Digital dash, possible to change colors!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 11,594
Likes: 7
From: Bumpass, VA
Originally posted by GTI 20v
). BUT, sadly this new realization -- what a dark tinted dash will exhibit during bright sunlight -- may well prove our digital (vs. analog) demise... 
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,057
Likes: 1
From: Fairfax
Hello enthusiasts!
First of all thanks to those who provided with the photos of VW dash.
I must say, looks pretty nifty.
Dismounting airbag, steering were totally unnecessary.
I've seen my mechanic remove the dash without going through that step.
I can't do this myself but it seems pretty easy.
I will try to take step photos when my mechanic work on it again, but that may take some time. I will give him some motivation to just do it for the hell to capture the process on my camera. Stay tuned for that...
And now as promised, more photos. This time they are on my Yahoo album so you need to click to see each photo. You can chose to view the full size which is recommended.
I will try to explain some interesting stuff that I found examining.
Here are two photos from back side of the lcd panel.
Nothing interesting but I took these photos just for the heck of it.
I guess when activated panel will turn black in appropriate place to block lights to show the display.
Dash1 Back side of LCD panel (A)
Dash2 Back side of LCD panel (B)
Now some interesting stuff here. View the full size to see things more clearly.
Dash3
This is how it looks underneath the plastic color panel once lifted.
Two blue bulbs on top are the ones that comes on to illuminate entire dash when headlight switches are turned.
The rest of the 5 bulbs that are visible are obviously ones that are responsible for lighting up the display. Check it out though, interesting enough the bulbs are not identical. Two bulbs on the right side are smaller and different.
Why?? My guess is that usage of the two small bulbs(Vtec to redline) on the right isn't much needed as the rest where illumination is needed much more constantly.
Could it be cost saving measure? I don't know. Maybe it reflects the design philosophy of making things efficient. Interesting huh?
Here are the photos of the back side of the color plastic panel.
Again try to view the full size to see more details.
Dash4 Back side of the color plastic panel (A)
Dash5 Back side of the color plastic panel (B)
I capture the image in angle to show that the panel isn't painted in one side only.
Darker hue tells that it is painted on the side where the camera is looking.
Notice the diffuse patterns where the bulbs are approximately located.
Why paint on different sides? The answer goes back to what bulbs they've used on lighting it up. Panel is painted on the side with diffuse pattern where the bigger bulbs are used to even out lighting illumination.
Too much work they put it in to work it right, I am impressed.
Anyway before I bore all of you any further I will stop here.
I can already see there are many talented people here to make this project work.
I am sure we can come up with something very soon near summer time, I suppose.
First thing is to make a replica of the plastic panel.
I will try to measure and even use it as a template to draw one on the paper.
Well sleepy now, so good night. Progress will be slow but soon we will have what we want.
First of all thanks to those who provided with the photos of VW dash.
I must say, looks pretty nifty.
Dismounting airbag, steering were totally unnecessary.
I've seen my mechanic remove the dash without going through that step.
I can't do this myself but it seems pretty easy.
I will try to take step photos when my mechanic work on it again, but that may take some time. I will give him some motivation to just do it for the hell to capture the process on my camera. Stay tuned for that...
And now as promised, more photos. This time they are on my Yahoo album so you need to click to see each photo. You can chose to view the full size which is recommended.
I will try to explain some interesting stuff that I found examining.
Here are two photos from back side of the lcd panel.
Nothing interesting but I took these photos just for the heck of it.
I guess when activated panel will turn black in appropriate place to block lights to show the display.
Dash1 Back side of LCD panel (A)
Dash2 Back side of LCD panel (B)
Now some interesting stuff here. View the full size to see things more clearly.
Dash3
This is how it looks underneath the plastic color panel once lifted.
Two blue bulbs on top are the ones that comes on to illuminate entire dash when headlight switches are turned.
The rest of the 5 bulbs that are visible are obviously ones that are responsible for lighting up the display. Check it out though, interesting enough the bulbs are not identical. Two bulbs on the right side are smaller and different.
Why?? My guess is that usage of the two small bulbs(Vtec to redline) on the right isn't much needed as the rest where illumination is needed much more constantly.
Could it be cost saving measure? I don't know. Maybe it reflects the design philosophy of making things efficient. Interesting huh?
Here are the photos of the back side of the color plastic panel.
Again try to view the full size to see more details.
Dash4 Back side of the color plastic panel (A)
Dash5 Back side of the color plastic panel (B)
I capture the image in angle to show that the panel isn't painted in one side only.
Darker hue tells that it is painted on the side where the camera is looking.
Notice the diffuse patterns where the bulbs are approximately located.
Why paint on different sides? The answer goes back to what bulbs they've used on lighting it up. Panel is painted on the side with diffuse pattern where the bigger bulbs are used to even out lighting illumination.
Too much work they put it in to work it right, I am impressed.
Anyway before I bore all of you any further I will stop here.
I can already see there are many talented people here to make this project work.
I am sure we can come up with something very soon near summer time, I suppose.
First thing is to make a replica of the plastic panel.
I will try to measure and even use it as a template to draw one on the paper.
Well sleepy now, so good night. Progress will be slow but soon we will have what we want.
