Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Instrument colour

In this case I recommend side stepping the Morgan parts specialists and going straight to the source, CAI have supplied Morgan with all their gauge sets for some 30 years or more, and continue to do so to this day. Actually, as CAI took over Smiths many years ago, you could easily argue the relationship with Morgan stretches way further back than that as Smiths were supplying Pickersleigh Rd with instruments from the early 1950's.

https://www.smiths-instruments.co.uk/morgan-motor-company-and-smiths/

Being the original manufacturer, CAI offer everything from a small gauge repair to a full rebuild, they also offer a custom gauge face service.

I had an AFR gauge refaced by CAI to match my original TVR Chimaera gauge set, TVR also used CAI for years. I replaced the clock with my new and now perfectly matching gauge that I then connected to my Canems standalone ECU to give me live air fuel ratios. Because CAI made the original gauge set for my 1996 Chimaera, the cream pantone match was identical, and with a correct matching brushed/satin bezel installed my AFR gauge looked like TVR had fitted it from new

As you're looking for cream faces, why not go with the 80th anniversary Morgan 4/4 gauge faces? Given these were created by CAI originally I'm sure they still hold the artwork, so it'll be no more complicated than pulling the file up and sending it to their gauge face printer.

Actually, as your Plus 4 will be a direct injection 2015 model your gauge set will be slightly different to the 4/4 and earlier port injection Duratec Plus 4, but CAI will hold the artwork file for the later Plus 4 gauges too, so when they initiate the print run they'd simply produce in cream rather than the original black.

I would also have them fit your new cream faces to your gauge set, it's a fiddly job and you really need a proper bezel rolling tool to avoid buckling the soft thin bezels.

Hope this helps?

Dave.

Thanks for the informative reply Dave

CAI were extremely helpful but tell me they didn’t make the gauges on my car and have been unable to get the spec from Morgan.
I have sent an email to Morgan but an very close to giving up and just accepting them as black for the foreseeable…

Hi rdavies, TBH I'm surprised to hear that.

If you have a GDI Plus 4 (2014-2020), it'll have this gauge set:






The earlier port injection Duratec Plus 4 had different gauges that were definitely produced by CAI, and I strongly suspect the later GDI Plus 4 only received different gauges because they needed to work over the GDI ECU linked control area network (CAN). I don't have the production numbers for the GDI Plus 4 but over the six years I would assume it would have been in the range of 3,000 to 5,000 cars tops, so whoever made the gauges must have been up for creating a relatively low volume run.

As far as I'm aware, there really is only one UK low volume automotive instrument manufacturer with the capacity and capabilities to produce a full gauge set in such volumes, and that's Caerbont Automotive Instruments (CAI). Perhaps in 2014 CAI didn't have the knowledge and capabilities to produce CAN instruments, however, they do seem to have CAN capability now as they are showing CX gauges on their website and I'd be amazed if these instruments don't communicate over CAN with what must be a modern BMW sourced ECU and CAN based loom?

If Caerbont Automotive Instruments (CAI) really didn't produce the GDI gauge set, the question to ask is 'who did'? From there you can approach them to see if they'd help with your gauge face colour change project? If that results in a dead end I'd talk to SpeedHut in the States who offer a custom gauge service.

https://speedhut.com/

Just be aware you will likely be better off keeping your existing gauges and just changing the faces rather than buying new gauges because your gauges are almost certainly CAN paired to your CAN communicating ECU, saying that, it looks like SpeedHut have developed a clever CAN BUS solution, as explained here:

https://speedhut.com/categories/gauge-application/freedom-can-bus-for-gm.html

Alternatively, speak with these people in the UK.

https://classicsparesengineering.co.uk/

Under the title 'Classic Gauge Face Reprinting' they state the following:

"Have the original face of your classic car gauge restored. We can also print a brand new gauge face with custom colours and digits"

Classic Spares Engineering are based in Lanarkshire and look like your best option to me

If not, maybe try these people who claim to offer a similar custom gauge face service:

https://www.clusterrepairsuk.co.uk/customisation/make/43

Hi,

The GDI Instruments are based on VDO CanCockpit range which is discontinued.

The Tachometer is a Master which connects to the CAN and feeds the rest of the gauges.

There seems to be an upgrade path using a special harness but it wouldn't have any Morgan branding.

https://vdo-instruments.com/product/retrofit-harness-4/

Regards

I find they were made by Continental but have been unable to find a UK company that will change the faces- feeling defeated!

Try caebontautomotive instruments
www.caegauge.com or https://www.smiths-instruments.co.uk/
They were originally Smiths but when that closed some staff Phoenixed to Caetbont.
Based in the Swansea Valley near the original Smiths factory

Bit of an alternative & I know it won't change the face colour - but have you thought about trying different colour backlight LED bulbs, would certainly give a different look in poor light / evening / night driving

My Roadster instruments are backlit blue and I really like it