Today I continued working on the cluster gauge repair. More specifically the center digital display is all wonky. I can drive for a few miles and the digits and will become garbled and not readable. It also at times would not display digits at all. Sometimes “tapping” the upper bezel area near the plexiglass covering restored functionality but only for a few minutes at a time.

Removing the entire gauge cluster is not an easy task but dropping the steering column down makes the task much easier and less chance of breaking any plastic tabs or cracking other weak pieces.

I removed the existing solder from every pin that was associated with a harness connection. I then soldered each connection, checking to make sure the fillet was correct and no fractures occurred during handling.

My initial test drive after working on the cluster gauge is promising. I would normally drive for a few miles before the center digital display would start acting wonky. It seemed to be more shock and vibration prone than heat related.

I didn’t experience any loss of display measurements during my short 20 minute ride around the neighboring hillsides. I plan on testing it further tomorrow.

The passenger side rag top latch was toast. The pins that supposed to be inside the receiver were all but gone. You can see the indentations protruding from the sides, that about it.

I was able to pickup a really great condition replacement piece through a contact I met on Facebook. The company name is Mirrock Corvette, there website is https://mirrockcorvette.com/

I highly recommend these guys. My part took 2 days from order to my home. That is freakishly fast service.

The latch locks down like it is supposed. So much that it takes a considerable amount of effort to unlatch it once it is engaged.