84 gauge project

bigbird944 · 12-22-2005, 08:56 AM

Hey everyone,
I've gotten tired of my black and yellow gauges in my 84 944, does anyone know where i can buy white face gauges? Pelican parts doesn't sell them anymore unfortunately. Also I'd like to replace the bulbs with blue led lights and paint the sticks red. I think it would look way more interesting in my yellow 944. If anyone can find some reverse glow gauges then that would be a lot easier on my part but i don't think anyone sells those type of gauges for early 944's.

Thanks for any help.

Marian

AA_Ezra · 12-22-2005, 09:56 AM

I've looked for the longest time for gauges. 83-85/1 yaer only option is white face gauges and you can get them from Performance products ( *************** for porsche parts). there like 160$
1976-87 Ref# 9230

Eldorado · 10:21 AM

that was one thing i found rediculous... 160 bucks just for faceplates, basically.... insane.

I'm thinking of going the black back with white number route of the (i believe) 924.

JivenJim · 12-22-2005, 11:04 AM

I plan to also rebuild later with this:
http://www.9xauto.com/944.html
Scroll down to "944 Glowing Cluster Face Plates"

Good info on how to put in Colored LED on old panel.
I'm also planning to replace the stock Tach with an aftermarket one probably from these guys.
http://www.autometer.com/cat_accessories.aspx?sid=51

These guys have a lot of VDO replacement type if your looking more stock.
http://www.lspeedo.com/vdo10.htm

If anyone has experience with this, feedback would be great.

Eldorado · 12-22-2005, 11:36 AM

that 'glowing cluster' is all for the late 944s... it's the early 944s that have the lack of options here...
and i wouldn't put coloured bulbs behind the yellow plastic of the face - it just wouldn't look right... unless you put blue lights and wanted a green glow...

JivenJim · 12-22-2005, 11:44 AM

Good point on the Colored LED's on the Yellow background. Maybe a Blue to White LED Bulb then. Remember you also gain brightness cause the LED's are effectively putting out lots more intensity without melting the panel. IE why we got only 2 Watt filament bulbs typical. Also saw write up putting some reflective tape on back of PCB to keep from loosing light there.

projekt70chevel · 12-22-2005, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AA_Ezra
I've looked for the longest time for gauges. 83-85/1 yaer only option is white face gauges and you can get them from Performance products ( *************** for porsche parts). there like 160$
1976-87 Ref# 9230

Got mine for $50 on ebay for my 84

AaronM · 12-22-2005, 05:21 PM

The white letter guages are from the '87 and '88 924S. They will drop right into an early ('83-'85/1) 944 dash.

PhillysMostWntd · 12-23-2005, 11:14 AM

i used to see them all the time on ebay for $50, they were the same ones (i mean same) from performance products if im not mistaken, i would check there every now and then, maybe they will come around again

i also like the idea posted on 9x auto.

i think blue led lights behind white faced gauges would look awesome

.. what i think i might do is buy some gauges from autometer, (im thinking either nexus or cobalt series) try to replace all the factory gauges with aftermarket ones.. doesnt seem like it will be too trouble some, but then again this wont be getting done for quite some time.

Eldorado · 12-23-2005, 11:53 AM

the ones on ebay are almost always for later cars... I only ever saw one set of gagues on ebay for the early cars that were white faces.... went for around 60 i believe..

my goal would be to replace with black faces / white numbers... if i could find some like that in decent shape for a decent price, i'd be all over it like a hobo on a ham sandwich...

PhillysMostWntd · 12-23-2005, 05:38 PM

ya im saying i used to normally see early gauge faces, they were going for $49 IIRC

Eldorado · 12-23-2005, 05:51 PM

interesting...
too bad they still aren't... even though i prefer the ones with white lettering...

85944na · 85944na's Garage

White letters, black faces, red needles. Those are the 924S gauges. I just bought the rest of the gauges I need for the swap, I ended up spending around 50$ for all 5 gauges. I was also tired of the yellow and black, and to me the red needles and black faces just scream Porsche.

zehnd · 12-24-2005, 08:29 AM

Email member driversgauges on Ebay, they may sell you some. That is where I got mine.

Eldorado · 12-24-2005, 11:32 AM

Re: the red needles and black faces..

I drove a magnum briefly where the dials in front of me were all white with black numbers, and actually thought it cheapened the look of the interior... i'm a fan of the black faces myself.

Granite 944 · 01:16 PM

As far as the fella on ebay, that was selling gauge faces, I believe his seller name is meistergf. You can do an ebay search for him. He currently isn't selling anything on ebay, but here is a link that will take ya to his online site, and he sells 'em there. A little more expensive than when on ebay, but better than $160.00.

http://www.h2ovw.com/html/gaugefaces/porsche.html

Oh, heres his homepage.

http://www.h2ovw.com/

PhillysMostWntd · 12-24-2005, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Granite 944
As far as the fella on ebay, that was selling gauge faces, I believe his seller name is meistergf. You can do an ebay search for him. He currently isn't selling anything on ebay, but here is a link that will take ya to his online site, and he sells 'em there. A little more expensive than when on ebay, but better than $160.00.

http://www.h2ovw.com/html/gaugefaces/porsche.html

Oh, heres his homepage.

http://www.h2ovw.com/

yep those would be the ones i continuously saw

Eldorado · 12-25-2005, 08:08 AM

you've got a shift light in your 84, wilk?? where is this light?

PhillysMostWntd · 12-25-2005, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by FR Wilk
You don't? Maybe the bulb burned out. It is near the 4 on the tach.

yeah i have it also, i read somewhere that shifting when the light came on will give you the best gas mileage

i wouldnt mind if it came on at 5600rpm as i dont see that rpm as frequently as i do 3500 rpm, like FR said, i think its annoying as well

FR - those gauges your cookin up sound nice.

Eldorado · 12-25-2005, 01:30 PM

hmm.. i took the gauges apart a while ago and saw the hole on the rear of the tach...
maybe that was the spare wire i had? from memory, i had a spare wire just hanging around behind the clusters which resembled one of the other bulb wires, but if memory serves it was a little thinner... it looks like someone cut the socket off the wire..

and if memory also serves, it had a green stripe on it... or something like that, i'd have to go look again...