For Those Bored With the Look of the Dash Gauges

[goldfive]

I don't know about you guys, but from a strictly aesthetic perspective, I don't really care for the look of the stock gauges. I much prefer the more traditional backlit look (black face, red/orange numbers etc).

I came across a site/company www.speedhut.com, who, if they get 25 pre-orders, will produce custom backlit replacement gauge faces for any car. I'm not sure if this would apply to an exotic like the Elise, however. One of the cool things about it is that each buyer gets to choose their own custom options, like:

Colors
Fonts
Logos, etc

I've seen some threads about redoing the gauges, but I wasn't able to find replacement faces that others could actually purchase.

Anyway, I have an email in to the company to see if producing gauge faces for the Elise is possible.

[goldfive]

Um, well, judging by the fact that this thread was viewed 186 times and no one posted, I guess this is a long shot.... but....

I got an email from Speedhut, and they will produce the dash gauges for the Elise if they get 25 pre-orders, plus they need to be supplied with the stock gauge cluster. I have the opportunity to get a junkyard cluster for $315 to provide to Speedhut. However, they need 25 pre-orders before they begin tooling. If anyone is interested in getting on board with this, chime in...

Here are some samples of their reverse-glow dials (from various vehicles, obviously):

[MyFutureSelfnMe]

I am interested in upgrading the gauge cluster, but I expect much higher quality than what I see in your pictures if I'm going to do it.

[TimMullen]

Why in the world (other than the rice effect) would you want blue dash lights. Nothing like picking the hardest color to focus on in the dark as well as being the color that will degrade your night vision...

[mgdive]

Originally Posted by TimMullen

Why in the world (other than the rice effect) would you want blue dash lights. Nothing like picking the hardest color to focus on in the dark as well as being the color that will degrade your night vision...

It's the young people these days, Tim. They're just never satisfied.

[clopi2000]

I am working on a replacement instrument cluster graphic. I have the tools, materials and the graphic "eye" to do this myself.

About the original instruments cluster:

I don't like the fonts. I don't care about the orange background, and I would not change that (the backlight of the LCD display is orange anyways), but I'm tired of that "sea" of uneven orange glow. I will go with reverse graphics, to a certain extend, but not completely because the needles are not lit. I don't like the pictograms (symbols). And there is nothing that graphically represent the second cam "area".

[clopi2000]

This is my first shot at it:

[clopi2000]

Next step is to test it with a cheap transparency, make ajustments, and then print a hi-res flexible Lexan. Pictograms will be semi-opaque from layers of "etchlook" and smoke vinyl applied on the reverse side.

[MyFutureSelfnMe]

Clopi how hard was it to get the cluster apart? I've heard mumbling about how you have to cut the glass to get it apart.

I simply want to go back to the original Euro Elise cluster look.

[clopi2000]

Originally Posted by MyFutureSelfnMe

Clopi how hard was it to get the cluster apart? I've heard mumbling about how you have to cut the glass to get it apart.

I simply want to go back to the original Euro Elise cluster look.

It is very easy. You take the complete cluster out of the car (10 minutes and 10 screws to remove). The protective plastic face is slightly glued with a rubber adhesive. You have to insert a sharp knife on the edge, and gently pull it away. You then carefully pull the needles out, the 2 small plastic bushings, et voilà !

[fitfan]

I am no big fan of the stock gauges for sure... its that blaaa 70's pale yellow, just kinda lame, the grapics themselves (other than the whole thing looking very cheap and cheesy) are not that bad... i guess if it was fairly inexpensive - say ~80 bucks i would upgrade it to something a little more quality looking and (personally) would like a red/dark orange/magenta color type a little blue is o.k. but i don't like blue all over... i guess i would say this "if it looks like a BMW gauge pack, then i would do it" but it doesn't bother me enough to spend much on it, and honestly, it is way down on the list...

[fitfan]

Originally Posted by clopi2000

This is my first shot at it:

good work - keep us posted... but wow - YOUR car is really fast

second cam goes higher than that (to tranisent rev limiter)

i guess the glass lays flat on the stencile and there is no way to do something a little more 3D?

[MattP]

Originally Posted by clopi2000

It is very easy. You take the complete cluster out of the car (10 minutes and six screws to remove). The protective plastic face is slightly glued with a rubber adhesive. You have to insert a shap knife on the edge, and gently pull it away. You then carefully pull the needles out, the 2 small plastic bushings, et voilà !

I would be interested in your original insert if you will not use it any more. Please PM me if you are interested in selling this.

[MyFutureSelfnMe]

I guess I'm going to have to get an older Euro cluster from UK/Europe, and steal the blue electroluminescent panel and whatever else it is using for lighting (notice the lighting is super uneven in the pictures). Of course I won't be able to use the graphic insert itself because the numbers won't match. That's where you could come in Clopi. What tools/materials are necessary to do this?

[clopi2000]

Originally Posted by MyFutureSelfnMe

I guess I'm going to have to get an older Euro cluster from UK/Europe, and steal the blue electroluminescent panel and whatever else it is using for lighting (notice the lighting is super uneven in the pictures). Of course I won't be able to use the graphic insert itself because the numbers won't match. That's where you could come in Clopi. What tools/materials are necessary to do this?

Tools: Scanner, vectorial graphic software that support layers, like Adobe Illustrator (no pixels here), and hi-res commercial printer that can print on backlit substrate, or silkscreen installation (I have both at my company).

Material: flexible lexan textured on one side only (like the one we use for industrial keybords).

And the hardest to get: time. Lots of it.

[clopi2000]

Originally Posted by MyFutureSelfnMe

(notice the lighting is super uneven in the pictures).

That one looks like it is lit from the front. Someone here did a front lit mod a while ago. Do a search on "Instrument cluster". It looked like this. A little weird looking because of the orange LCD, IMO.

[MikeC]

Rather than improve the look, I'd rather improve the function and have electronic guages that are accurate.

[ace10]

Originally Posted by MikeC

Rather than improve the look, I'd rather improve the function and have electronic guages that are accurate.

now there's an idea!

[clopi2000]

Originally Posted by MikeC

Rather than improve the look, I'd rather improve the function and have electronic guages that are accurate.

Go for it ! I'm buying.

[MyFutureSelfnMe]

Originally Posted by clopi2000

That one looks like it is lit from the front. Someone here did a front lit mod a while ago. Do a search on "Instrument cluster". It looked like this. A little weird looking because of the orange LCD, IMO.

His cluster looks almost exactly like what I want for lighting. I just want to find a way to diffuse the light about 2x as much. Some sort of little translucent "lenses" I guess. Too bad he likes to go a year without posting, or I would ask him what blue LEDs he is using. I need to somehow rig up a way to power them with the proper voltage, and I don't have any electrical experience. This is where my dad could have really helped, if he were still around.

I am going to PM you about this project.