The short of it:
Anyone know where I can get a little 2.5" x 0.75" greenish LCD to replace one in a stock car radio? No, it doesn't have to be the right one.
or
Anyone know how to recreate the look of an LCD screen with some other materials (paper, ink, colored pencil, plastics, etc)?

The long of it:
I've been working on-and-off toward my fake stock face plate for my dual head unit install. I'm almost done but I shattered the LCD screen. Now I need something that is or looks like an LCD screen to put in its place.

I've tried all kinds of colored paper, coloring on plastics, etc and nothing looks like an LCD. So, I'll just need to buy another LCD to put in there.

The screen of the LCD is 2.5" by 0.75". The glass is 3" x 1.25". I just need one that's a ashy green color. I'm never going to power it on, just epoxy it to the face plate and be done with it. So, it doesn't have to be the right one and it doesn't even have to work.

Anyone know where I can get one for under $20 total? If not, I'll just tear the LCD off the backup car radio I bought for this project (which was like $40). Thanks.

How shattered is it? If you just cracked the glass and it's not in bits, i'd say use it! Even more reason for a thief to overlook it.

You could trawl ebay. Search on 'LCD' and then filter by category to 'electronic components. You'll find LCDs of all types and sizes for under $10, many of which will have documentation so that you can confirm dimensions.

EIO is the LCD surplus king. They have tons of character LCD's on the cheap.

I would just find and old junky unit at a garage sale or some second hand store and use the LCD from that.
I'm sure you'll find somthing for under 10 bucks.

A lot of the dummy phones etc. look like they are made from printed cardboard. Something from an inkjet might be good enough, if you use the correct paper, or some vinyl from a local sign shop might look better.

Gareth

loren: It wasn't SO bad, but the more it broke, the more I got impatient and wrecked it more and more. I threw it out probably 6 months ago when I was disassembling the radio to make the faceplate. But using a cracked one is a nice idea!

genixia: Oh so THAT'S how I can do it. Cool. I used to see this kinda LCD on EBay all the time years ago. Now "LCD" just gives me offers for "Ch3ap LCD Monit0r! L@@K!!"

cushman: Thanks, I'm checking now.

skunk#1: Hm, not enough junk stores around me. I'll find some if I get in a bind though.

g_attrill: Good point. I can recreate the color, but not the glint. After staring at the LCD on my unhacked stock radio, I realized, it's not a solid color. It's got a definitive glitter, showing green, white, light, dark, etc. I worry that a poorly recreated LCD might actually catch a thief's eye, and make them want to break into my oh-so-stock-looking dirty stripped down family station wagon. But I'll hit up my local cell phone store for a dummy LCD if all else fails.

Another trick that might work - RC modelling paint intended for lexan (polycarbonate). You can buy color-shifting paint now, although I'm not sure whether there are any shades that are suitable for mimicing an LCD, you'd have to check. If there is then you could simply paint a suitable piece of plastic packaging and cut to size.

Awesome. Though, I have a second stock radio I bought off EBay which I could easily tear the LCD off of. Cost me $45 or so, but if it's cheaper and easier than any other solution, I'll just do it.

Still scouring EBay and talking to EIO (or whatever that site was). Thanks again for all the help everyone.

BGMicro's always got lots of little LCDs and stray parts like that. They might have something you could use.

http://www.bgmicro.com/pdf/catalog.pdf

-Magnus