Idea for colored transparency film to turn 2015 Prius cluster in 2016 colored cluster

Not sure I know of any options with gradients. I have changed my vw cluster from OEM to red using Rubylith. there are several flavors available of 'lith. I choose lith over cellophane because of the richness of color and thickness of the material.

 

Just a short, somewhat off topic comment, but with all the criticism of the Gen 4 release, I would say that I like the movement towards more color in the instrument cluster.

Even with the initial release of the Gen 3, I've thought the display looked dated and far too colorless.
This is an area I think Toyota could improve significantly...even now. Better....but I think it could be even better.

Don't know how much success might be possible in trying to make a Gen 3 display more colorful. Good Luck.

If you come up with anything, that is worth taking a picture of? Please share.

 

Yes, the thickness of a Lith will allow it to sit ontop of a display with no distortion at all, even with air behind it. on my VW cluster I just slide it in place and didnt have to attach it. Something to keep in mind with doing something like this is the combination of colors, white lights with rubylith come out very red, where as a blue light with rubylith will be a purple.
Lith is superior to cellophene or acetate because it is optically clear, using acetate or others, will give a slight blur or fuzzyness.

I purchased a roll from Amazon, available in many flavors, roll, sheet, tapes, ect. should be readily available in any local art supply/photo supply as well. Thinking a tape may be able to make a gradient maybe.

if I can tonight I will take some pics of my VW cluster and try some scrap rubylith over my Prius gauges to give you an idea.

 

One of the problems I see with this is the gas gauge and that area. It does not come from "behind" the glass, like the touch tracking buttons do. It actually is a reflection. In order to change the color, you would need to coat the area underneath the glass to change the color of this gauge.

Another problem is the lack of pure white light. Even the best try you could make is going to be greenish somehow because it is a green light. Red + green usually ends up yellow.

All right, so I tried this tonight, just to see what would happen. I had some cellophane in red and blue left over from present wrapping.



I tried red, 2 layers of cellophane first. It came out a little fuzzy, but the basic idea did work. I did get a lower brightness, but it's red. I don't care for the color.


Then I tried 2 layers of blue, and one layer of blue, respectively.

 

If some company manufactured a high quality replacement cluster that plugs and plays, I'd spend up to $300 for it.

 

Here is my MFD & Tach with the Rubylith in place & a stock pic of the cluster. Havent had much time to monkey with the Prius as it is being wraped.
You can see I trimmed a little too much in the Gas Gauge area. I basicly had to make and Omega shape so as to not change the colors of the warning lights in the center of the gauge

 

I have to look on my tube tonight for the vendor & spec (I believe it is 3mil), I swear I got it off Amazon, but not in my archive.

 

Doesn't seem to be on Amazon any more.

To get small sheets and not large rolls, you need to go to astronomy or photography sites.

Amberlith may also work for this, but I can't find it in small sheets:

OPT Rubylith Red Masking Film - 15" X 20" Sheet | OPT Telescopes

ScopeStuff

McLogan Supply Company : Ulano Rubylith (UV Blockout film) [URM3] - $146.82

I remember working with this stuff 25 or 30 years ago. I feel very old now.

 

I did some work like this using RoscoLux photography Gels.
Blue led dash conversion | Page 7 | PriusChat

I purchased them on Amazon: www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=roscolux+gel