LED gauge cluster retrofit: How to make needles red?

[tekdeus]

I plan to get a blue and red colored reverse guage face kit from speedhut. Should I install white LED bulbs? Has anyone tried this combo? I'm hoping to have the blue text look like blue LED's, and keep the red constrast (i.e. redline)

Also, to make the needles to glow red, could I custom install a red LED behind each needle?...or do I have to paint them red somehow? I haven't taken mine out yet, and I was hoping for opinions from you guys who have looked at this closely.

Cliff notes: what's the best way to install LED's to have blue fonts, with red needles?

 

[Poodles]

the speedhut gauges will illuminate themselves without the help of the backlights IIRC

it depends on the year of the gauges, but I think on the 89+ you pull the needles off and sand the old paint off the back and then paint the backs red.

putting a red LED at the base will work with the red paint the best, there is another system that actually attaches to the needle, but I wouldn't use em since it's a hassle...

 

[tekdeus]

Interesting. I thought only the "indiglo" speedhut covers were self-lit.

NJsupraA70 said in another thread: "Also here is a really cool tip for you guys with gauge face coversut red bulbs in the cluster and waaalaa you now have red needles:"

I thought the red bulbs he used in this photo was causing the light blue color in his speedo/tach guages. Is this the blue color of the speedhut kits? It's awfully light and does not match LED blue.

 

[Poodles]

nope, that's the glow of the gauges...

IIRC they have a controller that will mix two colors together, but I'm unsure ont he blue..

 

[tekdeus]

Ok, now my new dilemma is this: My car is an 87, but the previous owner put in gauge face covers that go up to 160mph (like 89-92), so I'm not sure what year my cluster is now.

BUT: I've noticed that my speedo seems to read about 5-10mph above actual speed, SO should I just go ahead and get the speedhut covers for 87-88, to get my speedo more accurate? Will these covers fit if my cluster ends up being from an 89-92? How do they differ?

I'm wondering if I can safely order the right kit without having to rip my dash apart to see what's in there now.

 

[BorHor]

Wasn't there different needles for 89+? maybe you can tell from that.

 

[Poodles]

got pics of your gauges?

 

[The Dude]

'88 and earlier the gauge needle goes through the pivot point like this ----O-, '89+ it stops like this ----O , but there's always the possibility he switched the needles also.

Also, comparing a pic of an '89+ and my '87, there's a lot more indicator lines on my '87 fuel level gauge. There's only 5 on the '89+.

 

[tekdeus]

got pics of your gauges?

Right now this is my only pic.

 

[Poodles]

if you pull the gauge cluster and look under the speedometer, you'll see the original gauge face

that will telly ou which one to order.

you have to remove the needles to get the faces on, so the needle more than likey wasn't put on quite right and needs to be adjusted...

 

[boosthard]

Interesting. I thought only the "indiglo" speedhut covers were self-lit.

NJsupraA70 said in another thread: "Also here is a really cool tip for you guys with gauge face coversut red bulbs in the cluster and waaalaa you now have red needles:"

I thought the red bulbs he used in this photo was causing the light blue color in his speedo/tach guages. Is this the blue color of the speedhut kits? It's awfully light and does not match LED blue.

hey i have a question, how could i get that exact set of gauges for my mk3 any websites and how hard is the install?