Changing Dash/instrument Illumination Colour

[GLPoomobile 958]

Not that this is high on my list of priorities, but I was looking into LED bulbs over the weekend and started thinking about changing the interior illumination.

 

The one thing, and I mean the one and only thing, that I don't like about the styling of the 205 GTi is the orange illumination on the clocks and heater controls. Now I know a lot of you will say it should stay that way as it is in keeping with the era, but would like to change it. I have a set of BX GTi clocks which I can use to get green illumination, but wondered what else can be done.

 

I've seen a few previous projects with all kinds of crazy knightrider s*it and fancy electronics, but I just want to change the illumination colours.

 

Took apart a spare set of instruments last night, and I see that the orange filter behind the dials is not just a flat piece of coloured plastic as I had hoped. It is a full on moulded afair. Like wise the knobs for the heater controls have moulded orange plastic inserts too. They can be removed but replacing them with something that would filter the light would be complicated.

 

So without being able to do away with the orange filters, there isn't much that can be done.

 

Any ideas?

[jim21070 2]

Personally. I like the orange.

 

Withthe orage filters in place you're a bit limited but if you used high brightness red LEDs then you may have a red display which I think could look quite smart. The filters may also pass enough of another colour if the source illumination is bright enough. Green may be possible.

 

It May be possible to bleach the coulor out of the orage filters. A few experiments may be called for but it may be possible under UV light. Remember all those Russian cars in the 70s with indicator lenses that faded to near-clear in no time?

 

Or even household bleach may do it.

 

Then you can have any colour you like. Blue perhaps?

[GLPoomobile 958]

Personally. I like the orange.

 

Withthe orage filters in place you're a bit limited but if you used high brightness red LEDs then you may have a red display which I think could look quite smart. The filters may also pass enough of another colour if the source illumination is bright enough. Green may be possible.

 

It May be possible to bleach the coulor out of the orage filters. A few experiments may be called for but it may be possible under UV light. Remember all those Russian cars in the 70s with indicator lenses that faded to near-clear in no time?

 

Or even household bleach may do it.

 

Then you can have any colour you like. Blue perhaps?

 

Nice one. I was actually thinking of red and it never occurred to me that since orange is just watered down red that I can overcome it by using red LEDs. How thick am I? Even more so considering one of the things I read yesterday was that by using an LED the same colour as the filter (i.e. red LED for tail/stop lights) it is brighter than just using a white LED

 

Bleaching sounds interesting. I usually find house hold bleach does feck all, so don't reckon it'll work. Will give it a try though.

 

Anyone else got any suggestions on how to bleach the orange out of the filters?

[sonofsam 5]

I really dont know if you can, its orange all the way through, as I cut one in half for my custom binicle, funnily enough though, when i cut it with a hot knife the orange plastic turned white! So maybe some gentle heat?

 

Was also considering some sort of LED's, still might.

[max0 5]

not my cup of Tea, but ive been in a mates car who had used glow wire around his instruments in a mini

[MikeHunt79 0]

if you do manage to bleach the colour out, let us know.... I would also have some plastic that I want to turn from red into clear.

[GLPoomobile 958]

Bleaching does not work (at least not using domestic bleach).

 

With regards to the 3 heater knobs, I tried to erradiacte the orange colour by drilling trough the spot on the face and cutting out as much of the orange plastic behind it as possible. It doesn't work though. This piece of plastic needs to be present to transmit the light from the bulb up to the spot on the face, no matter what orientation the knob is in.

 

So, I think I might try using some red nail varnish (my wife's, not mine! I don't have any ) to colour the spot red. The markings on the fascia surrounding the knobs is white (or cream on most, due to age) and simply has a white diffuser behind to spread the light, so it would be possible to change this colour slightly by using some differnt coloured gels behind the panel.

[Gentrix 2 1 Cars]

I think Nail Varnish will be too agressiv, as it´s aceton included, which will soften the plastic. Why don´t you try some Bulb-colour?

 

ebay.de

 

couldn´t find it on ebay.co.uk - though I think I it´s due to me not using right word or spelling.

 

Something you could think of doing yourself, is a copy from the original plastics, with white acryl. You might get it in a DIY-store or Artist-accessories-shop.

Make a mould and try some experiments. I´m sure, if it works, you could sell a few

 

 

andi

[GLPoomobile 958]

I think Nail Varnish will be too agressiv, as it´s aceton included, which will soften the plastic. Why don´t you try some Bulb-colour?

 

ebay.de

 

couldn´t find it on ebay.co.uk - though I think I it´s due to me not using right word or spelling.

 

Something you could think of doing yourself, is a copy from the original plastics, with white acryl. You might get it in a DIY-store or Artist-accessories-shop.

Make a mould and try some experiments. I´m sure, if it works, you could sell a few

andi

 

Bulbs no good (for the heater controls). I could use white to make it brigher, but any colours are going to be corrupted by the orange filter in the controls. For instance, if I wanted the marking on the surround to glow red, this would be fine, use red bulbs (probably be darker on the knobs though due to the range filter). But if I wanted the surround marking to glow blue, or green by using the relevant coloured bulbs, I would then have a strange colour coming out of the controls (green + orange = yuck).

 

The idea of making a mould for the filtered inserts sounds interesting. Do you (or anyone else) have anymore info on doing this sort of thing?

[Gentrix 2 1 Cars]

ähm - click the ebay link. I meant a paint, to paint the plastik instead of using your wife´s nail varnish *g*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have an article about making little items with this sort of stuff, but it´s in german

Edited February 2, 2007 by Gentrix

[GLPoomobile 958]

I have an article about making little items with this sort of stuff, but it´s in german

 

Can you post it up or email it to me?

 

I can probably translate it.

 

Thanks

[Gentrix 2 1 Cars]

Just made you an PDF-file.

 

 

you can download it in my GMX Account. Follow the link and then klick "media center starten" Button. You will find some files - one is "Oldtimer Markt"

 

http://service.gmx.net/mc/8q7ETDkOj36eRPdPY2RPiHIiC0WZpH

 

 

mark the Item - then go for " Datei " " download "

 

 

 

I think the Pictures make a clear understanding of what I meant.

 

And Acril can be polished

[Guest rich1977]

i bought a set of leds off ebay in blue direct replacements for the pug ones in the instrument pannel and i have white dials and orange filters behind and the blue leds due filter though as blue, will post a pic 2morro not done me heaters yet.