Digital Dash Color Change

[Z_Karma]

Peeling the Digital Dash

Easier to do this with the dash removed from the car, but not necessary.
This is an 86 Digi display i pulled for the template/spare/ebay.

Remove trim screws


Remove outer plexi shield



Remove outer trim ring



Remove inner plexi



Remove metal shield



Remove green filters



Closeup of VFD...VFD = vacuum fluorescent display, way different from LED and LCD. led = light emitting diode, lcd = liquid crystal display Thanks to Pulsecode for the clarification!!



Green filters


email me if you would like a .pdf printable template of the filters.

[300zxmaniak]

Im in the process of changeing my analog color but after doing some research about lights a good alternative to go with if the digital uses the same bulb as the analog cluster (bulb #74) is replaceing it with a colored led rather than gel caps those dont give you the color and yes they make colored #74 leds heres a link to a site i was looking at with the blue bulb its frekin bright and very sexy.
http://autolumination.com/74.htm
just scroll down a hair it has all the colors (white, blue, red, etc)
Hope this helps.
I am probly wrong on the bulb number but all you have to do is pull the old one, pull the cover, and get your # off it and just google it or goto part store i almost gurantee they are available in every #

[SATAN]

I just did the Digi dash in the AE tonight but I also did the stock boost gauge and the compass. Found out that whe you do those additional gauges they are a lot dimmer than the main gauges. I'll edit this and post pics later.

[BoostedMamma]

Re:

SATAN wrote: I just did the Digi dash in the AE tonight but I also did the stock boost gauge and the compass. Found out that whe you do those additional gauges they are a lot dimmer than the main gauges. I'll edit this and post pics later.

...We still haven't taken pics. :-(
The boost gauge and the compass are almost impossible to see in the daylight, though. They look sick at night.

[Achew]

all the pic and links are dead reup?

[ZDaddy]

Re: Re:

[quote]BoostedMamma wrote:

I just did the Digi dash in the AE tonight but I also did the stock boost gauge and the compass. Found out that whe you do those additional gauges they are a lot dimmer than the main gauges. I'll edit this and post pics later....We still haven't taken pics. :-(
The boost gauge and the compass are almost impossible to see in the daylight, though. They look sick at night.

It's because you dont have the polarized film over it anymore. That prevents the daytime glare.

[ShamWow]

That is sweet Beck! I like the multicolored effect.

It looks like most the pics and links in this thread are down. Could someone re-up please!

[mojo]

ok so i did this but im still not happy (will post pics soon) how did you get the red so red?

[mojo]

ok so here is my trial of the color change tell me what you think, im looking for some kinda halfass transparent plastic to use for a dash plate so it will glow blue, and next time i will fade the colors better and have more red for the tac just testing it out

[SATAN]

Here is a tip. Any time you are trying to change the color to whatever, order something really dark. I order a color similar to this color here if you can see it. it is the middle blue one at the top. You have to get it pretty dark in order for it to show up like you want it to. Otherwise it is way too light.

Oh, and if you plan on doing the compass and the oil gauges, they need to be a lighter color because the lights aren't as bright. If you use the same color as the main gauge cluster, they will look really dim.

[SATAN]

Re: Re:

[quote]ZDaddy wrote: [quote=BoostedMamma]

I just did the Digi dash in the AE tonight but I also did the stock boost gauge and the compass. Found out that whe you do those additional gauges they are a lot dimmer than the main gauges. I'll edit this and post pics later....We still haven't taken pics. :-(
The boost gauge and the compass are almost impossible to see in the daylight, though. They look sick at night.It's because you dont have the polarized film over it anymore. That prevents the daytime glare.

No, its not from the glare. It is actually dimmer. Even at night you can see that the other two pods are WAY dimmer than the main gauges. You have to use lighter film for those.

[BoostedMamma]

Beck wrote:

I missed this thread originally, because I was out of town I think.

Dude... You need gas :nanan?re

[CruiserZ31]

all the image links are dead so i cant really see how to do this...

[SATAN]

CruiserZ31 wrote: all the image links are dead so i cant really see how to do this...

That sucks cause I didnt take any pictures of it when I did it.

It is pretty easy though once you get the digi gauge cluster out.
You just take the screws out pull the thing apart (this is easier than it sounds) You will then see the green filters that go over the LCD's. You take those filters out. Then you take your new color, whatever it may be and tape them on the back side of the part that you see while sitting in the car. You know, the grayish graph looking display thing. Tape them on the back side of that. Put it all back together making sure everything is clean. BAM color change.

Once you pull it apart, it will be clear as day what you are supposed to do from there.

[Z_Karma]

ok, i rehosted all the images on imageshack, hopefully they last awhile.
I still haven't made it down to the stagelighting place to get some filters.
:-?