DIY red M3-style instrument needles

[1mpowerme]

I'll try a red sharpie and take some photos when it's done so we can see what it looks like. The Testors paint pen in the 2503C color sounds do-able too.

Anyone ever thought about using the BMW factory touch up paint in red? I bet it's too thick for the needles and would look clumpy.

[parkerbink]

Dude, it's a 2-disc special edition release, they finally fucking did one. The second disc has a TON of shit on it, I found it at Wal-Mart, of all places. Come to think of it, that's also where I found my 2-disc special edition Event Horizon. :D

Needles look great Josh. I love Ronin. Is the second disk worth buying a second version for? I have the original and have difficulty buying something twice (when there is nothing wrong with the first)

[Mastrcruse]

When I was driving home last night I looked at the needles. Is it just the glare off of the lights or do the needles illuminate?

[1mpowerme]

When I was driving home last night I looked at the needles. Is it just the glare off of the lights or do the needles illuminate?

The needles most definitely do not illuminate. The two 3W bulbs behind the gauges light up the whole cluster which also causes the gauge needles illuminate.

On the newer BMW models the gauge needles do indeed light up.

[Mastrcruse]

Thanks, I never thought they did but I am planning on painting them red and it had me questioning myself yesterday.

[Mastrcruse]

Alright, well I have them all done. I painted the MPG and it turned out great too. I do have a tiny bit of overspray on one of my guages. So are our guages painted on or a decal kinda thing? I was thinking about getting paint thinner and taking the overspray off. If its a painted on deal I won't bother since you only can see it under certain light.

[euroshark]

Maybe a silly question, I dunno, but how do they look at night? Are they even visible?

[Mastrcruse]

I believe I read, either in this thread or another about the red needles that they are visible at night.

[Jand3rson]

Oh yeah, I forgot all about that. Mine show up perfectly fine at night, no issues there.

I'll get a pic tomorrow night. I would tonight, but my doors are masked shut while I'm repainting my b-pillar trim. :D

[euroshark]

Is Mr. Anderson inflating his post count? Jesus!! lol

That's the first time I ever actually thought about it... :p

I would love to see the pictures. Since I'm about to replace the cluster in my 635, I may go ahead and do some red needles while I'm at it... I'd really like to find an M6 cluster though... :hitler:

[Mastrcruse]

When I get a chance I will take a night shot, if Josh hasn't before I do. They look awesome! If you do it very carefully you can paint the MPG instead of just using a sharpie and it turns out awesome too

[Jand3rson]

When I get a chance I will take a night shot, if Josh hasn't before I do. They look awesome! If you do it very carefully you can paint the MPG instead of just using a sharpie and it turns out awesome too

I'm getting a new cluster soon, so I'll be doing them again, and doing a more thorough job.

[Mastrcruse]

Josh, does yours ever stick on hot climate? I will be testing mine out tomorrow morning but it was 90 today

[JasonC]

No need to make a new thread on this. I did this with a red sharpie. Like Josh said it's ok at best, but it's good enuff for me. I went one step further and did something different to mine. I seen this over on e30.de and tried it in my car.



I'm talking about the gray around the gauges. I had it painted black but there was alot of black going on with my car. I used gray 98 cent primer from wal-mart. The clear plastic cover isn't on it in the picture. And where the check light is i used a decal from a e21 model kit over it. It actully looks pretty good in the car, and has a cool orange glow to the whole cluster at night. Those chrome rings are from ebay.

[Jparkr]

lets see some closer pics installed in your car jason