I just got my white/blue gauge faces and I'm trying to paint the needles to match, I removed the orange paint and then painted them blue but, now the needles don't light up like they used to. Anyone else have a better method? It would really suck to not be able to see the needles at night and the orange needles on the white/blue look awful.
Also, anyone have any ideas on how to change the color of the HVAC controls?

TIA

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Jeff

Do you still have the stock reflective gauges in there, or did you upgrade to the backlight 86-88 type?
If they're the reflective type, I would try some flourescent(sp) or day-glo type blue paint.
If they're the backlight ones, you'll have to find or make some blue-tinted needles. I believe the light actually shines through the needles with backlit gauges.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong!!

You should be able to get the same stuff as on watch dials or if you need transluscent paint try a model store as some companies have it for painting taillights, etc.

Gary
86 SE
web page almost done

I upgraded to the backlit type.

Yes the light is supposed to shine through the needles.

originally the backs of the needles were painted orange then a coat of white was over that.

I'm going to Wal-mart today so I'll check out the model sectiona dn see if they have some type of day-glo paint and see if that works.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

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Jeff

Where do you buy these white face gauges? Why don't they make them 200mph for the fiero? They would look great!

I used sikkens transparent car paint. I have the white/blue gauges from superX, and i painted my needle red. I would really have liked to make my HVAC controls blue as well. I think they didn't make a 200mph speedo cos it would be useless. 140-150 would have been cool. Also i would have liked it if the Tach could be extended to 7K rpm.

[This message has been edited by HYPTNOTiSE (edited 12-03-2000).]

Mike, did you paint the top or the bottom of the needle? I'd like to get this figured out today, I need to drive my car tomorrow.

I got them from SuperX also, they look great.

Thanks again everyone.

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Jeff

[This message has been edited by 2xsess (edited 12-03-2000).]

hey hyptnotise what do all those gauges do?

You are suposed to paint the backs of the neeedles. unless you are using a clear paint the needles won't light if you paint the fronts. Even then they may be really dim.

How can you have a conversation about gauge faces without me? Make sure to paint only the back face of the needles with flourescent or translucent paint. Art stores sell small bottles of paint for glass. This works well. After that, you need to put a coat of opaque white behind it. Put as thin a coat as you can or the calibration of the gauges will be affected. As far as 200 mph speedos, and some new Fiero designs, check out Racetach at www.thefieroshop.com For custom, check out www.blackcatcustom.com If enough people want a cutom heater panel, I will make them. They are similar to those I make for the Cavalier http://www.blackcatcustom.com/cavalier.htm

[This message has been edited by Wannabe (edited 12-04-2000).]

Dang, I didn't even think about the extra weight of the paint messing up the calibration. hhmmm, I only put two coats of the translucient yelow and one of the white, I hope that's not messing up my calibration.

How much would the heater panel be ? that looks nice

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Jeff

The need for speed those gauges are...Tachometer, Speedometer, Water temperature, fuel gauge, oil pressure, voltage, Nice 9K rpm tachometer, Electric fuel pressure gauge, and an Air/Fuel meter. The last 3 are autometer. How does painting the back of the needles white help? I want an HVAC panel in white to light up blue.

Hypnotise, painting the back of the needles if they are translusent helps to give them like a backing, it prevents the light from going through the needle. I'd say it's similar to the factory way it was done.

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Jeff