GUTEN Clusters - How to

[ZM Blue Devil]

I finally decide to document this as I get a bunch of emails and PMs asking how its done.

This is not meant to be stickie or "the only way it can be done!", as with anything there are many ways to do. Having done dozens of them this is how we do it.

The Items you will need depending on which trim you are going with.

The things you can do to your cluster are:
Carbon Fiber Over Lay
Alpina Strip over Tach
Cluster Rings
Painted Needles

The Items you will need depending on which trim you are going with
A good working cluster
Alpina Strip
Cluster Rings (Not Pictured...yet)
Touch up Paint or Nail Polish
Clear Plastic Cleaner and Polish
Buffing Cloth
Various small screw drivers
Razor
Masking/Painters Tape



Start by removing the screws on the back of the Cluster.



Take note, on this cluster the nut behind the temp and fuel gauge are are missing, replace them.



Next using a razor gently cut the glue points around the lens. Take your time, its old glue it doesnt take much to seperate.



Pull the mileage tab(only if doing an overlay)



While cluster is out check the main bulbs and housing, they have a tendency to go bad.



Next tape up the needles



On the tach tape up so not to touch the stop. Also make sure to apply tape down firmly so the paint doesnt go under the tape.



Tape up below MPG gauge



Next cut the outline of the Alpina Strip



Cut the strips in 2 dash portions.



Start on the 1 side and work your way around. Dont panic if applied wrong, use razor to lift and reapply.



Next apply color of your choice. We prefer to use high end nail polish or Brilliant BMW touch up paint. Goes on smooth and levels out.





More to come...

[FKNFASTM5]

nice writeup so far

[FKNFASTM5]

where do you get the tach stripes from if you dont mind me asking?

[ZM Blue Devil]

where do you get the tach stripes from if you dont mind me asking?

From us.

http://r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=115044

[McGyver]

does anyone have a picture of a legit alpina cluster with the stripe? the only e30 ones i saw on google were just grey with red needles and it said ALPINA in the center of the bottom.

[Luis325]

In for pics of the alpina cluster!

[BMWManiac]

What's the best way to paint the mpg needle? do you want it at the 180 degree position?

And tips with the clear plastic cleaner and polish? How well do those remove/fill in scratches?

[ZM Blue Devil]

What's the best way to paint the mpg needle? do you want it at the 180 degree position?

And tips with the clear plastic cleaner and polish? How well do those remove/fill in scratches?

slide the tape under the mpg as shown above so it stays in place. As long as its not touching the stop on the left you will be fine.

The cleaner is straight forward, directions on the bottle, cliff notes... use soft foam pad to apply cleaner, remove all of it, use different pad to apply the polish and polish clean with buffing cloth.

[ShowStopper]

Subscribed ..will be doing tach strip, cluster rings and painted needles soon.

[Ryan...]

Looks like I have a new project for this winter :D

[Frog]

yay writeup!!

[NC325iC]

Tell you what, painting needles is a pita. Oh and Ford cardinal red looks good on them if you don't want to get BMW paint or nailpolish. Just pick up some duplicolor touch up.

[browntown]

Hey levent, I just pulled the cluster to put your alpina sticker and rings on. While I have it all out I'm changing the bulbs. Do you know the bulb code of the little and large bulbs? That'll help me when I'm down at the autozone. My VDO cluster has 11 mini bulbs and two big ones with a few blank spots on the back. Does that sound right?

Do you need to glue the clear plastic cover back when you're done?

Do the gauge rings need adhesive, or do they all snap in place? I'll take pics in the next couple days when mine is done being gutenized.

[ChaseN]

Hey levent, I just pulled the cluster to put your alpina sticker and rings on. While I have it all out I'm changing the bulbs. Do you know the bulb code of the little and large bulbs? That'll help me when I'm down at the autozone. My VDO cluster has 11 mini bulbs and two big ones with a few blank spots on the back. Does that sound right?

Do you need to glue the clear plastic cover back when you're done?

Do the gauge rings need adhesive, or do they all snap in place? I'll take pics in the next couple days when mine is done being gutenized.

Just did my cluster, so I'll chime in -

The large bulbs are just a generic (5w? Can't remember but I'm pretty sure it says it on both the bulb and the back of the cluster) fitment. If you take your old bulbs to the store, it will be realllly easy to match them up with the new ones. If I find the package of bulbs I bought, I'll post the # up. The little bulbs are BMW only I believe, as they are a special design and the bulb + base are integral.

I did glue the cover back on, its really easy and will keep it from rattling, though others say that all the trim pieces keep it in place tight enough w/o gluing it, fwiw. Does make it easier to perform further work on it in the future (although the only thing you have to take the lense off for is the trim rings, and I doubt I'll ever be monkeying with them again).

My gas & temp gauge rings snapped in place, in fact they were so tight I had to shave down the cluster a little bit to get them on. Definitely no adhesive needed. The two large rings, however, were real loosey goosey on mine and I glued them in for good measure.

[browntown]

The little ones with the black base are 2721mf. The two that are small wedges are plain 2721's. Autozone didn't sell the MF's, Napa did though with a wagner cross reference at like 2.25$ a piece. In retrospect I should have just bought them online
http://www.autohausaz.com/search/pro...tm_term=2721MF