The Cessna 120-140 Association Forum

My 48 c140 has some of her original instruments, the Airspeed, Altimeter, and VSI. They all work well except the VSI, it functions, but reads incorrectly.

I received a quote for rebuilding, refacing, and radium hazmat fee. This seems excessively expensive to me (their hazmat fees are listed as $100 on their website). Do these prices seem right? Are there any other options out there for keeping these old instruments working?

AIRSPEED
OVERHAUL FEE- $450 PLUS ANY MAJOR PARTS
DIAL(SILK SCREEN) $180.50 X 2 TOTAL $361.00
DIAL BLANK- $65.00 x 2 TOTAL $130.00
HAZMAT FEES-$400.00
Total $1341 plus parts


ALTIMETER
OVERHAUL FEE-$795.00 PLUS ANY MAJOR PARTS
DIAL(SILK SCREEN)-$180.50 X TOTAL $361.00
DIAL BLANK-$65.00 X 2 TOTAL $130.00
HAZMAT FEES-$400.00
Total $1686 plus parts


VERTICAL SPEED
OVERHAUL FEE-$795.00 PLUS ANY MAJOR PARTS
DIAL(SILK SCREEN)-$180.50
DIAL BLANK-$65.00
HAZMAT FEES-$400.00
Total $1440.50 plus parts

Do these prices seem right? I'd hate to be the one to remove and replace the original instruments in my bird, but gosh, that's expensive.

Those prices seem high. Have you tried some of the other shops that specialize in older instruments?

Century Instruments- https://www.centuryinstruments.net/
Keystone - http://keystoneinstruments.com/
AQI Instruments - https://www.flyaqi.com/services.htm
Rudy Aircraft Instruments- https://rudyaircraftinstruments.com/home-page
Houston- https://www.houstonaircraft.com/

8164 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 24, 2026 12:59 pm Rudy Aircraft Instruments- https://rudyaircraftinstruments.com/home-page

Yeah, that!

Update!

Despite Air parts of Lock Haven claiming they are the only ones who will work on these, Century instruments said they can do them at about 1/3 the price Air Parts quoted...

Thanks for the suggestions!

kaylee paige wrote: ↑Thu Aug 27, 2026 3:21 pm Update!

Despite Air parts of Lock Haven claiming they are the only ones who will work on these, Century instruments said they can do them at about 1/3 the price Air Parts quoted...

Thanks for the suggestions!

Did you contact "Rudy Instruments"? for decades they specialized in dealing with the old Radium dials? I'm just curious.

V529 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 04, 2026 8:47 pm Did you contact "Rudy Instruments"? for decades they specialized in dealing with the old Radium dials? I'm just curious.

No, I didn't try them. Century were so nice and helpful on the phone, and their prices super reasonable, I didn't bother continuing my search. I'll report back when I get my instruments back!

Century were so nice and helpful on the phone, and their prices super reasonable,

I've been a Century fan for years. However they no longer work on the old AN vacuum gauges.

kaylee paige wrote: ↑Sat Sep 05, 2026 10:45 am

V529 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 04, 2026 8:47 pm Did you contact "Rudy Instruments"? for decades they specialized in dealing with the old Radium dials? I'm just curious.

No, I didn't try them. Century were so nice and helpful on the phone, and their prices super reasonable, I didn't bother continuing my search. I'll report back when I get my instruments back!

Understood, glad you found a solution.

kaylee paige wrote: ↑Thu Aug 27, 2026 3:21 pm Update!

Despite Air parts of Lock Haven claiming they are the only ones who will work on these, Century instruments said they can do them at about 1/3 the price Air Parts quoted...

Thanks for the suggestions!

Glad it worked out with Century. I've used them quite a bit with different old airplanes.