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Instruments And Gauges Alternatives


monzta
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Hey chaps :)

Need a bit of inspiration here.

I have all this welding to do on the old A series, but i need to have somthing to fiddle with, and was thinking about making a custom set of gauges for the old lady. They need to be green rolleyes.gif

Has looked a bit on the internet but they are quite expensive those single gauges. If i do it i need to do it proper, so everything needs to be the same style (even the fuel gauge)..

As i see it i have 3 options.

Using the original ones, but maybe do something to the dials ?

Using something from another Opel, maybe Astra Gsi digi ?

Using some tuner gauges, but important stuff is that the speed is in kph and the fuel gauge also is present...

Let me hear what you think, what would look cool. Wouldn´t mind a more moderne look, but it all needs to be green in colour (either lights or dial)...

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May be not the colour your looking for , but i am thinking of putting in an alfa 156 t spark console, in mine 2.5 v6 clocks and the centre gear box console. Thats at a later date , some are white dials and others are black and red ?.At the moment cut up a bmw dash to fit , but poss looks dated . done calibra before.and senator , astra digital etc , Cheers mate

p.s You can buy paint to colour your bulbs , we have used a green paint on glass and the actual unit lights up looks cool .The paint you can get from an art and craft shop and it for glass eg stained glass windows ?

Edited by cop
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Oh yeah i do like those alfa 156 dials.. Looks just right for an old Manta, but they would need to be taken totally apart and fitted on top of the original gauges or something ?

Could be styled afterwards (with coloured dials, green l.e.d´s etc)...

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If you look at the interior photo from this post in my project thread I've fitted a thin perspex sheet between the instuments and the cover, with blue LEDS installed around the edge to light the dials from the sides rather than the poor std front lit setup (which I guess is simialr to the A series??)

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IF you wish to change the style of the console take it out ,remove steering wheel and switches , lay it on top of a large card board box but flattened and draw around with a maker pen , the same with the the side but allow extra , cut away until it fits the car , TRY IT FIRST WITH A DIFFERENT CONSOLE FIRST TO SEE HOW IT COMES OUT AND WHEN YOUR HAPPY DO IT ON THE 156 UNIT IT WILL LOOK BRILL TALORIED IN ANY MANTA

Edited by cop
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Christ: Well that was creepy :) I was just looking at that technology and went back here to post something about it when i saw your answer :)

This is the technology http://china-made.ma...ithledlight.htm

As you said, you use a piece of acrylic plastic and put led´s in the sides. Then i could get the digits machined out, and they would light up in any desired colour laugh.gif

Would look kind of cool i think..

Christ the one you have made fits the car great, and fit nicely with that big blue rev counter thumbsup.gifthumbsup.gif

Thanks for the feedback Cop, yeah it would look pretty great, as the gauges in the manta comes off i could rearrange the dials as i want, and make a new cover for the gauge cluster.

Edited by monzta
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Hi Simon, yes that would look absolutely fantastic in a custom dash housing :) But they are kind of expensive though... Need to make a cheap solution, and see what can be done.

The theme of the car as you can see on my avatar is a Manta A with respect for the original themes and looks, but with the modern twist. Alot like the rods that Chip Foose builds. I may have chosen a matte black paint and a kawasaki green decal for the car, but the decal is the original GTE one. The wheels may be big, but i will not fit tons of fibraglass skirts on the car, i am trying to keep an original look, but with the modern twist. I guess that a nice way to sum it up would be, "if a A series where a new car today, what would it then look like ?".. That is the theme i am trying to get, but i still (unfortunatly) have to do it on a budget :)

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