Manntis

I've never really liked the way the turn indicator green lenses and trouble light cutouts show on our cars. It makes it look cheap, IMHO.




So I had props CNC a piece of 1.5mm thick lexan to fit the shape of the cluster, and cut out the circles for the main gauges (the blue tint is just a protective film that gets peeled off):




My plan is to limo tint the lexan and place it over the gauges, 'blanking out' the turn signals and the deep trouble light cutout, yet letting them all shine through when lit. I could get the crappy home-tint stuff for $16 a kit, or have a local tint shop do it for $9. I'm going with the tint shop.

dj55b

iTrader: (2)

You my friend have a customer if the price is right. That a along with the rotory guages ... if I can find where the thread for that is or who sold them. PM me though about making one.

Sam

Manntis

meh, might be a one-off. I dunno who besides me would pay $48 for some CNC'd lexan and tint *L*

workinprogress80

thats pretty ****** tight. post pics when you get it installed.

dj55b

iTrader: (2)

I can be one of those *L* too lol ... I will need to see how things are mounted first and how it comes out but I can do it even at that price.

Manntis

I'll get more pics when it's tinted - they're booked 'till Tuesday, so be patient

ray green

iTrader: (14)

Sounds interesting.

mazdaverx713b

iTrader: (91)

it will be interesting to see once its installed

steve84GS TII

Not a bad little mod.
Might give a more modern look to the instrument cluster,although Id be a little worried about diffusion from the weak little idiot lights, since they will be slightly recessed behind the lexan.....maybe go easy on the tint,just enough to "stealth out" the light cut outs.

Get some pics for sure.

twinkletoes

iTrader: (17)

I like all the stock first gen dashes... just my opinion though. I'll have to check out the final pics though.

Manntis

I've 5% limo black on my rear hatch, yet can see the instrumentation and idiot lights through it day or night. I think the lights being recessed by a centimeter won't be much different. But I'll find out by doing it

dj55b

iTrader: (2)

Kinda off topic, but how dark is 5% looking from inside to outside at night time? Can you see through your rear mirror? I ask because I will be tinting my windows shortly and was thinking about doing 5% in the rear hatch area and 20% in the front. Pictures would be great too

XLR8

iTrader: (52)

Very innovative..

5% is very dark at night. No pics but I would go with 10 or 15.

dbragg

iTrader: (7)

ive driven friends cars who had extremely dark tint. its a MAJOR bitch to back that thing up at night. there were numerous times when i was backing a girls car down my driveway and i had to open the door and look back casue i couldnt see anything out the back glass.

ive seen 20% in a few cars and i think its my favorite. its relatively dark, but you can see out of it perfectly.

Manntis

I can see out the back fine. In daylight, of course sun comes in. It's like wearing shades, that's all. At night I can see lights of cars behind me (though I don't have to flip my mirror to night mode unless they're close on my bumper). Backing up is fine, as reverse lights illuminate potential obstacles.

Manntis

Alright - the tint shop decided they were too busy to do a small bit like this, so I ended up tinting it myself. It's not glued in place because I did a ******* HORRIBLE job of smoothing out the tint, and wanted to put it together to check the look then take the plastic to someone who can put the tint on more competently than I. Thus, the plastic bit isn't perfectly centred on the gauges but you get the idea:

Lights off, smooth shiny bezel:



Trouble lights shining through, right turn signal activated:

GavinJuice

so just tape off that square section for the indicator lights, and shoot it with krylon fusion in black. sticks like hell and should still give you the same effect.

Manntis

no, 'cause then you'd have a tape border and the taped section would be glossy whilst the rest of the panel would still be flat black. And you'd have to tape over the turn signals, too, resulting in 3 pieces of tape on your dash. While my tinting is crummy, it still looks less ghetto than 3 pieces of tape

sstein77

Is the tint on the front or the back?

Jeezus

iTrader: (4)

Candypaint!

PS - Good job!

Manntis

on the front. I plan to glue the plastics together, and tint on the back wouldn't adhere as well + it'd show any remaining bubbles no matter how minute.

Jeezuz - thanks

dbragg

iTrader: (7)

that looks sweetass!

sittinlow88

I like!!

rotornoob

iTrader: (2)

i like it. it looks much better than i tought it would. wanna make me one?

dj55b

iTrader: (2)

Looks good. Can you not get lexan in black though and just have it cnc machined to provide the same effect but cut on cost? Just a though. Not sure how much light would shine though the lexan if its black.