| Author |
Message |
Tazio Nuvolari (Nuvolari)
Junior Member
Username: Nuvolari
Post Number: 100
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 6:00 pm: | |
Jay is right, the printing of custom instrument backgrounds is very popular among the import tuner crowd and is very easy to do. If you are good with photoshop the process would be quite easy but I do have a few recommendations:
1. Be sure to use true type fonts (you can download them to your PC from any one of a number of sites; sorry I don't know the font name). You will never get clean edges on your numbers and text if you just re-colour (Canadian spelling eh!) a scan of your instruments.
2. I agree with Jay...Get it profesionally printed and installed. Decal shops are masters of laying decal with no bubbles. If done properly, there is no way to tell that it is a decal.
3. Before you remove the needles on your speedometer and tach, find out what is involved with the calibration when you put them back on.
Now for my personal oppinion. I do not like the orange letters. The contrast is better with the white and I just like the looks better. I hope I helped a little. |
J. Grande (Jay)
Member
Username: Jay
Post Number: 984
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 4:01 pm: | |
Andreas, guys do this all the time to their Hondas and Cavaliers. You do exaclty what Jerry said but take them to a professional printer to print them out. Sometimes they can print on a semi clear almost plastic film paper that is close to what the backing is. Of course you'll have to "pull" the needle off and be careful not to damage it when putting it back on (hopefully keeping it in the right place!) I suggest that you leave it alone, but that is just me. |
Andreas Forrer (Tifosi12)
Member
Username: Tifosi12
Post Number: 311
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 1:48 pm: | |
Dave, thanks for that hint, I'll look into it.
Jerry, you're reading my mind. I was thinking along those lines too. Dunno how good the end result would look, but if everything else becomes too expensive, I might just do that. |
Jerry H (Jerry)
Junior Member
Username: Jerry
Post Number: 148
Registered: 3-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 9:27 am: | |
Just a thought...You could scan the faces, once in the computer use photo shop to change the color than print out on a color LASER printer using decal type paper. |
david handa (Davehanda)
Member
Username: Davehanda
Post Number: 442
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, January 18, 2003 - 5:29 pm: | |
Probably a custom project, as there are not enough 308's out there that would want this type of modification. You will have to contact someone like Palo Alto Speedometer to do the work, or do it yourself... |
Andreas Forrer (Tifosi12)
Member
Username: Tifosi12
Post Number: 310
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, January 18, 2003 - 4:35 pm: | |
All instruments (speedo, tacho, fuel etc) in my 308 are white characters/signs on black. I'd rather have red/yellow numerals like in the 328 e.g.
What options do I have to change these? Obviously I could get 328 instruments, but I'm not sure they'd work and probably pay a fortune for them. So how about changing the 'decals'? Could they 'painted' over to make the white parts reddish or could a reddish filter/glass be used over them or does anybody know, whether there is a factory that makes new 'faces' for them? Could it be done on a PC?
Any help welcome, really! |