So I stepped away from this and spent some time thinking about my next step . I really wanted to replicate the see-thru speedometer of the Dodge but once I remove the speedometer from the JoHan dash I'm committed to it , not to mention that I've ruined a really beautifully molded dashboard and this model would never be displayed with the top down . I decided to proceed by making a mold and using some Clear Casting Resin make a copy of the speedometer . While the casting itself turned out great it didn't look like I wanted , but it could always be used to repair the JoHan dashboard if I screw up .
My other option was to make speedometer face out of clear sheet and print a decal for the numerals , so I created some artwork using a photo of the Dodge speedometer as a guide .
Here's the actual printed decals (I always print extras). They lost some resolution because of the inkjet printer but not nearly as bad as a photo would . The printed border will be removed when I cut out the decal . They're printed on clear decal paper which is clear on a painted surface but when applied to the clear plastic it should have a slight frosted appearance just like the real speedometer .
Next I cut the clear face from some .030" sheet and after several attempts I settled on this one . If you've never cut clear sheet it's much more difficult than regular sheet styrene . I used some .010" x .040" strip for the top .
Now I could remove the speedometer from the JoHan dashboard , I worked slowly taking several breaks to make sure I didn't remove too much material . Also removed the molded on compass , it was an option that my Dad's Dodge didn't have . With some finish sanding and some primer it looks pretty good !
And here's the new See-Thru Speedometer ! The shroud still needs to be lowered a bit to look correct but I'm very pleased with how it turned out . Now I can get back to work and hopefully finish this build soon !