Radioactive Gauges?

[Vincent]

Moving on to my original gauges, I have seen on the G503 site that the military jeeps have Radium in the white paint to make them glow.  Is this also true of civilian jeeps, specifically my '53 CJ3A? Should I bother to even try to clean them up or take them apart? Has anyone else taken them apart?

[Rus Curtis]

I don't believe they have "glow-in-the-dark" paint on them.  Have you tested them?  Having a working Instrument Panel Light above the gauges, would kind of defeat the need for glow paint.  There are also some replacement gauges that have their own light ring built into the gauge.

As far as tearing into the gauges, there are talented folks who have rebuilt theirs.  I am not one.  I sent mine in to have them restored.

[Bob W]

CJs don't have the glowing paint. On the military gauges with the special paint you can see where it is due to a yellowed white appearance. The gauges can be disassembled but it not easy to remove and reinstall the ring.

[1955CJ-5]

I was able to take my temp gauge apart. It was pegged on Hot so it was toast anyway if i had failed.

But, it came apart, I was able to adjust it and it is still working.

It takes a small screwdriver and a lot of patience to get to get the ring off..

[MikeP]

ive been tempted to open my gauges that way some cj some military but i to read about the radium and just wasnt to sure how bad it would be if i did inhale any and so i havnt done it yet

[Chuck W.]

Some interesting reading on this subject:

https://hps.org/publicinformation/ate/q10295.html

https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/military-history/radiation-safety-awareness-museums.html

https://semspub.epa.gov/work/HQ/176334.pdf