Does anyone who of a companythat makes colored factory gauge faces? I would like to get a red to match the car or a anthracit to mathc my dash.

Thanks in advance

 

Straight answer-no.

You can, however make them yourself, but I'm not sure how. Other than that, you are stuck until MINI decides to sell the GP faces, minus the GP of course .

-Cody

 

I dis assembled my tach scaned the face, changed the base color added some photos and printed out on transperancy.

(click it)
The original is the linked photo.

To do it this way, you simply overlay the orginal face. If you don't wnat o do that stock up on wax paper it takes about 11 layers to properly diffuse the light. I'd be interested in experimenting with plexi glass as well.

 

How and where did you get transparency paper? Do you think it would be possible for me to color it black in photo shop then print it out? I'd deffinitly be interested!

-Cody

 

Wal-Mart 10 sheets for ~$4 not the cheapest but I see forgein vendors charging 75+




Yeah I think you might be able to get something to work.

I'm planning on redoing some of this as soon as I get some color ink.

I'm not responsible if you happen to add something that scares the **** out of you while you driving down the road

 

Buy it at Office Depot. I have some left over from my attempts so if you want to buy it off of me, send me a PM . It is a very expensive (about $40 for 50 sheets - or atleast that is what I paid, maybe I got ripped off).

So, I tried and tried the whole transperancy thing, and I figured out that it won't work well, especially with darker colors like black. But, more power to you if you want to try it out yourself .

 

It was useless on it's own but I thought great for overlaying the original face.

Only complaint was inkjet lines, may want to try and get the transparencies that work with laser printers and give that a go, unfortunately I don't have acess to a laser right now.

 

Oh, ok. Well, I might try it anyway...not sure. I was thinking of black faces with white outlines. Let me know what you think.



Obviously I only changed one, and the whole thing would be done better, with proper lines, all black (solid) and solid white. If not that, maybe a blue to match my car.

And I wouldn't be worried about the transparency with the black, since the illuminated parts, ie the numbers and lines would be white. Do you think this would work better? And I understand the gauges would still be red even through the white, correct?

-Cody

 

That's with Trasparancy overlay




Mostly I spent quite a while in PS cleaning it up, then I made solid black lines around the #s and the accompanying lines to make things a little more defined. The LEDs are orange and diffused by an orange filter on the current face, which is easy to overlay. If you change LEDs but not the filter then you get a yellowy haze if you remove the original face you need to go to extensive lengths to to diffuse the light from the LEDS or you'll be looking at laser LEDs and they won't spread out right and you'll end up with poor results, I've heard that wax paper in about a dozen layers will fix this but I haven't tried. To change light color you need to change LEDs and filters

 

Ok, so for my application, using a straight black overlay with white lines, I would still be able to see the lights fine at night, and using the white, I would still be able to see them fine in the day also.

And Skitell, you have a PM.

-Cody

 

I wouldn't be so sure about being able to see them in the day PERIOD with overlays - even with white. I tried many different combinations: black background with red outline, blue background with yellow outline, red background with black outline. None of these combinations were easily visible in regular light. I NEED to be able to see it in the daylight too as I have the NAV, and if I can't comfortably read the speedometer without taking a "double take" then I am going to get in to trouble quick!

Anyways...I am hoping some sort of manufacturer can come up with something, because honestly, I have given up on the project.

If you need any help dissasembling the tach, let me know - I can pretty much do it with eyes closed now .

 

Same here. But the needle is still a leap of faith.


I did one version where I made the clear/white area a little larger, but it looked kinda tacky (no pun intended) but it was effective, and exactly what they did on the GP; so when I do it again I'll be making to match dead on as with the tach I can get enough info with a glance at how far the needle is and I have digital speed readout that I'm absoulutely addicted to. But you may find it worth a try.

During the day with an exact match and no lights you'll see a little difference but not huge, note the photos.

 

Here's an updated version. Still not complete, but it'll give you an idea. Now, this is where I need your guys help! I'm not sure if I should go with white lines or leave them grey? I'm thinking white, but do you think that would yeild too much white?



Thanks!
-Cody

 

Haha ...I know exactly what you mean. Feels like its going to crack in half everytime!



Well...anyways, I have given up on the whole project personally as it really just made feel like this little guy: .

 

Cody I seem to have lost you, Are you looking for white illumination? The LEDs are orange and the diffuser is black then orange when illumiated so you'll end up with black on black in daylight and black on orange by night. Or are you planing on doing a wax paper diffuser. IN which case go for it but remember most printers, unless you're savy enought ot tell it you're printing on clear or black, won't print white so it'll just come out clear, in which case your diffuser is what is visible.

See pics above for the black on black explination.

 

I want the face black, and I wanted the lines and numbers white so I could see them in the day time. I understand that the faces would still light up the original LED color, and that is fine, but what I want to do is just overlay a new peice on top of the original. Make sense? Will I be able to see the white during the day? I do NOT want black on black, so how would I achieve Black on White?

I want this effect at night:



But this during the day (with WHITE lines):


-Cody

 

Check out this thread, there are suggestions there.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=53100

I suggested calling Black Cat back then, since custom gauge faces are what they do. I don't know if anyone has had them make any for a MINI, though.

http://www.blackcatcustom.com/

 

So, Black Cat uses just overlays, correct? I might contact them to find out if they make any.

-Cody

 

That's what it looks like to me. They don't list MINIs on their site, but they do custom work, too.

 

E-mail sent. Now I will wait! I'll let you guys know what they say.

-Cody

 

In that case I suggest inserting a few pieces of wax paper (1-2) between the original face and your overlay or another alternative is to look at the GP guage faces and enlarge the area blocked out fo the light so there is black, then a white border then the black of the new face.

 

what are the odds of mini or an after market company such as mini mania releasing gp gauge faces with out gp lettering on them?

 

Wrote Black Cat yesterday and heard back this morning. They said that they will have something in about three weeks.......

 

ooooooooh VERY interesting to say the least

 

"Hi Cody,

Custom gauge faces for the Mini are in the works and should be ready in about 3 weeks. A few different styles will be offered through www.outmotoring.com and we will offer custom designs if you are looking for something really different. Please let me know if you have more questions. Thanks!

Alex
Black Cat Custom"

WhooO! Look out!
-Cody