I decided to make some updates to my gauges, and had some overlays, so I made this, based on the autometer nexus series. What do you think?

original:


new one:


I still need to touch it up around the red, but I think it should make for a nice update. Opinions?

 

gives it a bit of a new age look like you said. doing anything with the needles?

 

Well, I already took the needs out, scraped off the orange, and painted them red. I'd like to do something else, but I'm not really sure what to do. Why, any suggestions?

 

blue

 

hey guys first post here, but i did some overlays myself, not trying to thread jack or anything

 

How did you do that,I like it alot,please tell us!!!

 

awesome guys how are you making them? i want to get somthin like that...

 

well I used a combo of paint and photoshop to do mine. (had to use paint cause I'm a little inept at PS). I actually drew it all by hand using the curve tools and the text tool. Font is called sofachrome. I actually redid the speedo since I originally posted. I dont know what model that speedo came out of, but it didnt match mine. I actually had an extra original cluster sitting around, so I scanned it into my computer and re-edited it.
These arent to scale, but its pretty much a matching set.

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That flame one looks pretty nice too.

I have no idea what material I'm gonna use tho, maybe some kind of photopaper, I havent really had time to mess around with it yet.

 

WOW, those all look really good. I'm subscribed to the thread. I want to know how to do the same.

 

good progress. curious to see how they look once you finish things.

 

I LIKE THAT LOOK...WHAT WILL YOU DO W/THE NEEDLES? OR THE BACK ROUND ILLUMINATION...KEEP IT ORANGE???
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What tool did you use for the needle removal?? I want to do overlays for mt camaro...but am afraid that i'm gonna break the needles off,,,

 

I used a butter knife to get my needles off. I'm sure theres a better way, but they are dull, wont marr or scratch anything.

I already scraped off the orange paint with a razor blade and painted the needles red with the stock gauges, and they look really good, but the plan is to replace everything with red LEDs. With any luck, the letters will light up red and the red rings with glow too. I'm gonna call up Kinkos and find out what kind of printing they do, cause I'd love to use a polycarbonite like the originals. If not, I guess I'll mess around with some paper overlays, see what looks best.

I already had one overlay fabbed up in the cluster, but the paper was too flimsy and the batteries dead in the car anyways so i couldnt tell what they looked like lit up. Once I figure out the material, I'll be getting pics on them in the car and lit up asap.

 

i used two spoons one on each side and lightly pushed down on the opposite ends so the spoon end pried up on the round part of the needle.
as far as my overlays i just used photoshop and high pixel scans

 

You might be able to print them out on transparent sheets like the ones used for overhead projectors. Just a thought. That's probably the route I'm going to take.

 

I've always used Good Times font. On sofachrome, the 'A' is backwards.

And Super Ultra 911 for the squished Camaro lettering font.

 

I wanted to see some blue ones so i made up a pair.

just me.


Have a nice day.

 

Nice work man... Very professional looking

 

With the exception of the 8's and the 591 overlays, those are awesome! Will light shine through the blue though, or do you have to cut out places for the light to shine through or something?

 

I'm subscribing to this thread.

What are you using for the design....photoshop?

 

Subscribed.

 

yes, thats what I used.
I really dont know how I'm gonna print them out, I may end up going to Kinkos and seeing what they have that I can use. This kinda got put on the backburner, my attention has been spent moreso on a pair of aluminum door sills I'm making. But rest assured, one of these days I'll get them printed, and I'll post up the results.

 

Can we go a little more in depth on this whole gauge overlay process? I've been searching around a bit and so far I've come up with this:

1)replace lights with clear LED's
2)photoshop a set of overlays
3)get overlays printed on a strong, flexible paper of
some sort
4)tape overlays to gauges via double sided tape

I guess the LED part is optional depending on the color you want. Is there anything more to making the overlays though? Say I wanted the blue ones posted earlier, would I need some sort of translucent blue for the light to shine through? Also, is there a problem with the gauge needles not lighting up after overlays are stuck on? I read something about them only reflecting the light and that they might get messed up with overlays.

That's all of the questions I have for now. This whole thing is all new to me.

 

Ya how does the light end up Coming through these... is it clear or not... does anybody have some pics of these guages in their car

 

Interesting, has anyone got a high pixel scan of the standard 140mph trans am gauges? I would like to have a play with it on photoshop, but I don't want to have to pull my car apart to do it

 

right on

 

At the risk of sounding like a complete moron. i have a 80mph speedo but would like a higher one. would i be able to use an overlay like these to make it higher or have to get a whole new speedo?

 

i did make mine read higher but i had to remove the trip reset button. you could make it read any thing you want but to make it accurate is another thing.

 

You would have to replace the speedo, the needle is going to move to the exact same points it does now. Replacing the overlay doesnt change the way the needle moves.

 

Thanks thats all i want to know.