changing needle colors

I was wondering about taking the lights out of the guage cluster and replacing the lights that light up the needles with LED's. well i was wondering if anyone tried it also i am inquiring about pics of the guage cluster taken apart so i can see how hard it would be to replace the bulbs if at all.

EDIT: i have halo (i think, whatever ones naich was sellin) guage overlays, im just looking to get red needles . so i dont need to change the color of anything else since i cant see them.

I replaced to bulds in my gauge cluster. It is really easy.Just go to your local car store and get some 194 bulb's in the color you need. It takes 5 for the cluster. Am going to post pics as soon as I can get some taken. Also if you look in the how to section I beleive this is a form that tells you step by step how to take it apart.

[Naich]

It looks way better if you get micro-leds (Import Intelligence sells kits pre-fabbed). It depends on how much you want to spend. I think the II kit is still like $65+. I have the blue kit installed... I got them way back when there were no gauges availble for us (II released the decal white overlays, and this needle kit, so I got them both).

How to change cluster bulbs

FYI, altering the color of the cluster bulbs will also affect how the gauges light up. I got drjracing white gauges and now that I put blue bulbs in, the entire gauge has a blue glow to it.

[ImSoBored]

can't you paint em too?

it looks like your guages are just a new overlay that uses the pre-existing lights for lumination. the ones i have are independent, i can turn off my dash and still have them lit.

yes naich i was thinking about the II kit, but i was hoping for an easier maybe cheaper way to do it also similar to the guages you were selling, do they have a seperate brightness control? id like to make it so they are red all the time so they are easier to see during the day.

[Naich]

well, the only way to make them red all the time would be to paint it or get new needles. I don't know, but I wonder if the GA red needles would fit. Anyhow, if you paint the needles, they wouldn't be able to glow at night any more.

very ture, i'll check work and see what i can get, i was thinking that if the II kit was on when the car on, it would be just enough to see the red glow. thanks for the ideas/thoughts/help

Try a red highlighter. Seriously, didn't someone on here do that?

Originally posted by ImSoBored@Jan 24 2004, 07:54 AM
can't you paint em too?

Don't paint them!!! Silent and I both tried this, while it works for the daytime, you won't be able to see your needles at night. Not sure about the highlighter, don't think there would be enough 'color' in them to glow red vs pink.

Michael's has this paint in the fabric paint aisle (yes, I'm a girl ) that's called . . . well, I don't remember exactly what it's called, but the name has the word "transparent" in it. I used some once to paint a costume. Anyway, the point is, you can definately see light shine through it. Even the black paint did not make the material too dark to see some light through. I've been thinking of getting another little bottle of this to try on the needles. I was thinking since it lets light through so well, but maintains it's color, it might let plenty of light through at night to be seen but still keep the red color.

[sound_xtreme]

i made my own led kit using regular size led's

Duh, duesergirl just reminded me of something that may work. Testors has a model paint called Transparent Candy Apple Red that might do it. I used this paint on my tail lights, painting over the amber section of the turnsignals and it looks very good. hmmm....now all I need to do is get some new needles or sand of the paint on mine and try it. :P

by any chance is any of you guys that mentioned the paint, are you planning on doing this anytime soon. im going to have to check at work, part of my employer remanufactures automotive guages, i'll have to see what i can get ahold of and i'll get back to you, maybe if you need new needles i can hook you guys up

EDIT: has anyone actually tried to use food coloring, i know someone was talking about using it to color their needles.

I don't know if this would work but they do sell paint that is called glass paint. The main use for it is on glass like if you wanted to do some stained glass...maybe that might work.

Why doesnt somebody go to a junkyard and get the needles or guage cluster off a grand am? They have red needles and I'm sure the guage cluster is otherwise the same...

I may try getting a set of our needles from a junkyard to try it on. The stained glass paint is a good idea, too. I may try that instead. But it all depends on if I can get some to test it on first. I don't want to screw mine up and not be able to see them.

[Naich]

honestly, I could see food coloring working too... but who knows untill someone tries it!

all right i got some scrap needles from work. i know some people have tried painting them, did they sand or scrape off the existing paint on the back of the needle and repaint it? that's all that GM did to them. i'll work on the ones that i have. btw the grand am ones i have are ORANGE i do believe the grand prix ones are red. yes the grand am and alero needles are 100% the same with the exception of color. i'll get back to you guys within the week and let you know how its going.

[Redog]

I have the Import Intel. indo-glo kit. I got it a while ago, I forget who much. Works pretty good :thumbsup: