Interior/Exterior Cockpit Chrono Pack - Lyle strikes again!
#1
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 8,773
Likes: 9
From: Holly Springs, NC
Cockpit Chrono Pack - Lyle strikes again!
I love my Cockpit Chrono Pack. But, ever since I upgraded my speedo and tach to the OutMotoring faces, the Chrono Pack doesn't quite fit.
It's too silver... and it's got the ugly zits where the indicator lights are... problem is, the face is a complex 3D molded part, so no one has attempted to make an aftermarket face for it yet.
Well, recently I saw that Lyle Beckwith - Lyle's Vinyl Styles - started doing some interesting "overlays" for MINI gauges. I also admired a lot of the high quality vinyl "wrap" work he is doing with emblems, door handles, headlight rings, etc. Then it hits me... I wonder if he could WRAP part of the Chrono face... so I send him some pics, we discuss it, I ship him my face, he does some experimentation, and a couple weeks later, VOILA!
This is fantastic - it’s exactly what I think the face should have looked like from the factory. The outer flat parts are wrapped in satin black vinyl, with holes plotter-cut for the gauges and the indicator lights - which blend in so well you don’t even notice them. The vinyl is wrapped down the sides into the gauge areas so only the gauge faces are silver. The satin black color matches the surround of that area of the dash, as well as the hazard and panel light buttons - it works VERY well visually. And it’s a MUCH better match for my OutMotoring gauges.
Lyle was incredibly patient and flexible in working through several iterations of this design until we ended up with exactly what I wanted. He did a very meticulous job of wrapping the vinyl into the nooks and crannies like I wanted.
Along the way he worked up some other templates that some folks with a more radical design scheme will probably like. If he doesn't post them, and you're interested, contact him and ask what he can do. He's not cheap, but he's darn good.
By the way - the Chrono Pack disassembles pretty much just like the center speedo...
It's too silver... and it's got the ugly zits where the indicator lights are... problem is, the face is a complex 3D molded part, so no one has attempted to make an aftermarket face for it yet.
Well, recently I saw that Lyle Beckwith - Lyle's Vinyl Styles - started doing some interesting "overlays" for MINI gauges. I also admired a lot of the high quality vinyl "wrap" work he is doing with emblems, door handles, headlight rings, etc. Then it hits me... I wonder if he could WRAP part of the Chrono face... so I send him some pics, we discuss it, I ship him my face, he does some experimentation, and a couple weeks later, VOILA!
This is fantastic - it’s exactly what I think the face should have looked like from the factory. The outer flat parts are wrapped in satin black vinyl, with holes plotter-cut for the gauges and the indicator lights - which blend in so well you don’t even notice them. The vinyl is wrapped down the sides into the gauge areas so only the gauge faces are silver. The satin black color matches the surround of that area of the dash, as well as the hazard and panel light buttons - it works VERY well visually. And it’s a MUCH better match for my OutMotoring gauges.
Lyle was incredibly patient and flexible in working through several iterations of this design until we ended up with exactly what I wanted. He did a very meticulous job of wrapping the vinyl into the nooks and crannies like I wanted.
Along the way he worked up some other templates that some folks with a more radical design scheme will probably like. If he doesn't post them, and you're interested, contact him and ask what he can do. He's not cheap, but he's darn good.
By the way - the Chrono Pack disassembles pretty much just like the center speedo...
Last edited by BlimeyCabrio; 03-02-2008 at 11:20 AM.
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Panzu (02-09-2022)
#3
It looks great! That Lyle is one amazing guy. It's great news that this can be done. I haven't event considered doing my tach and speedo because I thought it would look odd without doing the chrono pack too. Now I'm thinking about doing it. Maybe checkers....
Last edited by MINIBee; 03-01-2008 at 10:46 PM.
#6
That is an incredibly awesome mod. It looks great, and I suspect it will remain unique unless someone ends up selling something similar (without requiring sending your gauge face away for a week). In fact, how you managed without your chrono gauge face for a week or two is beyond me.
So, were you in the middle of this when we discussed your gauges a couple weeks ago, or did that conversation inspire this genious. Either way I can't emphasize strongly enough how fantastic your gauges look. Would you post a pic of the the dash so we can see the new face with the Outmotoring speedo & tach (deju vu ).
So, were you in the middle of this when we discussed your gauges a couple weeks ago, or did that conversation inspire this genious. Either way I can't emphasize strongly enough how fantastic your gauges look. Would you post a pic of the the dash so we can see the new face with the Outmotoring speedo & tach (deju vu ).
#7
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 8,773
Likes: 9
From: Holly Springs, NC
Thanks!
I've been working on this for some time... was actually in the middle of working through possibilities when we traded posts - but didn't want to say anything just yet in case it didn't work out...
Yeah, I'll take a better shot of the full dash with the OutMotoring gauges tomorrow and post it - I meant to today, but forgot. It looks MUCH better.
The way you survive for two weeks without... you scan your face before you ship it, then you print it out actual size on some thick photo paper, cut it out and install it as the gauge face temporarily. Looks a little weird at night, but during the day, nobody would ever know. But by doing that, I realized that a flat face would probably work - and then got Aaron working on a possible OutMotoring solution, too. Stay tuned for that...
I've been working on this for some time... was actually in the middle of working through possibilities when we traded posts - but didn't want to say anything just yet in case it didn't work out...
Yeah, I'll take a better shot of the full dash with the OutMotoring gauges tomorrow and post it - I meant to today, but forgot. It looks MUCH better.
The way you survive for two weeks without... you scan your face before you ship it, then you print it out actual size on some thick photo paper, cut it out and install it as the gauge face temporarily. Looks a little weird at night, but during the day, nobody would ever know. But by doing that, I realized that a flat face would probably work - and then got Aaron working on a possible OutMotoring solution, too. Stay tuned for that...
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#8
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 8,773
Likes: 9
From: Holly Springs, NC
Lyle posted some of his other treatments for the Chrono Pack in this thread. More radical stuff than what I went for... My little Chrono Pack face saw a lot of action while in his shop...
#9
OK, that is just plain genious. If you keep that type of crap up enventually your going to have people camping out on your front lawn
#10
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 8,773
Likes: 9
From: Holly Springs, NC
#14
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 8,773
Likes: 9
From: Holly Springs, NC
I can guarantee that I am.
But Lyle definitely has infinitely more skill with vinyl.
The only problem with colors other than black is that the indicator light "zits" will still be black... because they're cut-outs. But this probably bothers me more than most people...
But Lyle definitely has infinitely more skill with vinyl.
The only problem with colors other than black is that the indicator light "zits" will still be black... because they're cut-outs. But this probably bothers me more than most people...
#19
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 8,773
Likes: 9
From: Holly Springs, NC
#22
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 8,773
Likes: 9
From: Holly Springs, NC
Yeah, I think it looks much better than stock, even if you still have the stock tach/speedo faces... the Chrono just had too much silver "acreage" as chpsk8 said.
And the treatment makes it appear much more like a cluster of discrete gauges, IMO, vs. some weird single instrument with several needles on it and a cheezy face...
#23
Nice, nice nice. Very nice! Looks really good with just the right mix of silver & black. I still need to do your LED lighting correction on my tach but I feel confident enough of the outcome based on your blog. Blimey - you have just been nominated for "Gage Face Man of the Year". Do I hear a second?