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I think it was on this site, but maybe not; some many years ago, I read an article where the author managed to add three times as many bulbs in the instrument panel and really lit things up.
I still have several of the original 1985 (year - not bulb number) bulbs in my instrument panel.
Even way back in early times, I had to shine a flash-light to see some of the gauges; these instrument panels were never very well blessed with illumination as delivered.
Can someone please point me in the direction of that article ?
I installed a set of the LED's available on Ebay and I'm really happy with them. They are a huge improvement. Previously, I couldn't even read my gauges at night.
Every time I see your new dash lights, i get a bit more jealous lol.
Ha! Well, I really had to do something with them as my truck was just like being in a cave. My gauges were so dull I couldn't even read them at night, seriously.
I went with white overlays and led bulbs. Only problem I had was that the bulbs were too tall and I had to grind some of the plastic off of the tops. It's much easier to take the cluster out to work on it. While I had it out I also used some very fine sandpaper to clean the connections on the printed circuit. I only used led bulbs for illumination and regular bulbs for indicators and warning lights. You have to make sure the polarity is correct with led bulbs.
Whatever bulbs you use, the first thing you have to do is take the bulbs out, and take a thin screwdriver or pencil and put down in the hole and knock the original colored lenses out. That is your problem, the colored lenses get old and cloudy and won't pass much light. Once you knock the lenses out, you will be impressed with how bright the cluster is. But if you keep the original lights, the cluster will have a yellowish glow to it. I don't mind it and I have done several like that. But as you can see some people want to get creative and get different colors going, so they experiment with different bulbs.
Just remember, punch the old lenses out first. No need to add any more lights.
Thanks for the pictures.
I was not aware that having the trip meter relocated the odometer to the top.
Originally Posted by Rembrant
Previously, I couldn't even read my gauges at night.
I have put up with my impossible to see instrument panel for over thirty years and untelling how many over a couple million miles.
Many is the time that I have grabbed the flashlight to read the odometer, even in bright daylight.
Your panel really looks good.
Years ago, I had access to mine, and the wife, who is an absolute artist, repainted all of the markings and painted the needles with fluorescent orange; it looked great, albeit still dark as a dungeon; alas, a long time has passed and her meticulous painting has faded.
I guess I need to acquire another bottle of fluorescent orange and maybe some fluorescent white.
Another idea that has popped into my head: Does anyone offer a magnifying cover for these panels ? If not, is there some sort of magnifying material that can be added, especially over the tiny odometer. ?
Whatever bulbs you use, the first thing you have to do is take the bulbs out, and take a thin screwdriver or pencil and put down in the hole and knock the original colored lenses out. That is your problem, the colored lenses get old and cloudy and won't pass much light. Once you knock the lenses out, you will be impressed with how bright the cluster is. But if you keep the original lights, the cluster will have a yellowish glow to it. I don't mind it and I have done several like that. But as you can see some people want to get creative and get different colors going, so they experiment with different bulbs.
Just remember, punch the old lenses out first. No need to add any more lights.
I was not aware of these lenses; thanks for enlightening me.
Are they located in the same hole that the bulb comes out of ?
Are we talking whack with a hammer or just a push ?
I went with green LED's as it is a close match to the HVAC, head light / wiper switches and the radio light.
Here you can see they are on inside my garage with all the lights on and was not that dark out.
The closest up picture I have
I did have it out in the dark the other night and I can see the gauges just not the nicely painted needles
Dave ----
I did have it out in the dark the other night and I can see the gauges just not the nicely painted needles
Dave ----
I wanted to do green as well but noticed the color doesn't play well with the orange needles. I think that is probably true for any full wavelength color like blue or red too. Maybe a lighter green with more white light in it will allow the orange needles to pop.
I wanted to do green as well but noticed the color doesn't play well with the orange needles. I think that is probably true for any full wavelength color like blue or RED too.
Thanks for pointing that out.
I had my mind set on red LEDs in the panel; I sure would have been disappointed if, after all that work, my needles disappeared when the lights were on.
I wish it weren't such an act of congress to investigate this.
Has anyone installed the red LEDs that can shed more light on this ?
I was not aware of these lenses; thanks for enlightening me.
Are they located in the same hole that the bulb comes out of ?
Are we talking whack with a hammer or just a push ?
Same hole. Hammer not required, though you could use the handle of a screwdriver to coax them out. Then the lense will be rolling around in the cluster, most of them you can take the cluster and turn it upside down and shake it and they will fall out.
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