Fun cheep little mods I like to do

So if any of you are interested in making your car a little different then your friends then follow along.

Changing the lcd color of your HU and trip comp.

I have grown accustom to red dash lights on the few Audi's I owned in the past and really like them. The OB has that gross green/blue color.

Here is the after photo from my OB.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0625.jpg

You will need to find some film to achieve the color you are looking for. I bought some "gel" from a shop that has photo supply's as well as supplies for movies and plays.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0604.jpg

Remove the HU and vent with the trip comp. You can do a search to find how to pull the HU. As for the vent well just yank it out.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0610.jpg

Take the three screws out holding the trip comp in. You will need to cut the metal tape around the two tabs holding the two half's together.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0615.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0616.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0617.jpg

Pop out the red plastic "It does not make the lights look red"

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0619.jpg

I cut the red gel to the size of the actual LCD and just taped it on.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0620.jpg

The plastic I popped out actually fits in the bottom of the front cover for storage for when you want to put it back in for the stock look.

Also at his point I took the opportunity to put some black tape over the orange light that shows the passenger airbag. I have no need to see that constantly.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0622.jpg

Now put it all back together.

Ok now the HU Take the face plate off unscrew whatever is necessary to get to the LCD.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0603.jpg

I used a small flathead to pry the red film off. It is stuck on with double sided tape.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0606.jpg

Cut the gel to the size you need. and use two small pieces of tape to hold it in while putting the face back together.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0607.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0608.jpg

I simply stuck the old tint on top of the hu for putting back to stock later if needed.

While you have the the vent/console out you can also do these two mods.

Put in a couple of aux power sources.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0611.jpg

Later on I added an audio in port as well.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0730.jpg

The metal sheet is also pretty cool. It is a flat sheet of metal I screwed in for a couple of holders like the one pictured below that holds my iPhone in the console.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0614.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0613.jpg

Here is a pic of where I tapped the power for the aux ports in the console.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0623.jpg

This is the cigarette lighter plug.

Find some clear double sided carpet tape and use the gel for your lights as well.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0628.jpg

Yellow fogs

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0631.jpg

Full red tail light. I was not a fan of the orange.

Not to be a dick but those thin films you took out are probably polorized and make viewing the vacuum fluorescent display in sunlight possible. I would venture to guess it's next to impossible to view the screens now when its sunny?

 

I love the iPhone holder though, I did exactly the same thing for my Sirius Sportster 5. I really need to make a bezel for it though to clean it up.

Really like your ipod holder idea. Where did you get the metal holder from? Can you post a picture of the ipod in the holder? Thanks.

Not to be a dick but those thin films you took out are probably polorized and make viewing the vacuum fluorescent display in sunlight possible. I would venture to guess it's next to impossible to view the screens now when its sunny?

 

I love the iPhone holder though, I did exactly the same thing for my Sirius Sportster 5. I really need to make a bezel for it though to clean it up.

 

Good point,

They are darker but I have not had a problem with viewing them in sunlight although I do have all of my windows tinted.

If that is the reason for them then I guess you could leave them in and just put the added material underneath them.

Really like your ipod holder idea. Where did you get the metal holder from? Can you post a picture of the ipod in the holder? Thanks.

 

I thought about taking a picture with it in the holder but the camera I have is the phone itself so it is kind of impossible.

 

The metal holder is just a thin sheet of metal I screwed on. I made a new one that holds the phone with the case on so I do not have to take the case off every time I want to put it in. Also I can place it anywhere there is a thin seam. I made this one so I could rotate it for phone calls and using aps.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0688.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0689.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0690.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0691.jpg

I did the red film mod on my VW way back when. Got sick of the stale green lights everywhere. The film trick works well!! Although for some lights (door/window switches) I had to solder in red LEDs. Not much work and loked slick. I like the look of the red!

Looks different and nice!

What up Gershon? How's K2 treating you? Congrats on moving over to the Subaru family...

 

-Chris from D&Q

What up Gershon? How's K2 treating you? Congrats on moving over to the Subaru family...

 

-Chris from D&Q

 

Brotha!

All is good although this is not my first Subaru I had two back in 93 back before people knew they were cool!

I like the add'l aux power sources -- where did you source them? I take it there's no clearance issues behind the cubby to worry about?

 

Where did you tap for the electrical?

There is a photo of where I tapped the power form. I tapped into the cigarette lighter below the radio. You can buy the parts form any auto supply shop like Auto Zone.

 

I like the add'l aux power sources -- where did you source them? I take it there's no clearance issues behind the cubby to worry about?

 

Where did you tap for the electrical?

Changing the color of your gauge cluster. Again you will need your choice of colored film. I used gel film made to cover stage lighting.

Three screws hold the cluster in place. One on the top in front of the gauges and two underneath that you will need to take the underdash panel off to access. Look up " How to completely get rid of all Chimes permanently" and get that taken care of at the same time as this. You will also find instructions on how to take off the underdash panel.

With a little aggravation and honking the horn you should be able how to get the cluster out yourself.

http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83382&highlight=rid+chime

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/cluster-screw.jpg

This is where the screw was located. There is one on each side of the steering wheel column.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0871.jpg

You will need to pull up all of the tabs to pull the face off.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0874.jpg

Next is the scary part of the whole project and where I tell you that this is to be done at your own risk.

The first time I did this I was able to do it with out pulling the needles off. I cut out the round colored rings with a seem and slid them underneath the faces. This time I took the needles off. I did this buy spinning and pulling counter clockwise at the same time.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0875.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/faces-on-gel1.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0877.jpg

In this photo you can see the seem I cut to slide the film underneath.

The next one I decided to hold my breath and pull the needles.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0876.jpg

I cut the film by rolling up some tape and sticking the gel film to the back of the faces and just cutting around them.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0879.jpg

I cut out an area on the tack that I did not want red film on.

The way I put the needle back of was pretty simple. I pushed them on then turned them until they were where they started.

Yellow

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/yellow-cluster.jpg

Red is much better!

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/red-cluster.jpg

Sorry if I was not thorough enough.

I decided to take on clear front turn signal project but while I had the lights apart I wanted to add a little something.

Anyone like the look of the new Audi A4 lights? Well I really do!

I found LED strips on eBay for $12 each including shipping. So I bought some to add into the headlights.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0885.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0887.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0890.jpg

I plan to add a switch for them but for now I have them hooked up to my parking lights.

you should wire those to be your DRL

I like your work.

I may be inspired to change the color ofthe dashbord cluster on my 2009 Forester which is of some dubious blue color which does not fit with the rest of the car

Wow! looks great. Even I love the new Audi A4 lights.

 

How many led strips did you use? do you know which ones? also how to get the headlight apart?

 

I will be hooking them up to my DRL

 

.vivek

The strips are 48cm with 48 led's.

I got mine here.

http://motors.shop.ebay.com/merchant/wonder_auto_shop918?_nkw=led+strip&_nd1=&_fromfsb=&_trksid=m270.l1313&_odkw=&_osacat=0

Please follow this post on how to remove the headlights.

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3737

awesome work. Very well done. I especially like the cubby mount and LED headlight accents. I dont know that I'l do the LEDs in the headlight (undecided) but the cubby mount is something I have been chewing a long time.. I have a PDA phone and could easy buy a GPS antenna for it and use it as a mini gps.. or mount my ipod there for easier access.

 

The info center is neat too but I dont think I'll do that.. plus I have the 05 electroluminescent guages and love the white and red contrast.

how about figuring out how to add the light rings around the gauges like the LGT? I've always loved that.

i love the headlights

This is why I like this forum so much. I learn so much and get great suggestion.

Take two on the the headlight mod. I used the same 48cm LED strip and put black tape around 4 of the LED's between the main headlight and the turn signal.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0969.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h163/gershon23/IMG_0968.jpg

I am not sure I understand what you mean. The majority of the light you see from the turn signal is the light that is reflecting off the chrome backing and not directly from the bulb.

and my .02, cut the strip short and just did the curve

 

at first glance your tag looked like it said

 

UUHH!

 

car looks good. Is it really that bright?

and my .02, cut the strip short and just did the curve

 

Looks great!

Seberry,

I gotcha you now! The LED's are glaring in the photo and are way more defined with the naked eye. You can easily see the blinker at day and at night.