Has anyone done recessed gauges in an SN95 yet? My gauges in my 1994 seem, well, old and tired. The odometer and the tripmeter stopped working. The needles are faded out and can't decide if they're orange or yellow. The lights are a little dimmer than they used to be. They just need a refresh. But I do NOT want flush mounted gauges like some kind of drag car. I want them to be recessed behind that clear plastic, just like the factory. Anybody done this? Anyone have any pics? What might be a good method?
Recessed gauges. Pluck out the old stock gauges, and put in some good autometer ones that fit back in the stock holes. And still go behind that factory clear plastic that covers the gauges. A lot of people seem to just make some kind of flat panel, and just flush mount the gauges. Doesn't look factory or original at all when they do that. Its mainly track cars that have flush mounted gauges. I can't be the only one who's ever thought of this...
I've seen a few people do it, not a ton of info on them. I think some people use the florida 5.0 stuff? Not exact what you're talking about, but close. http://www.florida50.com/1994-2004-instrument-clusters.htm
I've installed chrome rings on the gauges and taken a red sharpie to the needles to freshen up the cluster.
Ok this is on the right track. Could you please post a pic of the finished project? It looks like florida gauges still uses some kind of aftermarket piece of plastic. I want to use everything factory except for the gauge itself. So that you still have an odometer, and you still have a tripmeter. So that someone who has never been inside one of these cars, would be fooled into thinking that the car simply came this way. I did it on my 87 Silverado but of course that's a way different vehicle. I'm just wondering if it could be done on an SN95.
The first pic is because of the flash. They look fine in person. Its a Real easy mod. I used my sisters nail polish lol.
No, the second picture... I'm talking about the uneven disbursement of light across the cluster resulting in some areas illuminating brighter than others. Did you take the transparent colored film off the back?
How hard was it to get the needles out? To paint them red. And you really used nail polish? Just doesn't seem like that would end well. How long till it fades out or flakes off? But as for new gauges, I guess I'll be pioneering this one. I'll order another cluster off ebay and take it apart. Then I'll see what autometer gauges will recess into it, so that it looks like the car came that way from the factory. One of the hard parts might be, determining which gauge size to buy.
The needles were not done in the pic and I don't have one for some reason. They're not as bright as the painted ones posted above and the light will still shine through like stock. I'll try to get a pic tonight for you..
My guages from Florida just arrived. You still have an odometer and trip. in fact you now get two with the autometer and depending on the guages you choose you can have a whole lot more.
I look forward to seeing the pic. But yeah, what you have done is along the same lines of what I'm talking about. Not really altering the stock look too awful much. It seems a lot of people aren't quite understanding the specific look I'm going for. Thanks for the link. However, it seems that piece gets rid of the clear plastic in front of the gauges, which I'm looking to keep.
The florida 5.0 piece looks like crap try making your own. Heres mine, still working on smoothing the outer bezel into the gauge plate. I didn't use a cluser housing, simply made the gauge plate and fabricated some mounting brackets.