YOU can paint your stock gauge panel (here's how)

[Gray Ghost]

Thanks to you for bringing this subject up. I never saw the first thread and am very glad I saw this one!

[TugOwar]

Ok guys,
I got bored this afternoon and decided to tear into my cluster and brighten things up a bit. I have a few questions.

I noticed most of you that painted the bezel aslo repainted the trim around the outside edge and the inside around the gauges with a silver or grey. I did my whole bezel in satin black. Do you think I need to do the trim in a lighter color? Does it help with light reflection or is it purely asthetic?

I thought of using a sponge dipped in white paint to brush across the lettering on the bezel (Lights/Windsheild Wipers). What do you think?

Also, I'm not blocking out my lower gauges like some did but I notice my glass has traces of that fugly old green paint on it around where the gauges show through. If I mask off around the gauges and paint this white would it help with the lighting at all or should I leave it alone?

Finally, I noticed in the pics of Buffalo Elk that the lettering on his glass doesn't look green like mine. Looks more of a cream color. Is that an aftermarket part or from a different model year or just my old, tired eyes?

Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks for reading.

BTW, I'm going white on the back of my cluster, just wish I had the white gauge faces to go with it now.
I have before pics but they are still on the camera, I'll post up some when I get it reassembled.

[Gray Ghost]

It does look like a different color but it isn't. It's still green, just not that noticable anymore due to the contrast of color.

[TugOwar]

Cool, thanks for the reply.

[TugOwar]

Before and after pics.

I put plain 194's in it but they are colored blue, found at O'reileys. They give a nice blue "glow in the dark" effect but it's still not bright enough and not even enough light for the camera to pic it up. Hopefully I'll have some LED's on the way soon.

I know it's not the greatest looking dash around. Opinions welcome though.

[TugOwar]

P.S. Something else was changed in the process of painting the gauges/bezel. Do you see it?

[1LoC10]

stearing column is closer to the dash now

[Gray Ghost]

You painted the column black. I put new 194's all throughout and some are bright and others are not....weird. I'll be going to led's soon I think. What numbers do I get and where?

[texascowboy593]

Lookin good guys... Buffalo Elk, How does the printed circuit look on the back of the cluster? If its damaged that could be the culprit for some lights being dim / not working... You can get 'em for $30 to $60 depending on where you look...

[Gray Ghost]

It looked pretty good when I had it apart....didn't seem to be damaged at all.