How-To: Change your cluster color on 97-03

[Raptor05121]

guys, I managed to find a way to strip the color off your overlay. its very risky, and I dont recommend doing it unless you REALLY want to do this or have another one available: As you can see, you have the protective white layer. if you use a brass wire wheel on a drill you can scrape it off. once you get the white off, just apply some acteone and the blue (or green) will wipe right off. Get some 3M bonding blue (available in spray cans) and stick back on your cluster

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[4rd4life]

Some of you are wondering about doing the switches. Here you go.http://www.fordf150.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=63465
Any one know if the back lit message center in an 08' can be changed to other than green?

[Raptor05121]

yes, from what I read, it has lights back there that can be changed

[Raptor05121]

Alright guys. I think I have screwed up my donor gauge face enough to learn the process.

Here's the down-low. My local junkyard has a BUNCH of 99+ F-150's just sitting around with clusters in them. If anyone is interested, I can hop down there and pull them apart and strip the overlay and sell them like that. I'm thinking $15 for a stripped (white) overlay. That way you guys can put whatever color LEDs back there as you wish. Who's interested in this idea?

[coobies5]

sounds good to me i'd buy one

[1BAF150]

word raptor...and does that guy have a 99 or newer, because his cluster still looks different than mine..and i think im gonna try and order some new BLUE LED's and see if i cant get it to work...and yea, let me know about the acetone, cuz i definitely dont want to screw that up haha!

[SKRWZ]

Originally Posted by 1BAF150

word raptor...and does that guy have a 99 or newer, because his cluster still looks different than mine..and i think im gonna try and order some new BLUE LED's and see if i cant get it to work...and yea, let me know about the acetone, cuz i definitely dont want to screw that up haha!

I tried blue ones, and hated it was too dark swicthed to green and it was much better for me

[fnnrNArnner74]

Originally Posted by Raptor05121

1BAF150, right now I'm in the process of acetoning my old cluster. If I can get it down-pat, I'll let you know the results.

Edit: This guy did a simple swap to blue LEDs even with his stock Ford green backing:

this looks really really good

so its kinda hard to follow whats like fact here.
is it that the 99+ have blue tint with yellow bulbs making green?
or is there a green overlay that needs to be scraped off?


anyone have a 01 they are looking to do this too?

[pidaster]

Did this on my '74 a while back. On the '99 I tried a blue 194 round lens in my a/c control but didn't look that great. Gonna get some of the wide led's from Hi-po. I used a few of them in the '74 but don't wanna pull them back out to try them in the '99.
Here's the ones I'm gonna order.
http://www.hipoparts.com/product_inf...roducts_id=568
http://www.hipoparts.com/product_inf...roducts_id=423

Here's the '74 cluster.

[Raptor05121]

Originally Posted by fnnrNArnner74

this looks really really good

so its kinda hard to follow whats like fact here.
is it that the 99+ have blue tint with yellow bulbs making green?
or is there a green overlay that needs to be scraped off?


anyone have a 01 they are looking to do this too?

97-98 had a blue overlay with yellow bulbs
99-04 have green overlay with yellow bulbs.

im planning on getting a few donor faces and scraping the color off.

[modea2006]

I ordered me some white led's last week so im still waiting for those, guess ill have to live with em for a while so i can switch to blue ones

[weshova]

love this mod....raptor you mind circling every bulb that would need to be changed to blue everything out?? the pic im talking about would be the one where u cirlce the 7 bulbs that need to be changed...i want everything blue, 4x4, low range, airbag, seat belt, check engine, turn signals EVERYTHING lol

btw i don't think anyones answered this but on my 98 the 4x4 switch in the radio bezel is simply a plug that has two clips one on each side...just pry them up a bit and pull it off, pretty simple

[fnnrNArnner74]

Originally Posted by Raptor05121

97-98 had a blue overlay with yellow bulbs
99-04 have green overlay with yellow bulbs.

im planning on getting a few donor faces and scraping the color off.

oh ok sweet man. and ur gonna be sellin these for how much?

[weshova]

i think he said 15 bucks in an earlier post

[catdriver]

Great write up. Just bought the LEDs. Im not great with the electrical components on vehicles but your write up makes it very easy! Thanks again