Custom gauge faces that you can make out of paper

[akcrogers]

Also, what does the top of the Speedo cluster look like? Did you crop that off, or did it just scan poorly? Thanks

[Harry5150]

Right on. I'll get them prepped for photoshop.

[Magicfan25]

Ok Harry, I figured it out..
First, I have a 98 Explorer, so you'll have to get the zip that was done with a scan of indiglo gauges on page 2 I believe (the ones you are using for yours have the Check gauge and fuel reset in the wrong place).

So I want them to be just White face gauges. If you would include the Ford Racing Logo like on yours that would be cool, I dont care about that glowing at night. I want the regular 10-120mph speedo (no "warp" tag )
Get rid of the 4WD High and 4WD Low dummy lights
Get rid of the Check Susp dummy light (both of those are if they arent a PIA, if they are dont worry about it)
Make the "6" on the tach red like on your gauges.
Other than the 6 on the tach being red I just want everything to be the factory colors (all numbers are that green color, as are the the other gauges, not blue like yours are).

In your pic where the needles didnt show, is this going to make mine that dark, or were yours just not hooked up? Also if you could tell me how these slide on, like do I have to remove the needles or what? Never played with my gauge cluster so I'm pretty clueless. Thanks so much for all your help, I owe ya one.

One last thing, those needles sounds really cool, please keep us updated on it!!!!

[zensius]

Here's a full speedo scan. If anyone wants a complete scan of all the gauges side by side I can email one your way.

[Harry5150]

Magicfan25-

OK. This one should be easy. Since you want the existing colors, you should be able to lay this on top of the stock gauges.

Becasue you have the stock ones underneath, all the dummy light will stay in the same location and color.

Take a look at this.

Gauge

I increased the needle holes so you could try to slip them on.

Is Adobe Photoshop elements able to use .PSD files?

[Magicfan25]

Those look great! I didnt think the lighting would be a problem since I'm just laying them over, but I wanted to make sure incase I was wrong, didnt want you to have to do anything over.

I'm 99% sure it can open those files. I downloaded all the stuff you had posted up here and it was able to open all of them.

[Harry5150]

Here's the photoshop file ready for print.

I would suggest using a color laser because the paper is thinner.

File

[Magicfan25]

thanks so much for taking the time to do that

I was looking back at your earlier post with the pic of two of the three sections installed. Did you use any special paper other than regular color laser jet print paper? Yours look pretty darn good in that pic. I printed these out on my Epson (not the best printer) but with this paper I'm pretty sure they'll look like paper.

[Mainfraim]

Hey Harry, how did the method you use work out on the gauges with the white light? If it takes 2 transparencies and paper, I can try that. (this is just normal printer paper I assume, not photo paper)

Good job with all of this trial and error crap too. Looks great.

[Harry5150]

Magicfan25-

You're welcome. In the picture you're refering to, the white gauge on the left was printed on regular paper on an Epson 800 inkjet. The one on the right was printed on a color laser printer at Kinko's. I didn't use glossy photo paper becaue I thought it would have too much glare. Cut the Blue areas out carefully with an xacto knife and it should match up to the holes in the gauges.

Mainfraim-

Thanks. The final prints I made were all on a color laser.


By the way, I used a semi-adhesive spray glue to put all the layers together. This way I could peel and reposition if they were crooked.

Don't use white glue! The moisture in the glue will make the paper wrinkle very badly. I used a few pieces of transparent tape to attach the assembled faces to the gauges.

Wash your paws often too or the Cheetos you've been eating will get on your nice new white gauges like my first test one did.

[Magicfan25]

Has anyone tried theres with glossy photo paper?
Depending on cost I think I'm gonna get mine done on a laser printer at Kinkos, with a few different types of paper and see what happens. Gonna have to wait until I go home this weekend to give it a try, dont have many tools here.

Those that have done it, approx how long did it take you to get the gauge faces in and the dash put back together? I've taken apart the bottom panel and that stuff before, but I've never taken out the gauge cluster. I'm just trying to estimate so I dont start if theres a chance I wont finish ya know? (been there done that)

[Silverblade]

OK one of two things has happened:
1>I missed a post of hot to do this or
2>Im a complete moron and dont get it

OK so do u just take the pic of your dash and make a picture to go in the gauges sopt and then erase the actual 20,30,40 etc marikings and everything so it is just the same paper with no ink on it?

can someone please give me a walk through? thx cuz i want to do this

[zensius]

Hey Silver blade, there's actually a large number of ways to do it and they almost all include Photoshop one way or another. Here's what I know. Some people are taking off the old black plastic covers and replacing then with a few layers of prints. The first layer is the color you want to show through the numbers printed on a clear acetate. The second is the top picture with the numbers left clear so light will show through. This will yield the best final result but it's time consuming. If you have a second generation X there's some files earlier in this post that you can download of your dash. If you have a first generation, which I think you do, you can download the pics I posted or I can send you a scan that's all of the gauges together.
Plan two is to just lay a new dash picture printed on regular paper over your old dash plastic. This is the easiet way but it won't look as good at night because the light will be going through your paper.
The way I'm doing it is a little different. I'm having a sticker made with all the letters die cut out so that the light shows through properly. I'm going to print my picture on the sticker. This only works if you want to keep the original color for the lights
To make any of these work you need to know a little about Photoshop or similar. You need to remove the graphics, letters, number, and other graphics off of the other background. Then you print this on top of your printed picture. Any help?

[Explorer94GV]

i used hp premium photo paper glossy 7.5 mil. thick. they are really nice looking. i than rubber cemented them to the gauges. I used photo shop 3.0 home edition and all you have to do is layer the background picture.

First open the pic you want as background copy it. Second open the gauges pic and paste your background pic on top of the gauges picture.
Third enlarge the background picture.
Fourth right click and click on show layers.
Fifth move the gauge picture to the bottom of list.
Last your background will show through and you still have the numbers and stuff. than just tweek the picture brightness,contrast,etc..

i dont have night pics yet but they shine thourgh great! this is one of the coolest mods i have done yet so cheap but so nice looking once put in. use the link in my sig to see the gauges. hope this helps

[Stephen S]

Originally posted by Explorer94GV
use the link in my sig to see the gauges

WOW

Nice guages

[zensius]

How do you have any time to see how fast you're going?

[Explorer94GV]

hehe actually keeps me under control so if i do get pulled overi know thats another thing the cop can give me a ticket for! I called and asked my local police and said they could write me a ticket up if they wanted to for indecent exposure LOL

[Godfather 1138]

LOL

I have seen these in person, and I will tell you guys that everything you are probably thinking about them is true. I about died when I saw them.

BTW, GV...I kinda misplaced your number We should do something soon, maby next weekend (going to LR this weekend). Let me know.

[leenjen]

Originally posted by Explorer94GV
i used hp premium photo paper glossy 7.5 mil. thick. they are really nice looking. i than rubber cemented them to the gauges. I used photo shop 3.0 home edition and all you have to do is layer the background picture.

First open the pic you want as background copy it. Second open the gauges pic and paste your background pic on top of the gauges picture.
Third enlarge the background picture.
Fourth right click and click on show layers.
Fifth move the gauge picture to the bottom of list.
Last your background will show through and you still have the numbers and stuff. than just tweek the picture brightness,contrast,etc..

i dont have night pics yet but they shine thourgh great! this is one of the coolest mods i have done yet so cheap but so nice looking once put in. use the link in my sig to see the gauges. hope this helps

the gauges that you made for me are great. my wife loves them. i'm going to put them on after i get the manual hubs put on. too bad i cant post pics

[taxx]

if you have pics email them to me and I will put them up. i would like to see them.