brighter instrument panel lighting ???

[kaptnkaos]

Hey Guys,

I know several of us have been kicking around the issue of dim instrument panel lighting.
I'd like to hear about solutions you have used with pictures if you have them.
I've heard of installing leds as one solution...
How would someone do that ? Where do you get them? How do you install and wire them in?

Thanks for your input...

KaptnKA S

[91Bear]

I think you just buy them like bulbs and plug them into the same holes on the back of the instrument panel.

[rjewkes]

yup. 67-69 and maybe 70 all use the bayonets.

if 70 isn't in the 67-69 group then perhaps 70-72 and newer are all 194/168 wedge base bulbs.

also these look awesome with whiteguages and the metal paice between the gauges and lense/bezel looks best painted to match, then with the leds the tend to only shine in the direction they are pointed.

So the inside of the cluster needs to be helped, that is you'll eed to get it shiny/reflectve inside behind the gauges and the back of that piece between the cluster and lense/bezel. the more the light can reflect around inside the brighter it will get.

[kaptnkaos]

Hey Guys...

I have a F500 and up style Instrument panel with black gauges, the 2 new Volt meters are nice and bright...
It's the stock gauge cluster that is not very bright... and I was thinking I should probably fix that before re installing the panel.
It's actually in the truck now so I could do the wiring for the new gauges and switches.
Now, what exactly are you referring to when you say "bayonet" or "wedge" style lights?
Do I get those at a parts house or what?
I am bidding on a speedo on e-bay to replace the in one the cluster, 'cause the numbers are prertty much gone on the one side.

click on pic to enlarge

KaptnKA S

[kaptnkaos]

Hey Guys,

I have been checking the local parts houses, and no one has the LED replacement lights for the instrument panel...
Does any one have a good resource for them???

KaptnKA S

[TheEskimo]

I hear this place( https://www.superbrightleds.com ) brought up a lot on some other sites, but I have never done anything with them or even LED's. They seem to have a good selection, but that is all I know about them.

Hope that helps a little for you.

[taylor351]

http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... ed#p406798

Try this thread Kaptn.

Hope it helps

Keith

[kaptnkaos]

Hey Eskimo... thank you for that link... looks like they have some cool stuff.

KaptnKA S

[rjewkes]

kaptn bayonets kinda look like miniature screw in christmass lights and the wedge are 168/194 and some other numbers for diff years and work simmialair to those newer christmas lights in that they are a seald bulb but the slip into a socket and use thin metal contacts to make contact with the socket. these are the ones used by most automobile companies for the side markers and instrument lights.

[capeclassics]

I got a set of white background decals for the stock instrument panel on my '70.......then I bought the same bulbs as the stock ones but in GREEN glass.I wish I knew how to post pics cause it really looks great...........

I got the decals/stickers on ebay.They used to be on there all the time but haven't seen them lately.

[rjewkes]

www.whiteguages.com or .net i beleive is them or atleast they have thier own. and they suggest the superbrightleds.com place.

the local autochina has some 194's that change through 7 colors, it would suck to have a color that obscures the dash guages. the green leds look realy good in the turn inicators ad as backlights. I tried the blues but just couldn't see anything with them, ofcourse the blue ones where single led and the greens have four leds to them.

now to find somw 3157's for the cougar that are red led.