Re: Reproduction Tach Dash Bezel Lens Text Not Lighting Up
 

I got this clean bezel from the same guy. No cracks. Gonna run it like this without repainting it.

Re: Reproduction Tach Dash Bezel Lens Text Not Lighting Up
 

The OEM tach lens is nice and visible at night. No surprise there.

Re: Reproduction Tach Dash Bezel Lens Text Not Lighting Up
 

What does the bad lens look like in daylight? Any different compared to the OEM lens?

Re: Reproduction Tach Dash Bezel Lens Text Not Lighting Up
 

Thank you for asking that question. It prompted me to look at new vs. old side by side. I now know what is wrong with the new lens. The green paint is on the back of the lens instead of the front. This prevents the light from being able to get into the lens.

To answer your question, there are a few visual differences between new and old:

1) The green paint on the old is lighter, more flat, and more cloudy looking. The new paint is glossy and a slightly darker shade

2) The text font is thicker and taller on the old

3) The new is wider at the bottom, causing the BATTERY text to be offset to the left relative to the gauge. Also, the green paint is partially visible on one side of every gauge opening due to the incorrect width

4) There were no screw boss clearance notches at the lower left and right corners of the new, so I had to file in the notches. It was not fun cleaning the filings off afterward. There was also a 1/4" tab sticking down from the center of the steering column clearance arch that I had to file off.

Re: Reproduction Tach Dash Bezel Lens Text Not Lighting Up
 

I wonder if the green paint is even needed at all. It would probably look great without any green.

Re: Reproduction Tach Dash Bezel Lens Text Not Lighting Up
 

You can paint the inner piece silver also to help brighten the lights also. Here is a video of mine with silver insert painted and the LED bulbs installed. Bench tested.
I have always wondered why they painted them that light green color.:chevy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRZLojkRjNw

Re: Reproduction Tach Dash Bezel Lens Text Not Lighting Up
 

I wonder if using a green covering over the bulb would be better than the green paint on the lens. I know they make green bulbs, that may work as well.

I have seen many ways vintage vehicles achieve the green tint for dash lighting. Might be able to search vintage cluster photos for what they look like inside for other ideas.

I definitely love the way vintage vehicle dashes look at night.

Bob

Re: Reproduction Tach Dash Bezel Lens Text Not Lighting Up
 

Could be, although I suspect the green paint helps distribute the light throughout the lens, assuming it is applied to the correct side.

Re: Reproduction Tach Dash Bezel Lens Text Not Lighting Up
 

That looks really nice

Re: Reproduction Tach Dash Bezel Lens Text Not Lighting Up
 

Agreed. I'm trying to stick to fairly stock on my truck, and having yellow-green lighting is definitely nostalgic looking

Re: Reproduction Tach Dash Bezel Lens Text Not Lighting Up
 

Being I'm 60 and my eyes aren't what they where I like to see the gauges really good!:chevy:

Re: Reproduction Tach Dash Bezel Lens Text Not Lighting Up
 

Haha, yep, I hear you. I did order a set of LEDs and will give them a try.

Re: Reproduction Tach Dash Bezel Lens Text Not Lighting Up
 

I need to check mine now. I restored my gauges and have installed them but didnt check the visibility of the lens after dark. I may be in the same boat that you was in. I bet you could remove some of the green paint where the light comes through the squares and it would help, but not completely remove it all together.

Re: Reproduction Tach Dash Bezel Lens Text Not Lighting Up
 

It looks like my lens is the same way but not sure if it has paint on the back of the lens, looks more like it’s in the middle below the surface but not sure.

Re: Reproduction Tach Dash Bezel Lens Text Not Lighting Up
 

Sure looks the same to me. Bummer

Re: Reproduction Tach Dash Bezel Lens Text Not Lighting Up
 

The paint on mine is definitely on the back.

Re: Reproduction Tach Dash Bezel Lens Text Not Lighting Up
 

Does anyone know if there is a place to get an aftermarket lens with the green paint on the front, like the original? Or has anyone bought a lens from a certain vendor that doesn't have this same issue and the text is clearly visible at night? I will be upgrading my cluster to a tach cluster soon, and after reading this thread am worried I will run into the same issue with seeing the text at night. I'm guessing there are a limited number of companies producing these lenses so the aftermarket ones may all be the same no matter where you buy from (LMC, Brothers etc).

Re: Reproduction Tach Dash Bezel Lens Text Not Lighting Up
 

GMCPauls informed me that they went through their inventory of tach lenses and found some correctly painted and some incorrectly painted lenses based on lot numbers. I wouldn't be surprised if all aftermarket lenses are made by the same manufacturer. If I needed a lens right now, I'd order it from GMCPauls since they are likely the only seller who knows about this issue. I have bought a lot of parts from them, and they have always taken great care of me. I also feel they put more effort into selecting high quality parts than some other places I've purchased from.

Re: Reproduction Tach Dash Bezel Lens Text Not Lighting Up
 

Classic Heartbeat is another very good source for c10 parts.
He even manufactures parts when he finds a need for a better quality product.
Very knowledgeable about these trucks because he works on and owns some himself.
http://www.classicheartbeat.com/

Re: Reproduction Tach Dash Bezel Lens Text Not Lighting Up
 

I got mine from eBay so who knows where it was made. It doesn’t show light as good as the factory ones for sure but does let light through. My lens looks as if the green is between the glass.

Re: Reproduction Tach Dash Bezel Lens Text Not Lighting Up
 

GMCPauls sent me a replacement tach lens, and it has the paint on the correct side. I will be listing this for sale.

Re: Reproduction Tach Dash Bezel Lens Text Not Lighting Up
 

I ordered from GMCPauls too (early Sept) and even after having installed LEDs replacements the Text did not really seem to show at night. I can't pull the dash now to check but I have sent in a email to them to see if they have a way to tell.

If I was sent with one painted on the wrong side, I hope they will send me a new one ....

Re: Reproduction Tach Dash Bezel Lens Text Not Lighting Up
 

Did your lens have a plastic nub hanging down in the middle of the steering column clearance arch that you had to file off? If it did, then it is probably from the batch of bad lenses.

Re: Reproduction Tach Dash Bezel Lens Text Not Lighting Up
 

I don't recall that... but it was a number of weeks ago that I installed it. If so I likely would have went "eh, plastic mod poop" and wouldn't have thought twice.

Re: Reproduction Tach Dash Bezel Lens Text Not Lighting Up
 

The other night I was driving my truck and I noticed the speedometer needle wasn't getting illuminated. I disassembled my gauge cluster and discovered the bulge in the back tin where the speedometer mounts is about 3/16" shorter than the stock tin. This pushes the speedometer too close to the front tin, which prevents light from getting through the gap that's supposed to be between the front tin and the speedometer face. I decided to cut an opening in my original back tin for the tachometer. I've got a copy of a copy now since I used a reproduction tin as my template, but the tach ended up fitting well. I cut the hole with a very fine jigsaw blade I got at Home Depot.