replacing that whole cluster would cost about $600 and require setting the mileage on it and the dealership.. and overlay hopefully only around $100..

 

Excellent. Because this is an entire replacement, then when you say you have free reign over the colors, I would highly suggest the LED idea if possible. It will centralize the design, and while it might drive up costs it will probably be a smart idea in the long run. Plus it gives users flexibility and choice with backlighting colors as well. (this is LED just for backlighting, not the different colored faces)

I guess one of the things I am concerned about is mileage transfer to the new odometer. How will that be done?

 

The designs are for gauge replacements. There is no way to ceate an overlay with a design like this.

The basic design will be white on black. Then the buyer has the option to request what color they want the gauge to glow at night and request custom colors for the day.

All of the coloring will be airbrushed by hand to the gauges as part of the assembly process before we ship it to a buyer. So each gauge set that we ship can be different in color. The only thing that stays constant is the style and the black face.

 

These are overlays:
https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/sh...threadid=67694

The new faces are designed to look like stock, so it would appear like the faces themselves are removable. Are you sure overlays are not possible?

 

Haha, I saw this one coming. There is a small confusion with terms here. Now, the gauge cluster is the whole thing with needles, gauge face, odometer, electronics and housing. I don't know how to produce the whole cluster and it wouldn't make sense to mess with the odometer.

However, the cluster can be disassembled into it's components. In particular, I'm working on replacing the gauge faces. So we don't have to mess with the odometer or the electronics behind it. When this thing is finished, you'll be ordering the gauge face and replacing the stock ones you have how.

 

Ah, gotcha. I agree with you about the confusion of terms. What you describe is what I would refer to as overlays.

 

This is what the stock gauge faces look like:



The replacement gauge will replace those exactly except they have a new design on them.

Minus the turn signal pieces.

 

What is color customizable? a friend with a focus had some guage color lighting that he could change through the entire backlighting color spectrum with a knob. Does this sound familiar and or doable?

 

yea, my idea of an overlay is a vinyl sticker with the stock letters cut out of them. So there's not way I'd consider mine an overlay.

 

That's what I would call "user customizable". For this gauge set, the buyer can request custom colors be applied to the gauge before we ship it out to them. Once we apply those colors, they will be permanent. The user can't change them.

The only exception would be something like what zstryder mentioned. The user can change the bulbs in the cluster to create some customizable backlighting options.

 

I agree these do not sound like true overlays to me. They are also not a complete cluster replacement. From what I can tell they are the best of both worlds. You don't have to mess with the odometer and you can get much greater detail than in most of the overlays I have seen. It also has the potential for a much higher quality look as it is no just an overlay. i also assume tht the woarnign lights etc will show up much better.

 

i think this might just be what i am looking for.... keep up the good work...

 

Hm, I've heard some stuff about taking off needles and then having them no longer respond correctly. I'm sure all that will be worked out in time though...

 

I have not heard that about the needles and hope that it is not true. I ordered the blue needle package form justin at importcarparts. He also makes true overlays and is the maker of the one posted in this thread. Anyway the needle kit should arrive hopefully tomorrow. I am told that i will need to take the needles off -- file off the red and paint a whiute strip on them. then when I finish the instalation the blue will reflect off the white. I will post a picture and any dificulities that I have. probably sometime next week.

 

I think we should make something closer to the STI gague cluster. Get ride of the 3 small circles, and put a big circle with all the instruments inside, like on the STI cluster. ALso a out side temp gauge should be added. Since we are replacing the whole gauge cluster might as well all put some ideas together and make the best cluster with all the goodies on it, but this is if you want to redo the whole gauge cluster which would be awesome. You could totally customize a gauge cluster and get everything it should have, and get rid of the bs stuff. Or keep the 3 small circles and put a boost gauge in one and something else in the other.

Well as far as your project, I feel the RPM should go to 10 since it looks awesome to have a 10,000RPM gauge. Also I agree that the redline should be moved to 8,000 since the factory rev is 7500ish and fuel cut is 8000ish. I still feel that it should be moved to 8,000 since when people get upgrades they often move the rev limit to 8,000 mark and eliminate fuel cut all together.

I like the progress of the gauges, I think just Evolution looks better then the Evolution VIII on the gauges makes it look like to much. I like the simple sporty look, makes it look like a expensive sporty car. The MPH cluster does start to get cluttered at 180MPH. I believe anyway that the ticks are to close on the factory to begin with so it need to keep the space. Looking good, Cant wait to see more recent designs. Just would like to again stress the 10,000RPM and moveing the redline up to 8k.

Hope this helps,


Brett