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-   1st Gen Protege/323/GLC (https://www.mazda3club.com/1st-gen-protege-323-glc-38/)
-   -   First Gen White Gauge Faces Have Arrived!! Check Them Out!! (https://www.mazda3club.com/1st-gen-protege-323-glc-38/first-gen-white-gauge-faces-have-arrived-check-them-out-15744/)

Glazedham42 November-6th-2002 10:13 AM

First Gen White Gauge Faces Have Arrived!! Check Them Out!!
 
Well guys, I did it, and here are the pics to prove it. I made my own white face gauge overlays. They are my original design, made with my own two hands, which means good things for all of my fellow Pro brothas.

http://www.evanagee.com/protege/gaug.../fuelclose.jpg

1) I'm selling these things for dirt cheap! Only $20!!
2) I can customize them however you want!
3) I will sell you three sets in case you mess up cutting! :D

http://www.evanagee.com/protege/gaug...rontgauges.jpg

I can change the redline on these things to wherever you want. I can make the actual gauges whatever color you want. They don't have to be white. I can change the pattern of the redline. I used a nice striped design for mine, but I can make it however you want. It can even be plaid if that floats your boat. To slip them on I made cuts from the little screws horizontally left to right. For the temp, and fuel gauges, I just made one cut straight down. I recommend cutting with a razor blade, or utility knife, as it makes a small straight cut. Scissors will bend what you are cutting a little bit, and then the light will hit it. You can't see the cuts, and they look really good in person. They look like a professional job.

http://www.evanagee.com/protege/gaug...hotgunview.jpg

You're probably saying to yourself, yeah but that white trash stuff isn't gonna light up at night when I turn my lights on! Well, guess what! I'm not sure why, but you can see through these things at night. They aren't beautiful by any means, but you can still see the numbers on all of your gauges. And if some of you guys are really ambitious, you might be able to find some way to illuminate them better, and then sell your invention back to the rest of us.

http://www.evanagee.com/protege/gaug...peedoclose.jpg

So anyway, the gauges faces are $20 U.S. currency. In my opinion that is a steal, as most people charge almost $100. Nopi's gauge faces look like crap, and that is why I decided to make my own. So here they are guys, $20, take it or leave it. You can place your custom orders right here in this thread. Tell me what color you want everything, how you want the redline, "checkerboard, polka dot, plaid, lined, etc.) and I will hook you up. Canadians, I'm not sure If I have the energy to create Metric gauge faces, but I think if you guys express enough interest, I might be nice enough to create some for you at the same price. :D

http://www.evanagee.com/protege/gaug.../tachclose.jpg

By now you have probably also noticed that my needles are a different color. :eek: That's right! Came up with that idea on my own as well. And since I'm such a nice guy, I'll tell ya all how I did that. It's called paint!! :D

http://www.evanagee.com/protege/gaug.../tempclose.jpg

I put a piece of scotch tape on each side of the needle to tape off the black part. I used scotch tape because it had a nice clean edge that would butt up against the needle perfectly. Then I got a little bit of orange paint and just brushed it on over the existing white needle. Easy as cake. :D If nothing else, I hope you enjoyed my pictures, and please order away my friends!! Your orders help fund future projects such as this one! And some of the money goes to starving kids in China too.... :p

Az1anthug8 November-6th-2002 10:47 AM

Can you post a night shot? can the kits come pre-cut?

UCSBgeek November-6th-2002 10:53 AM

did you print them on that photo paper? lol. yeah a night shot would be nice :)

Glazedham42 November-6th-2002 11:20 AM

So you fellas want them pre-cut huh? If you order them pre-cut I guess I wouldn't have to send you three sets would I? However, that means I'm gonna have to take mine out, and trace the cuts I made....

What the heck, yeah I guess I could sell them cut, or uncut, just state your preference....

Note: If you order them pre-cut you will only be getting ONE SET.

As for those night pics, I'll see what I can do. I usually have classes at night, but I'll try. It took me forever to get those day pics. It might be a while, but I'll get them posted if that's what you guys really want....

Night Pics Coming Your Way!!! :D :p

And as for the question about the photo paper, no. It's not printed on photo paper. It's a special type of treated paper that I found, which allows the paper to be bent and twisted and cut, without getting wrinkled. The perfect application for a set of gauge faces huh? The paper's not too expensive, so that's why I am selling these things so cheap. That and the fact that I'm tired of all us 1st gen owners getting the shaft! :mad:

kagekun November-6th-2002 11:49 AM

dude im in love

SLPRprotege November-6th-2002 12:01 PM

daddy like.....

Glazedham42 November-6th-2002 12:01 PM


Originally posted by kagekun
dude im in love
They're pretty sweet huh? I still can't believe that I made them myself sometimes... It was a real confidence boost for me. :D

kagekun November-6th-2002 12:05 PM

id buy some from you now, but theres one small problem, how in the crap do i get them in there? :eek:

Glazedham42 November-6th-2002 12:12 PM

Well, you'd have to start by removing the gauge cluster from your Protegé. You might wanna do a search on this, because I'm pretty sure this topic has been covered a bunch of times. It might be in one of the DX cluster to Lx cluster conversion threads. I know we've talked about that a bunch of times.

This may sound scary, but if I did this, anyone can. I have no mechanical experience whatsoever.

You basically take off the black strip that runs the lenght of the dash, and some of the plastic pieces around the steering wheel. There are four screws that hold the cluster into the dash. Remove those, and then unhook the wires that hook into the back of the cluster, as well as the speedometer cable. I found it is easiest to do this by reaching under the dash and up from behind the cluster.

After you get the cluster out, i think there's four screws to take out, and the plastic cover will pop off. Then you simply lay the gauge overlays over your existing gauges. They were kind of hard to cut, but it sounds like i'm going to be making them pre-cut for you guys anyway.

Just try taking it apart. Just remember, if you took it apart, then you know how it goes back together!! :D

Az1anthug8 November-6th-2002 01:13 PM

is it tricky to get the faces over the needels? because yours looks so perfect?

Glazedham42 November-6th-2002 01:42 PM

No, it's not tricky at all, especially with the way that I made the cuts. I made a hole around the needle, with a slit that goes from one screw to the other, so it basically looks like this. ------O-------
The screws go at each end of the line, and the hole goes around the needle. The slit allows you to easily fit the overlay around the needle, without creasing it. Also, with the kind of special paper I used, there is a plastic like coating, which helps when you put them on.

I could include some better instructions if you guys decide you want them.

protegeDX November-6th-2002 02:43 PM

good job!!!!!! yeh definitely hook it up with some nite shots.

marc93lx November-6th-2002 02:53 PM

Those look really good! I may be intersted in buying some. Good job!
Can you come up with some examples of what the different colors will look like?

Glazedham42 November-6th-2002 03:17 PM

Yeah, no problem, what color are you wanting?? I'll make them when I get home from class tonight...

jeremy November-6th-2002 03:38 PM

yeah....good job man......i'll buy...but i gotta see the night shots first

:D


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