Click here for Plasma Gauge installation instructions
Available in MPH with Tach, MPH with Clock, KM/H with Tach, KM/H with Clock.
Much better gauge visibility than just LED bulb replacements with almost complete elimination of glare on the windscreen. With improved gauge clarity for both appearance and safety, this gauge face kit has been developed to bring your T3/Vanagon gauges up to date and in line with modern vehicles. By providing back-lit style characters and illuminated needles, we are now able to outfit our T3s/Vanagons with safer, easier to read gauge faces similar to what you see on modern vehicles. All of this while maintaining the traditional T3/Vanagon appearance. The backlit characters reduce the glare on the actual gauge faces making them very easy to read at a glance. You no longer need to turn up the original direct lighting (which causes potentially dangerous reflections on the windshield at night) in order to see the characters clearly. With the LED lighted needles, this new system provides full gauge clarity unmatched by any stock Vanagon system.
Each kit is supplied with orange needle paint. In the images, the speedometer needle is painted with orange and the tachometer, fuel and temp needles are left white so you can make a comparison. It's easy to see that the contrast between the black gauge faces and the orange needles makes for a system that is much easier to read.
The brightness and hue of the character illumination can be adjusted via the included adjuster. The brightness of the needles can also be adjusted via the original dimmer/brightness adjuster on the original headlight switch. This allows you to fine tune the system to your particular desired level of brightness for both the characters and the needles individually, allowing you an unmatched level of gauge customization.
Installation requires a minimal amount of tools and no specialist knowledge, full installation instructions are provided in a link above.
Suitable for all VW T3/Vanagons from 1982 – 1992
The following items are included in each kit:
- 1x Speedometer face
- 1x Tachometer counter face
- 1x 12V Ballast with hue & brightness adjustment control (with sticky pad for mounting)
- 1x Fuel gauge face
- 1x Temp gauge face
- 3x Speedometer/Tachometer/Info Center LED’s
- 1x Scotch block connector (for splicing into power feed from headlight switch)
- 1x Pot of water based paint for all needles (speedo, rev counter, fuel and temp)(stir well before using - pigment settles to the bottom)
- 2x strips of VHB double sided tape (for attaching fuel and temp gauges)
(Note – These kits are gauge face overlays, not actual gauges. Your van must currently have a tachometer to use the tachometer kit. If you currently have a clock and want to upgrade to a tachometer, you will need to purchase the tachometer itself and retrofit it to your van prior to installing this kit.)
Note - MPH faces have the smaller KM/H markings like the stock US T3s, but the KM/H faces have only KM/H, (no MPH) just like the stock European T3s)
(Note - Will not fit the early (80-82) speedos with the screw-in cable)
(Note - Be VERY careful with your printed circuit foil! These are very old and it can be easy to damage the delicate copper connections)
(Note - The T3 gauge clusters are old, brittle plastic. Extreme care should be taken when handling, disassembling and reinstalling to help prevent them from breaking. Don't over tighten screws and don't force anything. Patience and attention to detail are the keys to a successful installation)