Dial Question again... :(

[Boorock]

Hi guys,

Planning to change the dial & instrument panel lightning to RED or WHITE...

Made the search & find out a really good guide by Nico+Daz & thanks a lot to Ben B too

But I need some advices...

1- As I am going to use the original White Dials (Mk1 HGT) what is the best way to scrap / rub the green out ?
Sandpaper ? Razor ? Any other tool ?
Do I need any solvents or similar to make the green coat easy off ?

2- Needles seems as the main pain in the ass...
Any other comments apart from Nico's guide ?

3- I would like to use bright RED LEDs for the needles. I can make the soldering but are there any empty spaces for the 3mm. RED LEDs that can be used under the needles only ?
(Apart form the general 509T LED Dial lightning..)

4- If I have to use the car without the Dash, the airbag light comes on. That's Ok but can it be reversed by Fiat ? Or is it going to be ON as an eternal reminder of the Dial Project ?

5- Someone mentioned to set up a 12v feed for the testing of light distribution at home...
The point is, how do you decide the pin outs & the polarity ?
(As I am going to solder the LEDs, the polarity can be a fatal mistake..)

Thanks for your comments & wish me luck

PS: Any other comments on the important but forgotten points are greatly appreciated

 

[Boorock]

Updates/comments anyone ?

 

[Anonymous]

Mornin Boorock

I'm not entirely certain what it is you aim to achieve in terms of design and lighting, as the needles for one are red already (lit by white bulbs - cos it is the needles themselves that are made of red plastic).
I would serously suggest you let the german guy make you some custom ones, and save yourself a shed load of agro. Some mods are fun to do but you will only get frustrated if you try to alter your present dials. Better to customise your design to make it totally unique and save yourself the bother of having a dash in bits in the meantime. For the sake of £40+ depending on how intricate you make the design, you will achive far superior results with ones made by a pro, than is possible by your own hand (I'm pretty handy with a scalpal myself - so trust me on this one!).

I experimented for days with different bulbs/LEDs when I did my brothers analogue, and I had to accept in the end all my efforts were fruitless in terms of achieving a better appearance. If you want the dials to be a particular colour or even a mix (digits one and glif/picture another) than just tell the german guy

As for that airbag light..so long as you don't turn the ignition without the dials hoked up, it will not come on constantly. Nige can cancel it for a tenner, or you can just stick a little piece of summit opaque behind the icon in the rear of the platic fascia to obscure it

 

[Anonymous]

for needles use 6x3mm LED
and for lightiing the dial EL foil.