White face gauges

[WestCoastSVX]

I've had a set of the white face "indiglo" gauges sitting on the shelf for years. Still debating whether to put them in or not. These are the newer style where only the numbers light up, so at night they look like stock, just lit the nice blue color.

Either way, I'm going to do the whole dash in blue lights, and lately it looks like some others have almost got it down to a proven method, including using blue (or red) leds behind the gauges to get a similar look to the indiglo gauges at night, stock black face during the day.

So the question really comes down to the daytime look - stock black faces or white faces.

I'm really torn, but kinda leaning towards the stock faces since some nicer light can now be had with them at night.

The white faces do come stock on lots of sporty cars these days and could be a "modern update", which is what I'm going for with my SVX, but something still might seem "off" about it.

Opinions?

[SilverSpear]

Originally Posted by MacGyver

So the question really comes down to the daytime look - stock black faces or white faces.

I'm really torn, but kinda leaning towards the stock faces since some nicer light can now be had with them at night.

Opinions?

I have the white gauges on. And now after owning the Z and seeing the mix of orange and red all over the dash wiht the black faces, I think this is the classy way to go.

I am planning to replicate it in the SVX in the future. I wouldn't go with blue though.

[BoxerFanatic]

Blue, physiologically does more to harm your night vision. It is brighter, and a frequency of light that is near the ultraviolet edge of the spectrum. Eyes usually have less fatigue with reds or yellows. Even green isn't as far up the spectrum. Also why blue-blocking sunglasses are somewhat popular.

Personally, I love the red/white illumination combo in my Legacy, with it's electro-luminescent gauges. Needles, button logos, and such are all red, but alpha-numeric displays on the gauges, and the center stack, are white, which really helps them stand out, without being as harsh as blue.

Green is acceptable, but somehow seems a bit like an old Ford. I've not seen an amber/orange illumination scheme that I have liked, the color just doesn't appeal to me as interior lighting. Red is not as garish as orange seems to be.

I have blue LEDs on a phone base in the bedroom, and it has to point away from me at night, it is just too coldly bright, and it actually lights the room more than one would think.

[Johnybeas]

I've got some that I don't want that I'll sell anyone, I bought them and when I went to put them in I decided I liked the black face ones better and didn't wanna switch them.

[WestCoastSVX]

Yeah, I'll think about other color options when I go to do the lights if I don't use the indiglo white face gauges. Guess I was just saying blue as that was a direct apples to apples night time comparison between the black and white gauges (since the indiglos are blue).

The question was what is the better day time look, white gauges or black....


Although I do appreciate the commentary on benefits of different night time colors. Have heard that about red before, I think most military aviation still uses red lighting in all their instruments.

[SilverSpear]

Ok here is the 350z dash:





This is a custom dash:












For those with Wooden dash, I think a brighter orange or red flows better than Blue. Blue and Wood is like installing AMG rims on a 1950 mercedes.

To each his own.

[svxash]

Originally Posted by SilverSpear

Ok here is the 350z dash:





This is a custom dash:












For those with Wooden dash, I think a brighter orange or red flows better than Blue. Blue and Wood is like installing AMG rims on a 1950 mercedes.

To each his own.

Any pics of the 350z dash at night?

[WestCoastSVX]

Originally Posted by SilverSpear

Ok here is the 350z dash:





This is a custom dash:












For those with Wooden dash, I think a brighter orange or red flows better than Blue. Blue and Wood is like installing AMG rims on a 1950 mercedes.

To each his own.

You are right, that 350Z coloring does have a nice look. Also curious how it looks at night.

I might be leaning even more heavy on the keep-em-black side of the fence. The stock black with some new lighting might be just the thing.

The 350z does make me wonder how a silver gauge bezel on the SVX might look though..... hmmmmmmm (while keeping the rest of the dash pieces black, including painting the woodgrain, no stick-on aluminum or anything)

BTW, would never have thought of doing the blue lights along with woodgrain - repainting the dash has always been part of the project.