reverse glow install how-to?

[ranman106]

My neice wants this installed in her 1999-2000 Grand Am GT:

www.procarparts.com
sku PN99GA-2350RGX

I have searched for info but can't find what I need. Can anybody help a newbie out? Do the needles have to be removed? If so, how, what about calibration? All help is appreciated!

[Sweet98GA]

yes the needles are going to have to come off. To do your own calibration turn the car on and leave it running for about 15-20 minutes. This should give it enough time to warm up and be at whatever settings it needs to be at. Then either mark them w/ an eraseable pen on the plexiglass or just remember and then when u've put the overlays on just put the needles back in the same spot.

Having said that, i thought in the 99+ models the gauges auto calibrated themselves when u turn the car on, isnt that why they bounce all they way to the right and come back to the left?

[way2crazy05]

or take a digital picture and print it off

[magyver]

you dont need to take yoru needles off! what you do is point all your needles up or all one directon, slide the wfg over so that the needles com though the holes, then keep sliding it down to the needle base, boom, light it up the best you can w/ the stock ones, and your done... NO NEED TO TAKE OFF THE NEEDLES.. what makes it eaiser is if u use a spoon and pry up the needles like an 1/8" to help w/ clearnce, and leave it up incase the wfg's bulge up or it might make the needle get stuck at a certain point.. ive done this several times, look at my cardomain if you dont believe me...

[ranman106]

Thanks for the help! Where did you tap in for your power source?

[Sweet98GA]

mac i also installed led's to change the color of my needle which is why i took mine off

as far as power goes... any constant thru the fuse box that only comes on when the car is on... i think i used the radio fuse

[greenguy]

one question magyver, what did you use to glue the guages down, i cant seem to get them to stay down and look good during the day.

[voyager]

i have indiglo gauges too - i didn't take the needles off, just carefully slid the panel on starting from one side and working toward the other. easier if you remove the cluster from the car and sit at a table.. don't know about GA's but in my beretta the guages pull right ought after you remove the cowl and a few screws.

my unit ( from speedhut ) came with a bunch of 3M double-sided tape. use ALOT of it ( i went to hardware store and bought more ). you may have to reinstall a couple of times, since the panel will change shape as it heats up, and buckle away from the guages in places you didn't think it would once it's in the car and warm.

i never used a spoon to pry on the needles - afraid to break them! don't worry, they'll return to their positions when the ignition is turned on. be patient with the panel, you should be able to get it on without taking the needles off, and with enough deftly placed tape, the needles won't get stuck on the panel anymore!

good luck! it's a nice mod!

=)

[voyager]

oh yeah - power. my guages are wired to the parking light switch - it's closer than the fuse box on my car, and there should be a switched positive ( on when marker lights are on ) and a ground wire on the headlight controls.

sweet98, do you have pics of your needles? a thread to link to? that sounds cool.

8)