Are colored gauge faces "rice"?

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Don't mean to beat a dead horse here, but there are regularly good deals on eBay for colored gauge faces. My Carrera is all black, with stock gauges. I have a nice Momo Championship wheel, which has stainless/aluminum metal parts, a Porsche crest horn button, alum. shifter knob and pedals. The interior of my car looks great and is not cheezed out.

HOWEVER, I'm thinking of going with the grey gauge faces to compliment the metals on my wheel, shifter and pedals, as well as to make the instruments a little brighter at night. I'll do this job myself, and in doing so, will replace gauge bulbs and probably rotate my gauges too.

Is this "ricing" my car? Some kind soul emailed me photos of his, but it was a 993. Anyone here with an SC or Carrera have grey gauge faces and/or trim? I'd like to see how it will look. I'm not doing this more than once, so I want to be sure it will look good. Comments?

Moses · 03-06-2002, 10:29 AM

but thats just my opinion. The Stuttgart team could have picked any color gauges they wanted. They gave you classic black. Understated, classic, cool...Porsche. If you really need to do something, switch to glass gauge lenses. Just my opinion. It's your car, knock yourself out.

TigerTrash · 03-06-2002, 10:58 AM

For what its worth I ordered a set about 2 months ago for my 83 SC (all black also). Those sets are very high quality. I guess they are the same set as you could buy from Pelican or Performance Parts. I ordered a white set and have it installed It looks great, really offsets the guages. I wish I could email some pics to you but the "german mistress" is in the shop getting her tranny rebuilt with some other minor items.

Eric Coffey · 03-06-2002, 11:08 AM

I wouldn't go as far as "rice", but maybe a wee bit "Miami Vice" or "80's" (like Gotti wheels). Although, on a white 911 they might look better. If there is no stopping you, I would at least send them out to get professionally silk-screened. I would not buy the cheesy plastic overlay dials. Not to mention, they are a pain to install yourself.

Targa Dude · Targa Dude's Garage

"TO RICE"
If you have Indigo, Neon lights, Clear lenses or a Coffee
can Exhaust system and I almost forgot NOS that is Ricing at it's higher level.

"Not to Rice" is Custom Colored Face Plates.

I have them in my 77 I think to me they look great! had alot of complements too...

Jorge (Targa Dude)

juanbenae · juanbenae's Garage

if you have to ask,, its probally rice. rice is nice fried, steamed, and even rolled in cabbage, but living in the bay area if i never see another acura/honda civic lowered and exausted (and rarely tunned to accomidate) it will be too soon. oh,, and who could forget the wings, those DA's with thier trunk jewelry.

Kurt B · 11:42 AM

You can see the controls much easier with the white gauge faces. Some guy in another post is complaining about not being able to see his tock ones too well at night. Some of the folks who say they don't mind not being able to read the gauges are the same ones who call making them white 'rice', and are the same ones who don't mind and old crusty original interior.
I prefer mine fresh and new and I prefer my gauges readable night or day.

Be that as it may, rice or not, you'll be able to see them much better, especially at night.

Kurt B · 03-06-2002, 11:53 AM

"Understated, classic, cool...Porsche"

That's not Porsche, but I'll get to that later.

Options vary greatly, and the reason the gauge faces cannot vary is due to the special tools required to change the faces for a customer; namely resealing the rings.

Mainly however the potential for conflict of interest is there as the odometer is part of the set. Anytime anyone has an excuse to open the odometer, it will inevitably lead to fraud by someone somewhere, even a dealer. Therefore, as an option, it would never be sensible for a dealer to change the gauge faces. The odometer is sealed at the factory never to be opened by anyone else again.

Now onto the overstated 'understated[ness]' of Porsche styling.
There is nothing understated about the 11" flaring of a turbo and the related turbo whale tail--especially on a non-turbo turbo look.
Pure overstatement due solely to customer demand.

How many cars plaster in big bold letter "CAR MODEL" [Carrera]on the doors of their models? Completely overstated and completely Porsche.
Ducktails. Totally overstated, especially for their time. Totally Porsche.

What you really mean is, it's okay to overstate as long as Porsche does it at the factory.

masraum · 03-06-2002, 11:54 AM

It can be, but it can be tastefully done as well. I personally don't want them in my car, but that's just personal preference. The problem with getting the original silk screened is you can't go back. I believe someone makes an aluminum face plate that might go nicely with the trim in your car.

tobluforu · tobluforu's Garage

Since I have a "mutant" porsche which isn't worth a damn because i modified it-this is from an earlier post. I put aluminum pedals in my 72. After 3 months i've come to the conclusion that they just don't look right-maybe a little rice. Off they will come and back to the grip tape. I would love to find a nice gas pedal though that is wider for better toe heel. Not sure what I think about colored guages-naah!!

vesnyder · vesnyder's Garage

I purchased the grey gauge faces on eBay and am debating if I want to put them on. Speaking to NH Speedo they will silkscreen them for $400, or place my new faces on for $100. If I was committed I would go for th silkscreen - I would only want to do it once as well! The interior needs something. I just purchased the Porsche cluster for the steering wheel and that should provide an understated bit of color.

Let us know what you decide and provide pics if you go for it!

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

What is silk-screening and how is it better?

Rob Markworth · 03-06-2002, 12:37 PM

It may be a little "rice," but it is your car. You have already made modifications that personalize your car. If you think the new faces will work more towards that end, and you will like the way they look, then do it. It is your car and you are the one who has to look at the gauges. The important thing is that the change makes you happy.

Personally, I do not think they would go with my car. I like the simple, rather stark look of the interior on my '73. Anything other than black on the gauges would detract from that.

Just my opinion,

Rob Markworth

jbailey930 · jbailey930's Garage

Richard
you can see my 930 in person with these aluminum bezels:

makaio · 03-06-2002, 12:59 PM

It's you car, do what makes you feel good!

As long as you don't put one of those "Powered by %^%(%(&%(^%^^^^^&)*%^%*&(**" stickers on the windows, you're OK.

JoeF · 03-06-2002, 01:49 PM

I have seen a few with white guage faces, It always struck me as a nice tasteful modification. If you like it , go for it!
JoeF

expat · 03-06-2002, 03:19 PM

I'm with John, those gauge rings are sweet!

Who said NOS is rice

Power man

Then again NOS stickers are rice

Cheers
Mark

Saffs · 03-06-2002, 03:20 PM

Well, you asked, I think it's rice....
The instruments are quite fundamental and they are meant simple and ergonomic. It would almost be like altering the face of an old Rolex or an old Heuer Watch: it follows traditions of Teutonic design and is uniquely a European aesthetic; just look at an old Heuer watch, and then look at the tach.
That's how it's meant to be!
Plus, it will ultimately devalue the car, it will go out of fashion and just look tasteless.

jbailey930 · jbailey930's Garage

I hate to do this again, but here is a friends '97 TT . And look at the burled wood!!!! It's a Porsche for gosh sakes not Merc

Phoenix · Phoenix's Garage

Since you asked... IMHO, I think it's a bit Ricey.

a bit OT... jbailey930: That's a great steering wheel! Can you let us know it's origin?