Hi guys this is a repost from UK-Polos but i created some custom clock faces that will work with this guide so posting here enjoy.

The following is a short tutorial on how to modify the clocks yourself. I'll begin by explaining how to remove your original clocks. The usual disclaimers apply: If you plan on reselling your car or are worried about damaging important sh it its probably best to spend your money on a Lockwood kit or something. Don't blame me if this all fu cks up!

STEP 1:

Remove two screws at top of instrument panel surround. If the steering wheel gets in your way, lower it using the adjustment handle on the left hand side!

STEP 2:

Rip out the panel surround.

STEP 3:

Remove two screws at top sides of instrument panel that are securing it. You might need a torch to see them since its pretty dark in there.

STEP 4:

Rip the ugly bastard out and disconnect the plug at the rear of the unit. You should be left with a gaping void.

STEP 5:

Time to get freaky with an Allen key. There are four screws on each corner of the unit which hold the plastic front in place. Undo them and remove the front panel.

STEP 6:

The black fascia of the unit is attached to the cream part by means of a series of clips. Undo all the clips and remove the black fascia.

STEP 7:

What we're aiming to do now is remove the needles to get at the metal clock template. Using a pair of pliers, gently grip the black circular part of each needle and pull - but be careful dammit!

STEP 8:

Needles removed, you need to unhook the metal clocks template from its various slots then gently lift it out.

At this point in the tutorial you have two options. You can either use your own scanner to scan your clocks and mess around in Photoshop with them or you can use my template, below:

Its not an amazing scan, i'm sure you can do better, but it will suffice for those of us with poor eyesight.

STEP 9:

Print out your newly photoshopped clocks onto some high quality paper. Hell LAMINATE it if you really want. Go crazy.

STEP 10:

Attach the new paper clocks template onto your existing metal clocks template. I used very thin amounts of blu-tack but you can do whatever you want.

STEP 11:

The needles. They are white. Attack them with a red permanent marker!

STEP 12:

Refit coloured needles using pliers

STEP 13:

On the top of the black fascia that you removed you'll see a big green strip of plastic. This is what gives your dash that rancid green glow. Remove the strip, find some blue (or whatever colour) plastic laminate (you can buy it from WH Smiths and stuff) and cut it to the exact same size. No fit that on top of the black thing thus:

STEP 14:

If you're a read hardcore bastard you can also change the colour of the indicator lights by messing with the little piece of plastic you can see at the top of the picture (below). Its a bit more difficult though as its an awkward shape and you need to etch the 'full beam' symbol into it aswell.

STEP 15:

Refit and test! Put all the sh it back together, plug the cable back into the rear of the unit and give it a test.

http://img451.imageshack.us/img451/318/06-03-19_17-18.jpg

As you can see in the picture above, I refitted NoWorries' old clocks so it looks like my car has gained another 10,000 miles overnight! Because I had a spare set of clocks I could afford to be reckless, you probably can't so be f ucking careful.

Over the coming weeks i'm going to try and refine my design and also properly take apart NoWorries' old clocks to see if there is a way to modify the colour of the LCD screens (i'm sure Tej actually did this). So i'll update this tutorial as and when.

Hopefully this basic tutorial has given you the confidence to go and attempt something creative today. On the other hand it may have ruined your only set of instrument clocks! Oh sh it!

Good luck!

My clock templates:

Again everything quoted here is not my doing so dont blame me if you brake something i just created them templates i can do a custom one if you want some thing doing or give it a go your self

hope you enjoy guys

and please post photos if you do this.

the best thing about this guide is you can change your clocks as much as you like just print out some new ones =D

thanks Proxy

yea i thought about doing this long time again when it was 1st posted but never got around to it..... although my work does have a wicked printer i might have to borrow it

Yer i am going to do it next week when i have time just need to pick my clock style first lol

can some1 do me a set for a mark with rev counter with the vw sign in it if possible thanks

can some1 do me a set for a mark with rev counter with the vw sign in it if possible thanks

yer i can make you sum but need a scan of your clocks see if you can find one online or something

sent u a pm m8

here you go mate enjoy even added you name like you wanted lol

I love free mods :)

I've just finnished doin this to mine, if youve not done it yet, then christ be careful taking off the needles. one of my gears came unlinked when pulling the needle, so it took half a hour longer to do. just keep prising it slowly with a flat screwdriver so you dont do what i did.

managed to sort it though :)

Edited 12 October, 200916 yr by foxy218

tht petrol one with the faces is the tits :)

Chris

I like the temp guage - OMG!

Haha!

hey,

can this be done to my 6n with the temp and petrol gauges in the middle ?

Ryan

that fuel gauge is fantastic

has anyone used this guide to change the colour of the clocks by putting colour over like that??

i took mine apart the other day and was toatally diff to thiss

I love free mods :)

I've just finnished doin this to mine, if youve not done it yet, then christ be careful taking off the needles. one of my gears came unlinked when pulling the needle, so it took half a hour longer to do. just keep prising it slowly with a flat screwdriver so you dont do what i did.

managed to sort it though :)

I like the fuel guage. But having to look at that shocking use of an apostrophe every time i got in my car would kill me!

I like the temp guage - OMG!

Haha!

Yeah that made me chuckle.

Id have to have something at the redline,too.

My fuel gague is rarely over half,thats only for long journeys (weight). So my smilies would probably be

What are these like in the dark?

how did you get the clocks out because i tried this a few months back undid all the screws that hold the box of clocks in, and there was no way of removeing it from the dash i could spin it around and undo the cable from the back but no matter what angle the box was at it would not come out. it was wider from all sides than the hole it has to come out. i also broke one of the L.E.D's thats on the top so only one side of the clocks light up :sad: . so i need to pull it out again to fix it, whislt it is out i may aswell do this.

THREAD REVIVAL.

Has anyone got any scanned pics of the new styled clocks? wanna do this tomorow :)

Scan your own case no one can supply them.

how is look in the night

This is pretty cool, are there any ones done for the MK2 with the big clock, I've just moved to Ireland and all the signs are in km and I keep struggling to read the right set of numbers! Any scans out there for a metric conversion?

THREAD REVIVAL.

Has anyone got any scanned pics of the new styled clocks? wanna do this tomorow :)

I don't think a paper copy will work on the later clocks as they are on a translucent plastic and are backlit, so the numbers etc will not be lit with a paper copy over the top, the older ones use an indirect lighting rom above. In case you want to try heres a scanned immage

6N Late Dials_White by nige8021, on Flickr

has anyone got a plain version of a mk3 with a rev gauge please? :-D

Hate to be a pain but can someone email me the clock setup for a 6n 98plate with rev counter ready to be printed straight off after a few mods: matthewneal01@hotmail.co.uk

If someone does this for me il love you long time