PSA: '65 Gauge Fonts (AMPS conversion to VOLTS)

[kevinshi]

Public Service Announcement: I have found a two (freely available) fonts that are pretty close to the primary script on the gauges on the 1965 instrument cluster.

• To replicate text, such as "FUEL", "OIL", "TEMP" and "AMPS" I used Univers 49 Light Ultra Condensed.
• To replicate numbers, such as on the speedometer I used Empire W90.

Unfortunately both of these are not heavy enough at the text sizes used by the gauges... and the .TTF/.SVG fonts do not have a native bold versions. So... depending on which program you are using to create text you may have to manually (and tediously) outset the individual letters to make them appear thicker (essentially replicating a bold version)).

I tracked these down because I wanted to create a VOLT meter overlay (replacing my AMPS gauge ala this YouTube video). I think I got pretty close (though the text ends up far "whiter" than the original off-white/yellowed text) - if you want the file I am happy to send it to you, just PM me.

[lavron]

How are you printing the stickers?

I am wanting to to do an overlay for my speedometer because it has glue or pine sap on it and I think I will remove some numbers cleaning it so want to make an overlay just not sure how to print it so it would be colorfast and not fade or wrinkle in the heat and sun.

See Ya,
Mike

[kevinshi]

I did my overlay as white text on a black background. Then took the file (I saved to .pdf) to a local Kinkos. They were able to print it for me onto a semi-gloss self-adhesive vinyl ($.50 for a single sheet).

It turned out pretty nice but, as said above, the white was too white vs. the other gauges. That said I suspect the only person who would ever notice is me (is that close). But of course, outside this forum, the only person who ever notices any deal on my car is... well... me.

I bet the extra white will look OK on the speedometer alone - it may look like it was intended (the speedo will look a bit brighter than the other gauges).

Also note that the only text on the gauges for which those two fonts is NOT appropriate is the "MILES" on top of the speedo. However, if I recall correctly you can't see that behind the bezel (I am thinking it was there for assembly/sorting - as in "this is a MPH speedo" whereas there may also have been a "KILOMETRES" label?)

[poboyjo65]

It turned out pretty nice but, as said above, the white was too white vs. the other gauges. That said I suspect the only person who would ever notice is me (is that close). But of course, outside this forum, the only person who ever notices any deal on my car is... well... me.

OK show us pics of it !!!

[kevinshi]

OK show us pics of it !!!

But that requires effort.

Now that I look at it again I might keep VOLTS (doesn't look so bad after all ). I will probably tinker with it a bit more... I think the letters still need to be a bit heavier, I got the circle a tad too small and some of the spaces between elements are a too narrow. I will ack if/when I do an update.



Here is the image downrezed. If anyone and actually wants to use this please PM me because you are going to want a higher resolution of this file for printing...

[lavron]

I did my overlay as white text on a black background. Then took the file (I saved to .pdf) to a local Kinkos. They were able to print it for me onto a semi-gloss self-adhesive vinyl ($.50 for a single sheet).

Thanks I will check on that hopefully it will stay attached and won't fade.

I bet the extra white will look OK on the speedometer alone - it may look like it was intended (the speedo will look a bit brighter than the other gauges).

I have replacement gauges so not too concerned with a match to original, will try and make the speedo match the gauges, they are close to the original in font style anyway and the speed is different anyway it has a serif font for the numbers while the gauges are san-serif on the stock cluster.



This is not the one I am fixing it is my original that I am trying to keep intact, I have a second one I am customizing, hopefully in lots of ways

See Ya,
Mike

[kevinshi]

Thanks I will check on that hopefully it will stay attached and won't fade.

I am pretty optimistic that the adhesion is solid and the ink is unlikely to fade much. Actually I don't think I can even remove the one I put on there (I will have to stick a new one on top of it I think). Meanwhile Kinko's used their high end laser printer (behind the counter) for me. FWIW.

[Jims65cyclone]

If you're concerned about the color/shade of the font not matching the original, why not redo them all? At $.50 each you're talking $2.50 for the whole cluster. It would take some time to lay them out, but wouldn't that be worth not wishing they matched better every time you looked at them?

Jim

[kevinshi]

If you're concerned about the color/shade of the font not matching the original, why not redo them all? At $.50 each you're talking $2.50 for the whole cluster. It would take some time to lay them out, but wouldn't that be worth not wishing they matched better every time you looked at them?

Oh geesh. As if I'm not already procrastinating enough from pulling the wiring harness in my car...

I took a crack a V2 on the Volt Meter... I realized I should be trying to mimic the Fuel gauge... I am much happier with this... (but no thanks to you for pointing out that I could solve the "too white" issue if I wasn't so dang lazy! ).