Guage Faces to change color from stock.
Product is well made but came without any instructions so you are pretty much on your own as to installation. I installed the white faces to add a newer look to the interior. You will need a contrasting color (paint) for the needles which you will reuse. Seems a little overpriced for 5 pieces of plastic but they are well done. New speedo face goes to 160. Was disappointed that the oil pressure face does not list PSI, just Low-High with a couple of hash marks in between. Removed stock face had PSI numbers.
Easy to install the faces once you get the dash apart. Does not require the removal of the steering wheel. Remove pan section under steering column on lower dash (2 screws), remove turn signal/wiper arm covers (4 screws that come up from bottom). Remove instrument cluster shroud (1 screw on each side from bottom) Pull shroud loose (makes a loud noise when the clips release). Intrument cluster is held into place with 4 screws. There are 2 harnesses in the back of the cluster that pull out. If you have rear window defroster there is 1 other electical connection that must be removed from cluster. Front bezel removes with 6 slip clips into the cluster. Needle removal and re-installation onto guages should be done with care. Lift evenly when removing as the pins to which they are attached appear to be fragile. Faces are held in place with really small phillips screws. Recomend that you use jewlers type screwdriver to remove these. Oil pressure and Tach have pins on them that must be reused in the new faces. On the old faces these are inserted through the face and then mushroomed (melted) in place. You will need to cut the mushroom cap off to get them out of the old faces. I super glued them into the new faces and it seems to work. Since I installed white faces I had to change the needle color. I chose flourescent orange for good contrast. Scrape the paint off the back side of the needles and reapply new color. If you want a good orange paint I chose "Testors Master Modelers" Racing Red. It is 60s flourescent redish pink, bright stuff.
Faces look cool at night as they illuminate from the rear. Kind of a
day glo appearance. Will probably take a couple of tries on the needles to get them set
correctly so don't be in a rush to close up the dash. Start the car, see where the needles
lie and adjust accordinly. This can be done with the engine running.
All in all I am satisfied with the new look. Good Sunday afternoon project.
| Back to Product Reviews | 16 February, 1999 |