Chrome Gauge Rings - 107 - "Sorta" Successful

[Strife]

I've admired the chrome rings around the gauges that I've seen on newer MB's and available aftermarket for 129's, etc. These don't seem to exist aftermarket for the 107, so I tried to get some made. I removed the "white painted" rings from an instrument cluster. On an 86+, these are heat-staked plastic and are very difficult to remove, much less remount; on older clusters, they are easier because they are held on with speed clips.

So, I had a vacuum plating shop do them. They charged me A LOT more than I had expected; they told me that the rings were so thin that they had to do extrordinary work supporting them during the process, and they had to redo one. I got them back, and wasn't entirely happy; the inside of the rings are roughened to make them less reflective black, and the vacuum plating company didn't do a good job smoothing this with undercoat (for some reason, they did a great job in places that no one will see). Anyway, I installed the set (with great difficulty and JB weld, due to the heat-staking) and they turned out OK, but not great; the above rough inside of the ring lessened the effect that I was hoping for.The tops of the rings themselves turned out great, though. The lighting of the 107 was not really designed for this and my rings show some reflections at night from the digits of the speedometer. All in all, the results were OK, but expensive, difficult, and not really worth it. Wish someone would make these!

[ericdee]

I'd love to see some pics.

[Strife]

Originally Posted by ericdee

I'd love to see some pics.

OK, they actually look better than this in person.

[ericdee]

Not bad.