Simple gauge question.... plastic or glass?
#1
Intermediate
Thread Starter
Simple gauge question.... plastic or glass?
'89 Carrera 3.2
All the gauge faces seem like glass to me, but recently I've noticed a bubbling on the fuel gauge at the edges indicating that there is a vinyl overlay applied. There is a sticker that says "Unleaded Fuel Only" so maybe the overlay was a simple way for the factory to get that disclaimer added without re-screening the actual gauge bezels?
In any case, can I peel off the bubbling vinyl cleanly or will it make more of a mess than I've got now? I don't mind losing the "Unleaded Fuel Only" markings, in fact the gauge will probably look better without it. If the gauge faces are all glass, any residual adhesive will probably clean up nicely. If it's plastic I may end up with a gooey mess and a lot of scratches that won't be easy to remove.
Anyone had this happen to them? I'm looking for a good "low tech" confidence builder before my Steve Wong chip arrives!!
-G
All the gauge faces seem like glass to me, but recently I've noticed a bubbling on the fuel gauge at the edges indicating that there is a vinyl overlay applied. There is a sticker that says "Unleaded Fuel Only" so maybe the overlay was a simple way for the factory to get that disclaimer added without re-screening the actual gauge bezels?
In any case, can I peel off the bubbling vinyl cleanly or will it make more of a mess than I've got now? I don't mind losing the "Unleaded Fuel Only" markings, in fact the gauge will probably look better without it. If the gauge faces are all glass, any residual adhesive will probably clean up nicely. If it's plastic I may end up with a gooey mess and a lot of scratches that won't be easy to remove.
Anyone had this happen to them? I'm looking for a good "low tech" confidence builder before my Steve Wong chip arrives!!
-G
#4
Intermediate
Thread Starter
I don't really need to open the gauge, my thought was to put a fresh blade in my X-Acto knife and carefully cut around the inside of the black trim ring so that I could remove the vinyl from the face of the gauge....whatever vinyl was pinched under the bezel wouldn't show anyway so I wasn't going to worry about leaving that extra weight!!!
-G
-G
#7
Rennlist Member
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#8
Intermediate
Thread Starter
I think he meant the gauges where there is a through-hole from the front.
Speedo has the odometer reset post, clock has the center rod for Hour/Minute/TripSet
-G
Speedo has the odometer reset post, clock has the center rod for Hour/Minute/TripSet
-G
#11
I haddah Google dat
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Yes. The older cars, starting with the 356, and even the 914s have all glass.
Take your fingernail and tap on the lens face. You can tell which is plastic.
Take your fingernail and tap on the lens face. You can tell which is plastic.