gauge cluster color?

[Khaelbee]

i wasn't sure where to put this..... hopefully its in the right place.

so i have an ongoing theme with zoe... she looks like a bruise. everything is black, white, and blue. I have the under-dash LED's, and some that run along the sides of the back seats, and my stereo unit is blue... i thought "what better way to make this look bad ass than turn my gauge cluster and all my controls blue instead of being that weird green color?!"

problem: i don't know the best way to change the colors. has anyone done this? i was thinking about using cellophane on the back, but i'm not sure how hot those lights get... plus during the day they'd all still look green. i'm trying to do this without buying a new gauge cluster and stuff...

my other option is to buy the blue bulbs and see how that works out...

 

[vroomzoomboom]

look at evils elite registry. every light inside the truck is blue. the gauge cluster is from a 97 with led lights, as well as the heater controls. switches are 5mm led, but i had to solder them in.

 

[Khaelbee]

well i have manual locks and windows, so i don't have to worry about that part. i was trying to do this without buying new gauges. i've seen those gauges with the flames, and they're pretty damn sweet, but they wouldn't look so good in my rig. i was just wondering if there's something easy and quick i could do to make them blue without completely swapping everything.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

if yours is a 97, they should have a blue tint from them from factory. you just need to swap your regular 194 bulbs to led bulbs

 

[Turdle]

ok first turn the key on with the engine cold. draw a picture of where the needles point.
after you get to the cluster, you can remove the clear window. Once in there you can use 2 spoons ( one in each hand silly) to pry the needles off.

You could carefully use nail polish remover to get the orange off, then use model paint or even a sharpie to paint them blue. You will need to plug the cluster back in, turn on the key and install the needles back where they should be. They will just press right back on.


there is a green film behind the cluster lights, but it can be removed. Maybe a light coat of candy blue ( transparent) paint where the green was would do the trick?


Just throwing ideas out.

 

[Khaelbee]

vroom, my stuff is all that blue green color already, i wasn't sure if the blue light will come out blue through that green...

turdle-thanks so much. guess what i'm doing today!

 

[Axial32]

I did what turdle did... but with orange... turned out B.A.

 

[Khaelbee]

yea i'm excited for that... now poses the question, what about all the a/c controls and stuff? i have a new stereo, so thats already blue but the a/c and vent controls are that green color too, and i don't really want to have to swap them out for clear or blue control panel.

 

[RickOTR]

If you put the 6000K LEDs in the cluster it will turn out blue. No need to do anything to the cluster. I out the LEDs in mine and it lights up blue. Same for the HVAC controls. Check out MustangP51 thread. http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2160406&posted=1#post2160406 Great info.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

Your heater controls should have a color strip in them. Take that strip out, and either paint your bulbs, or paint the back side of your heater controls just like if you where doing your gauge cluster.

 

[Khaelbee]

i'm currently holding the heater controls in my hand... lol. trying to get the damn thing open!

 

[Khaelbee]

ITS DONE!!! here's some pics:

gauge cluster light, blown gauge cluster light, and what i switched to.

thanks to my loving boyfriend who put the needles back on wrong, this is now me at idle. guess what we get to fix this weekend?

all the blue lights so far...

there will be more!

 

[corkey]

is it hard to see at night with all that light by your feet in there ?

 

[Khaelbee]

actually no, it doesn't bother me. the only thing that did bother me was when i had the LED gear shift knob. i was good until i got into 2nd gear and they blinded me.... needless to say that went back to the auto parts store very quickly.