Gauge face plates

[Hector2021]

As a number of people have commented on how to fix their "starry night" gauges, the only real solution is to replace the offending dial face plate.
I just noticed they are available again via ebay. I have used the same to remedy my boost gauge and can confirm they are spot on for fitment etc.
They are expensive of course so maybe order the set then sell the ones you dont need on LEC at a pro-rata rate?
Link below (not affiliated to it in any way)
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285928983857 ... media=COPY

[Tuga2112]

very ouchy in price.

make me wonder if theres a possivility of making a 3d print of a lithograph for them...

[FunElan]

If someone has a vector file, I can make them out of thick cardstock and we can just poke holes for the light to come through

[Alexwils]

Before I embark down this expensive route I thought I'd have a go at painting them back in however I've managed to get the gauge out but no idea how to get the glass off. What's the nack?

[Hector2021]

Alex, if you have extracted the gauge(s) from the dash then you have completed tricky phase No1. Tricky phase No2 is the glass removal, but its quite possible. The black bezel that holds the glass to the plastic body is metal and you need to gently prise it off the body by using a sharp edged tool (small screwdriver) to slowly work your way around the back crimped edge to 'peel' the bezel away from the flange on the body.
The body is usually quite brittle by now and may even already have small cracks in it. If youre firm but gentle in your approach you will manage it easier than you think. I applied a bit of pressure to the two sides of the body between my fingers of one hand while prising the bezel at 90 degrees to where i was gently squeezing. My thought process was to keep it cylindrical shaped for strength rather than let the pressure from the prising action allow the cylinder to collapse. Not sure if that was really necessary, but it worked for me.
Keep trying to separate the two parts and you will eventually free them without having to prise the full 360 degrees round. If you do crack the case it really shouldnt be a big problem as you can repair with an araldite type adhesive and it wont be seen anyway once returned to the dash. There are a few write ups on the forum of how people attacked this same issue if you do a search.

[DublinBlueElan]

It's been over 2 years since the last post, has anyone made any progress on an alternative?

[Tuga2112]

ive had aliexpress suggesting i buy gauges which honestly are tempting. but they dont really fit in with the original aestetic.

i would expect it to be fairly straighforward to pick one of those, and print the backing to match and just swap the backing. the final step may be (if your not lucky) to add a voltage control unit to reinterpret the voltage from the car to something that reads correctly in the aliexpress dials (note, such gadget would also be used to get the temp gauge right).

its one of those things where, "if one of the more 'hands on' members absolutely needed it, and the part was ridiculously expensive/impossible to get, and he could be bothered to describe the process" (AKA the planets align) it would be really easy to copy their findings.

unfortunately for you.. i know what i would do, but i have no need for doing it.

however, we as a group will be very supportive of your attempt and im sure a handfull will be chipping in advice if you start the project and report on the progress.

[DublinBlueElan]

I'm thinking something simpler like stickers. If an image of the dial was replicated and printed on on a clear sticker or wrap would the black print block the starry night effects and the red still allow light to shine through?