The gauges are made up with seveal layes of material. The actual face has the numbers etc cut out and the layer below is translucent' so will illuminate at night.
Gary

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1994 Toyota Celica ST205 GT-Four Group A WRC - running in rebuilt engine....

So does that mean you remove the original (black) layer prior to putting on the new layer?

Yes.

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1994 Toyota Celica ST205 GT-Four Group A WRC - running in rebuilt engine....

Hiya, not had a chance to get online for a few days, but catching up now

To answer a few questions on the dials. The kits require the needles to be removed as they are properly backlit and so require direct access to the bulbs - overlaid kits will be very poor in this respect and with the ST205 being totally backlit you can probably wave that goodbye on 'easy-fit' sets. That said, the needles on the 205, and 185 for that matter, are very easy to remove and replace and are rarely broken unless you're extremely heavy handed, a simple trick of gently levering them off with a couple of teaspoons does the job bob on (after a few other little bits are one to ensure they can be replaced in the correct position!).

The dial faces themselves are made up in layers as Gary mentions, the top most layer being the same vinyl I use in my graphics - which comes with a 4 year manufacturers guarentee which covers fade and shrinkage and so forth. I've had a white set in my 185 for over two years and no noticable changes in colour at all. Have been making these for over four years aswell and no-one has come back to me with any comments on that so I think that's pretty good testimony

One of the layers is a coloured lighting filter, which allows various 'backlit' colours to show through when used in conjunction with white bulbs/leds. By not using coloured bulbs you get nice crisp definition between the different colours used, commonly blue with red as in this pic -



Because of the construction, I can make many changes to the look and design of a set of dials, so along with various dial face colours and backlighting colours available, it makes for an almost limitless number of possible designs, especially when you add in hundreds of different logos which could be used. Basicly, you can choose to vary almost all aspects of the design of the kit

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'92 GT-Four RC - Project Rufus - something of a mover.
'05 Audi A3 3.2 V6 Quattro S Line - not bad for a daily.

Awesome work there Mook. Looking forward to ordering one soon

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I have been wondering about this.

Do you have any recommended techniques for getting the position of the needles marked up accurately? I can't work out how to stop the mechanics from slipping once the needle is off.

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JDM ST205 (286bhp and 281lb/ft)
JDM ST202 (Finally sold )
1982 Pontiac Trans Am 5.7L V8 (See my website)

candyman, and anyone else for that matter, here's my prescribed method for accurate repositioning of the needles -

1) Remove instrument cluster from dash (very 'Haynes manual' that one )
2) Remove the clear front from the cluster and pop out the needle rest pins on the speedo/tacho - the needles will drop down below zero, and the speedo one will come to rest on the trip reset switch.
3) Plug cluster back into the car and switch the ignition on leaving the engine off - all needles will now come to a rest point; tacho and speedo will be just below the 0 mark, boost gauge will go to 0, fuel and temp will be where they be . Make a note of these positions for later.
4) You can now remove the cluster, pop the needles off and replace the dials, leaving the needle rest pins and needles off.
5) Place cluster back in car and switch ignition on again. After a moment or two, the gauges will set themselves at the previously noted points, at which time you can now replace the needles at those points.
6) Remove cluster from car again and on the speedo and tacho, swing the needle into the calibrated range and pop the needle rest pins in, letting the needles falls back onto them
7) Put back in the car, road test and when happy, replace the clear plastic cover and put the dash back together

Hope that helps

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'92 GT-Four RC - Project Rufus - something of a mover.
'05 Audi A3 3.2 V6 Quattro S Line - not bad for a daily.

Cheers for that.

I might actually get around to making my order sometime soon now. Quite a late Christmas present all in all

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JDM ST205 (286bhp and 281lb/ft)
JDM ST202 (Finally sold )
1982 Pontiac Trans Am 5.7L V8 (See my website)

I personally found that on the ST205 (185 may be different) that the needle stops wouldn't 'pop' out. I had to lift the needle up over the stops. And when the gauge face was off, the rear of the needle stop had to be cut off from behind as it looks like it had been 'melted' into place and was a small blob which needed to be cut off with a sharp knife. I superglued the stop onto the replacement faces.
Gary

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1994 Toyota Celica ST205 GT-Four Group A WRC - running in rebuilt engine....

wow, you took your steering wheel off to get to your dash cluster?

Sounds like too much trouble, Offer up the new dials, mark the stopper points then carefully perforate the new dials with a kebab skewer or something similar, then fit over the dials job done

Failing that you could always ask mook to make the holes for you

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ST205 WRC #0002249

The replacement one come with new holes in them When trimming the 'blob' on the rear of the needle rest pins, you can go around the edge of it, but still leave a lip and the pop them out - they will then pop into the replacements fine, and a touch of superglue on the rear will ensure they don't fall out

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'92 GT-Four RC - Project Rufus - something of a mover.
'05 Audi A3 3.2 V6 Quattro S Line - not bad for a daily.