I pulled my Instrument Cluster today to clean and possibility change out the faded plexiglass. After pulling it apart I found the gauge needles where faded pretty bad. So I touched them up with some fluorescent orange nail polish from my collection.

fuel before


Speedo before


Fuel After


Speedo After



Temp and Oil Before

Temp and oil after



Cluster without the bezel Before


After in bezel

 

Neat trick. I wonder if you could use the same stuff used to polish headlight covers on the plexiglass.

 

SWEET!

John

 

Definitely brightened up the cluster. Great idea for the needles they sell replacement clear lens for the clusters unless you want to try buffing it out like on them headlight kits they have out.

 

I used 1200 grit and wet sanded it. Then used a 6" buffing wheel on the drill. If I were to do it again, I would use even finer paper.

 

Thanks for the tip. I'll try it.

 

For those interested the nail polish is only sold this time of year at the drug stores, its called Pumpkin nail Enamel. the bottle has a pumpkin face on it. Also you will need some matte finish topcoat. clean the needles with alcohol before applying the polish. use three coats and allow to dry 5 min between coats. I used a glow in the dark topcoat as well.

where would I find the lens?

 

ok I just found who has the lens.

 

Thanks for the heads up on the nail polish incase someone wanted to do this when it isn't in season. Question how does the glow in the dark topcoat do is it very noticeable? Also there's multiple vendors that sell the lens. Dennis carpenter, LMC, flashback f100, just to name a few. If you have other parts you want to get might be best to get a list together and order all at once there's probably some discount sales coming up around the seasons so if you don't need it right away you could save some money if you wait until a sale starts.

 

The topcoat depends on the quality of the polish. the one I use is by OPI. As for how it looks. you can see in the photos that its not too noticeable.

 

I think he meant (and if not, it's my question) does the glow-in-the-dark topcoat help much at night?

 

Yup you got it I was wondering about the actual glow at night. I'll have to tell the old lady about this as she will probably know exactly what paints your talking about.

 

The glow in the dark works ok it's mainly for when I'm in the field with the lights off to stargaze or to catch the critters in my garden. But I'm planning on adding a black light strip in the dash instead of the lights. I have extremely light sensitive eyes. So black lighting makes it softer on my eyes.

 

Hang on a second there Char. The needles look Great but that cluster bezel looks like heck. In your other thread you mentioned Veterans Benefits not being very much money. Well I'll tell ya what, I have a new reproduction bezel I bought a couple years ago and never used. PM me your address and I'll send it to you free. Thank You for whatever Service you did.

 

OMG REALLY? REALLY? I cant thank you enough. I mean it it means the world to me.