I get started.

There was the one time it was accruate, though. One cooler day last fall I hopped in and the clock was dead-on! Then I realized that it had been so hot (I have no a/c), I hadn't been out in the car for about six weeks, just the right about of time for the clock to "fall back" to "standard time"  :oops:

Kevin Caputo
Boca Raton, FL
1967 230 SL Automatic
670 Light Ivory
113 Bronze/Brown MB Tex

[gugel]

I had my clock rebuilt by a local shop, and although they did a good job and I spent a few weeks fine tuning the adjustment, it still loses a minute every few days -- the amount seems to vary a bit with temperature.  It's of course easy to adjust when I drive the car, but I do wish I had sent it to Palo Alto Speedometer to get the works replaced with a quartz movement.  The VDO quartz clock in my BMW 3.0CS keeps perfect time indefinitely.

Chris Earnest

[ChrisInNashville]

I had Palo Alto do mine for $195...and it's more accurate than my Rolex.   I guess I should send the Rolex to them too!

[Ed Cave]

I converted mine to quartz when I did the restoration. It drives me crazy to glance at a clock with the wrong time all the time.

With the quartz action provided by Palo Alto Speedo, it looks absolutly original and keeps absolutely perfect time. Works for me.

Ed Cave
Atlanta, GA


1971 280SL
1973 911S
2004 A4 3.0
2006 GS430

[rwmastel]

quote:Originally posted by christietz

I had Palo Alto do mine for $195...and it's more accurate than my Rolex.

Did they rebuild the original mechanisim or replace with quartz?

Rodd
Powell, Ohio, USA
1966 230SL, Euro, Auto, Leather, both  tops
1994 E420

[Peter van Es]

My -- mechanical -- clock shows PERFECT time. Twice a day. At 06:00. And 18:00. I disconnected it when I had electrical problems and never looked back!

(Well, one day I'l go and connect it up again).
Peter

Check out http://bali.esweb.nl for photographs of classic car events and my 1970 280 SL