I am getting ready to do my install and I had some quick questions. What do you use to change the needle color. I went to the store and couldn't find the specific typr from the website. I bought a sharpie and a paint pen, will one of these work? Also, has anyone done any color other than red, how did it look? Last I am a little confused by the directions, it says on the 91-92 that you can move the needle, is this true for 89 too. Can I move say, the tach up too 3500 to help put on the overlay and still have the gauges acurate? Thank you for any help.

 

I tried it with a sharpie and was not at all impressed. I used red Testor's model paint and a fine detailing brush and it came out very good.

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The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah

 

You wouldn't happen to have a scanner for your computer would you?



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Ray87Z
-Vortec headed 350.
86 IROC w/ a cammed 305 TPI.
Formerly Ray86IROC.
www.inter-scape.com/Ray

 

Thanks for the help, I got them in fine. Painting would have been a lot easier if I had realized I was going to have to pull the gauges to change the blubs anyway.

About the scanner, I don't have one, But you can make one with a paper clip. Look ing the tech articals, or post a message, I don't remeber how offhand.

 

With the key off, place a jumper (i.e. paperclip) into the two terminals on the upper row, all the way to the right. Turn the key to the "on" position (but don't crank the engine) and the SES light will flash. It will flash "1" then "2" to indicate a 12. I believe it will do that 3 times, then flash the error codes, followed by 3 more 12s, etc. Shut the key off and remove the paper clip.

------------------
The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah

 

You mean like mine????

What I did was take the needles off & sanded them down w/ the finest grit sand paper that you could find. Then I took a razor blade & stripped all the remaining crap off & painted the needles silver w/ a paint pen from an arts store. It was that easy. On my cluster the needles can be pulled to 3500 & beyond. So that shouldn't be a problem to turn the needles to get the overlays to fit in there.

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- Mike Harvey -
1986 Firebird S/E

 

Any more questions about the overlays?

[This message has been edited by Mike Harvey (edited February 16, 2001).]

 

How do the needles come off?
I just got my overlays, and I want to take the needles off so I can change the bottom from orange to red.

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Member of The Connecticut F Body Association
Proud owner of the slowest L98 in the North East
1987 IROC 5.7 - 16.43 @ 82 the project
1986 S10 4x4 w/93 Vortec 4.3 - the nitemare
1988 Formula WS6 - the Cow

 

I always heard if you pull the needles, then the gauge is no longer going to be acurate. When I painted my needles, i took a piece of paper, cut a slit in it, and slid it under the needle to protect the gauge. It worked great.

 

Here's mine


This is '89 gauges in my '84Z28 cluster with the MacCewen and blue zenon bulbs.
I used the prisma color marker on my needles and it did a pretty good job.

Jay, I don't think you really want to take the needles off.

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84 Z28 305HO, 5spd, 220,000 miles, Edelbrock intake, Hedman headers, low restriction exh(w/cat), K&N air filter. Best 1/4 so far 14.649 at 94.77mph

 

Just use this link.
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewP...377&p=40165516

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84 Z28 305HO, 5spd, 220,000 miles, Edelbrock intake, Hedman headers, low restriction exh(w/cat), K&N air filter. Best 1/4 so far 14.649 at 94.77mph

 

I pulled my needles off. The only thing I had to do for them is not were the needles set while the engine was running and then i put the needles back on, started the car again and made any minor adjustments. Mine work fine. They just pull right off.

 

I meant a scanner as in you could take the overlays before you installed them and scan them in high res and put them up on the net.

It's neither here nor there now that they're installed.

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Ray87Z
-Vortec headed 350.
86 IROC w/ a cammed 305 TPI.
Formerly Ray86IROC.
www.inter-scape.com/Ray

[This message has been edited by Ray87Z (edited February 17, 2001).]

 

You think incorrectly then I want to take them off. The Firebird needles are clear, and are painted orange on the underside. When the dash lights come on the light illuminates the clear of the needles and makes them "glow" orange. I want that same effect, but in red.

I tried just pulling them off, but they wouldn't budge.

 

jay what year are yours?

Take a flat screwdriver, push the tip allllll the way in, leverage it Straight! out.

thats what i did,




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91 FireBird 305 V-8
no true mods,
ghetto rigged cold air intake,
People dont have a soul, its just something parents made up to frighten little children, like the boogie man, or micheal jackson..."

GheTTo Riggers INC.
We Make Mcgyver look Like Crap

 

Mine's an 88, same set up as you posted.
I'll have to try the screw driver trick.

 

Be careful pulling the speedo needle off, I managed to break the little brass rod (The needle was stuck on there good and took part of the rod with it) Luckily I had a spare. I re-calibrated mine with my Auto X-ray scanner, synchonizing the speed, rpm,temp,and volts with it's readings.

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85 IROC,5.0 TPI,T-Tops,fully loaded,black with red Lear-Siegler "Camaro" interior,Decal Delete,91 Bose stereo,Stage 2 Fastchip,AFPR,TB Airfoil,K&Ns,March pulleys,Alum. Driveshaft,92 police version 700r4

"The Devil drives a Camaro"