has anyone attempted or interested in changing the gauge cluster backlight color ?
I started modifying motorcycle displays a few weeks ago started thinking. man the gauge in the crossfire would looks so much better if it was yellow white red blue purple just any color other than 1970 computer screen green.

any thoughts ? sounds like my plan for next week . btw search didn't yield positive results on the site.

with the bikes i posted pics - instructions - and if you don't want to do the work or not sure u want to try it 50 bucks and ill change them . I was thinking about doing the same thing here. ( price might change pending workload.)

 

Would be very interested in having this done. I am alright to do most of the mods and installs on the car, but I think I would outsource this one.

Good luck finding info, keep us posted....

 

I have had one tore apart and have been messing with it for a while now. Only problem is light leakage and resolution of the overlay. You'd have to make sure that if you did print it, that you would have some way of making sure that the parts you want dark are blacked out and printing black on white substrate will not yield this effect. I've done one but unfortunately it never made it into the car because it needed some work and pulling everything out to do it right afterwards wasn't appealing to me.

 

I"d definitely be interested...especially something in purple/blue...

But my issue is that then I'd want the rest of the interior lighting changed to match and that's quite the endeavor.

I'm also not a fan of the green...the car looks slick and the interior goes quite well...and then I suppose they thought the green was retro-modern...I think it doesn't fit.

If you come up with some sort of interior re-do...let me know...I'd pay a fair bit...

 

Yeah, it would be a nitemare to redo all the switches. First off, they are a funky LED and second, you'd have to redo everyone with a needlepoint iron which is less than an enjoyable thing to do with.

If i put anything together, i'll post here.

 

Yea definetly let us know how it goes and if it works. I would want mine guage lights blue perhaps, cuz I have an Aero Blue crossfire.

-Sam

 

an example of the leds used in bike gauges
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/ima...SMD-1_i_ma.jpg

my crossfire is the base coupe stick I believe the auto stick uses an illuminated gear selector if i don't have access to it i won't be capable of making instructions or knowning which parts to use.
are there any other differences between the makes i should care about.in respect to other backlit parts ?


the gauge face (not the back light ) will be on hold until i can find the correct printer / print shop to take care of it and i am removing it from the orginal post.

goals of this project have now been modified
1 gauge face backlight color
2 all other stock green backlit accented items
3. record with pictures and instructions
a. give those instructions to someone who can write a complete sentance without errors so others can understand
4 record part numbers,vendors used,item discription ( should i keep this secret and offer an all parts needed kit for sell for profit ? if yes i will move into a commercial sponcer at that time)
5 offer the service of installation to people who say screw that you do it . in the dfw area for a personal profit.
6. accept no liability for any problems created by steps 1-4, and full liability for steps 5

time line
7-26 remove all parts and record * possible cancel point
7-26 7-27 order parts needed
7-28 7-29 record steps to remove all items to access leds
8-2 install all lights and reinstall all other items
8-2 post pics of succes failure
8-3 8-4 record steps to remove all items and reinstall with new colors
8-4 8-5 submit 1st draft of step by step guide for grammer review and modification
8-6 8-7 submit final draft of guide

 

Sounds great man. If you can change all the interior gauge and button light colors, that would be great! Keep us posted and good luck!

-Sam

 

I tore apart a switch to see if it could be done and took it to a custom interior place who's worked on LED lighting and he said it would be very difficult to do. Tear apart a switch and you'll see how the LED is held in place, not very easy to work with. He told me for it to work, he'd need the car for a long time and there still wasn't a guarantee. The only one that could be changed easily is the one behind the HVAC.

Not saying it can't be done but defintely a challenge

 

The green colored instrument panel lighting and dash setup was lifted straight from the slk, then slightly modded to better match the silver console/interior.

 

i now need to go to detroit this sunday to get some stuff running. customs delayed it so i couldn't get it done this week
this will throw off my timeline posted above. will update as i have more info

 

A quick look through Cardomain.com I see a number of SLKs with red guage lighting. The cluster looks like it would almost bee a clean swap. would something like that be possible?

Even the white cluster here http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_...0005_large.jpg

 

I have one from a 320 and a 32 and neither will work unless you want to tear them apart, cut and tape them together and then put it all back together in the original crossfire cluster. The lighting color is in the overlay, not the lights behind or a colored light diffuser.