Instrument panel lights

[jakenscott]

Im in the process of painting a few parts in my car and i was wondering if the bulbs in the instrument panel were actually red or does the panel itself have a red tint. I have the plastic trim off at the moment for paint and noticed that I have a bulb out around the 4 in the tachometer. I want to (if possible) replace all the bulbs in the cluster with white ones. I like how newer cars have all white gauges, it looks cleaner to me. anyway just a thought. Jaken

[cjmeyers]

the gauges have an orange film on the back to produce the redish orange light and just regular 194 bulbs for illumination...

[jakenscott]

thats what i was afraid of..... dang. oh well. i used to have a geo storm that had little rubber caps over the bulbs to make it light up green i was hoping pontiac had something similar

[Silver 4 door]

cant you take the film off and put a differnet color in its place? I never had one apart before

[sudden_impulse]

You can always buy gauge overlays that change the color, or all new gauge faces. Not sure of the sites, but a quick search should give you some results.

[Silver 4 door]

right here.

http://www.blackcatcustom.com/grandam.htm

[Melbowski]

right here.

http://www.blackcatcustom.com/grandam.htm

I'm pretty sure those won't work for his car as the 98 has a different cluster. I'm not sure where to get straight overlays, but I bought reverse glows about 2 years ago that have worked very well. You can find cheapo reverse glows on ebay, but I went through www.Procarparts.com an bought these http://www.procarparts.com/store-detail.asp?sku=PN96GA%2D0481RGX&dbname=onlinestoreDB (http://www.procarparts.com/store-detail.asp?sku=PN96GA%2D0481RGX&dbname=onlinestoreDB) cause the green matched my interior. Hopefully some one else can point you to other overlays, if you don't like those.

On a side note, I love how the newer gauges have the white nubers, it looks very smooth. I'm actually planning to remove the film on my 3000GT's cluster (it's amber similar to ours) to make it white. I've seen it done before and it looks really nice. If you do it to your GA I'd love to see some pics of the end results.

Melbowski

[Silver 4 door]

If you go to the home game for them it says that they can make gauges for any car and in any style.

[Melbowski]

If you go to the home game for them it says that they can make gauges for any car and in any style.

I see, didn't notice that when I looked at their site. The work they do looks quite nice, but dayum $126 seems a little steep for my DD. I wonder what they charge for custom work :???: .

Regardless of price point, anyone have pics of these in their car? I'd like to see them in the day and lit up at night, I assume they actually look pretty sweet.

[Gagt518]

It's not a 96 but you get the point

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f81/tom12306/Interrior/Picture007-1.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f81/tom12306/Interrior/Picture008-1.jpg

[jakenscott]

I really like the solid white overlay gagt518 it looks like something id like to do if i ever get up any money. as for taking off the film in a little nervous about that. I'd end up breaking something. I pulled the cluster to change that bulb today, man cars have changed over the years. its just a motherboard with led's for the idiot lights. Oh i did find a way to get rid of that check engine light for the moment by stuffing a piece of paper in the hole in front of the led. LMAO! better than tape. One thing happened that was odd though, I was heading out to autozone to get a new bulb and I started the GA (with the cluster out) and it went dead and wouldnt start back up until i plugged the instrument panel back in. the car has never failed to start before so that had to have something to do with it. Maybe because the odometer was unplugged? Anyone?

[hotrod6]

I really like the solid white overlay gagt518 it looks like something id like to do if i ever get up any money. as for taking off the film in a little nervous about that. I'd end up breaking something. I pulled the cluster to change that bulb today, man cars have changed over the years. its just a motherboard with led's for the idiot lights. Oh i did find a way to get rid of that check engine light for the moment by stuffing a piece of paper in the hole in front of the led. LMAO! better than tape. One thing happened that was odd though, I was heading out to autozone to get a new bulb and I started the GA (with the cluster out) and it went dead and wouldnt start back up until i plugged the instrument panel back in. the car has never failed to start before so that had to have something to do with it. Maybe because the odometer was unplugged? Anyone?

Well when you went to autozone you should of had them scan your car and see why that check engine light is on!!!!!!!

[Melbowski]

It's most likely from the theft system, it runs through everything. Wouldn't suprise me at all if that was the problem. My brother-in-law tried to swap out his cluster for one with a tach, and it worked but the theft light was on and it messed with all kinds of stuff. Needless to say he switched it back to his original and everything went back to normal.

Also, as hotrod6 said, hit up autozone for that check engine light, it's probly something simple. Once it's fixed you won't be blinded by that bad boy, at least for a while...

gagt518, I appreciate the pictures, and they look freakin sweet! I hope to get a cover for my hvac, one of GAOC supporters sells them for my year pretty cheaply. Here are some pics of my reverse glows, the pictures don't fully do them justice.

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w247/Melbowski/whiteface2.jpg

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w247/Melbowski/reverseglowgauges.jpg

[Silver 4 door]

They look good, but thats just not for me. I love my red lights.

[GregFarz78]

cant you take the film off and put a differnet color in its place? I never had one apart before

If I remember right you can't take the film off its glued onto the gauge face you'll need to do overlays or grab a spare gauge cluster off ebay and fool around with it so you don't mess yours up

[Matt95GT]

cant you take the film off and put a differnet color in its place? I never had one apart before

No.

One thing happened that was odd though, I was heading out to autozone to get a new bulb and I started the GA (with the cluster out) and it went dead and wouldnt start back up until i plugged the instrument panel back in. the car has never failed to start before so that had to have something to do with it. Maybe because the odometer was unplugged? Anyone?

The 96-98 has anti-theft electronics integrated into the cluster. It won't start if you have the cluster out or use a different one.

[jakenscott]

I got the dash back together today, all painted up and lookin sweet. As far as the check engine light, I had it scanned a while back when i got the car and it was only things i knew it should be on for. #1 the rear o2 sensor because the D.A. that owned it before me gutted the cat. and #2 knock sensor, well because frankly theres no sensor in the block. the engine (I think) was out of a 2000+ vehicle and the knock sensors have totally different wires and thread size. Ive been driving it for almost a year now with that bugger on and just saw the opportunity to at least make it look like it is running perfectly. LOL I mean it runs fine and gets around 30mpg so im not complaining.

Im gonna take some pics later and try to post them here if anyone wants to see.....

[jakenscott]

Here are the pics i promised, look at the one of the cluster you can see where i stuck the paper in the check engine and ets light LMAO! I really like those reverse glow gauges, where did you order them and how much were they?

[jakenscott]

some more pics

[jakenscott]

the last few.... hope yall like them. Im going to do more but this is my start.

[Silver 4 door]

Looks really good! Great job on the paint. I've always liked the red on black interior paint jobs.

[Melbowski]

Here are the pics i promised, look at the one of the cluster you can see where i stuck the paper in the check engine and ets light LMAO! I really like those reverse glow gauges, where did you order them and how much were they?


You can find cheapo reverse glows on ebay, but I went through www.Procarparts.com and bought these http://www.procarparts.com/store-detail.asp?sku=PN96GA%2D0481RGX&dbname=onlinestoreDB . They're about $45 and the install is really easy.

Nice job on the paint, it looks great! Always thought red and black looked sweet. You do any kind of clear on those, or just paint? I specifically like the rings around the vents, I've been meaning to do mine, but never have gotten around to it. Good luck on the rest of your mods.

[Gagt518]

Nice and shiny! IMO i wouldn't do any more red.