Smarten Up Your Dash

[Banjo]

Most dashes look olde & tired at night, with those little 5W filament bulbs getting olde & dim. I quick fix, is to buy a few of the T10 LED bulbs on line. They are now quite cheap. http://www.ebay.com....Qhzotr_c_tmU8Bw

 

I grabbed a few, stuck three (3) off them in the 3 x "back light" holes, & the effect was immediate and brilliant. The blue LED light even makes the "orange" needles on the meters look new & fluroesent. If the bulb does not work when you first plug it in, then remove, rotate 180 degrees, & reinsert. The LEDs are polarised, unlike the filament bulbs, & will only work with the right orientation. There is a 50/50 chance you'll get it right the first time. The LEDs will not allow you to use your dash light dimmer, but you won't need or want to, once you've got these cool blue LEDs. Almost makes my 42 year olde Rolla look modern at night.

 

i wondered why the clock back light did glow blue, until I remembered it is an independent unit that fits into the dash, & has it's own torch type filament bulb.

 

A few months ago, I needed a cheap tacho to do some ignition testing on the bench. I purchased one on ebay for < $ 20.00. http://www.ebay.com....MQAAOSwTA9X62qZ

 

At the weekend, I had the dash out, fixing the guages' voltage regulator. I noticed the clock assembly is only held in place by 3 screws, & looked to be about the same diameter as the 52mm tacho I had on the bench. A few minutes later I had the clock out, & couldn't believe the 52mm tacho slid perfectly into the hole left by the clock.

 

It even jammed itself with the little plastic ribs on the meter face surround.

 

When I hooked up the two tacho back light wires to the dash, I was pleased to find it had a blue LED in it. The whole dash now looks totally co-ordinated. If you are going to buy one off ebay, get one with a black face & white lettering to match the speedo meter face.

 

They come with simple instructions. Just 2 wires for the back light. 2 wires for 12V ignition "RUN" & one green wire to the trigger dizzy or ECU, if you've got electronic ignition.

 

 

So there is a way, for < $30, you can really spruce up your dash.

 

Cheers Banjo

Edited March 13, 2017 by Banjo

[rebuilder86]

Mines better :P

[rebuilder86]

sorry hang on, siiiiick.

Edited March 14, 2017 by rebuilder86

[B.L.Z.BUB]

i did led everything. dash, dome, reading lights.

 

i reckon i could get a tan in my car with them all on.

[coln72]

Did the tacho instead of the clock thing in my KE35. Even went to the trouble of painting the needle the same fluro orange as the standard gauges

[Mechanical Sympathy]

I've also just done this tacho/backlight mod.

 

SAAS make a nice little black 8000 rpm tacho that looks as near damnit oem as I'd like it to, and has a nice blue glow that matches the LED back lights.

 

I skimped on replacing the indicators/high beam signals, as I was worried they'd be too bright at night.

[SloRolla]

Perhaps a silly question, but what ignition wire did you run it from? I've already got my headunit and amp running from the ignition wire of the stock radio, cheers.