My mod of the evening. (Interior lighting)

I just couldn't get over how sick I was of the factory greenish blue instrument lights. So I've started playing around with LEDS and the stock color filter which I now know, is in fact blue, and not the nasty green that shows.

I'll decide whether or not I like them later. I realized too late that the LEDS I used were not the dimming type...So I will probably redo this.

I also learned today the differences between '94 and '96 model gauge clusters. This mod will not work with the stock '94 cluster, with the parts I used.

I had to switch the circuit board over from one of my spare '96 clusters, so that the new bulb sockets would actually make contact with the factory solder points. Otherwise, the '94 cluster could work, if you were to add some solder to the 12 points necessary.

The LEDS are courtesy of superbrightleds.com
These are the blue LEDS installed, but I dare say it's almost too blue, and the needles don't stand out.

So next, I will try putting the Cool White LEDS in there and see how they look. I think that will come through as a nice lighter shade of blue, as the filter will allow. and without the yellow tint of 'warm white' the green should be more or less gone. And most importantly I belive the needles will actually glow white, instead of a damn perfectly matching color...

Given, the camera makes them seem much darker than they really are.




I've got a few more ideas looming for furthering the interior lighting. Switching the under dash lights and the rear map lights with cool white LEDS has so far proven to be a fine improvement. NOt only does it look cool to me, but they seem a bit superior to the incandescent 194's.

Next step though will be the courtesy lamps in the doors.

I'm waiting on new sockets for some 42mm Festoon bulbs. (Same style, just LED) The bulbs I'm looking at have a 30* view. So I'd planned on one cool white and one red bulb for each door.

THe red one would be angled through the red filter for max brightness, and the cool white would shine through the clear filter.

Might be too much, but I'm all for playing around with these lights, because frankly...I doubt I can make them much worse.

...No Lime Green...

Looks like you had more fun than I did. I finished flushing my cooling system last night and discovered I have a leaky cap. On the flip side, unless my water pump takes a poop, I will never have to flush the cooling system again (I used the 5-year coolant).

EDIT to stay relevant -there are "dimming type" LED's? I thought you had to use a PWM controller to properly dim them.

still looks nice even if u cant dim them.. nice mod man!

sherlock9c1 wrote:

Looks like you had more fun than I did. I finished flushing my cooling system last night and discovered I have a leaky cap. On the flip side, unless my water pump takes a poop, I will never have to flush the cooling system again (I used the 5-year coolant).

EDIT to stay relevant -there are "dimming type" LED's? I thought you had to use a PWM controller to properly dim them.

Sorry, you got me there. Yeah, I'd need a PWM device. Wasn't thinking straight when I wrote that I guess.
Not sure what I was trying to say there....Lol

Yeah it was fairly fun. I hate coolant.....



WagonLover: Thanks for the comment. They're growing on me a bit, but I'd kill for the needles to glow white, as opposed to blue.

i hear you man.. would be nice.. there's no way u can mod for that?.. put maybe a bright white light by the needles and just make the rest blue?..

Bah! Appreciate your brightness. The lights on my dash, while still functional, are so dim sometimes I can't read the trip odo at night. I wish my car had LEDs. lol

Very nice! My OCC has some LED lights (I didnt install) in the cabin area. I like the look, and would love to upgrade the cluster lights on my '96.

WagonLover wrote:

i hear you man.. would be nice.. there's no way u can mod for that?.. put maybe a bright white light by the needles and just make the rest blue?..

I would have to modify the physical structure of the cluster to do that. Somehow mount 3 white component LEDS behind the needles.

Otherwise, there is no individual bulb for the needles alone. There are plastic reflector thingys in there that runs light to the needle from one of the main bulbs. I'm sure with a stroke of genius and a spare test cluster, I could get something to work.

Stingroo wrote:

Bah! Appreciate your brightness. The lights on my dash, while still functional, are so dim sometimes I can't read the trip odo at night. I wish my car had LEDs. lol

That's something else I'd like to modify. Even with an LED in there, the odometer is still pretty dark. Might be the reflector system they use in there, but something has to give.
May have to consider rigging up new lights for the odometer itself.

brokecello wrote:

Very nice! My OCC has some LED lights (I didnt install) in the cabin area. I like the look, and would love to upgrade the cluster lights on my '96.

Thanks. It's a fun mod, but I dare warn it's potentially addicting. I'm having a hard time stopping the flow of ideas to make the interior of the car visible at night.

If you figure out odometer lights, tutorial FOR THE WIN.

hahahaha FOR THE WIN!

tape a flashlight to the steering column,. adjust as necessary,. works fine,..LED flashlight optional,.

Nick

Hey, don't tempt me, I have an LED flashlight in my glovebox. lol

phantom 309 wrote:

tape a flashlight to the steering column,. adjust as necessary,. works fine,..LED flashlight optional,.

Nick

Lol! Not a bad idea Nick. Now let's discuss getting rid of the annoying reflective glare that would cause, and we're set.

I kind of like this version.



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Damn. I do too!

I do third!

I have a 1994 Caprice Wagon with a digital dash that can get washed out if bright sunlight enters my car at just the right angle. I would love to figure out a fix for that (maybe I won't have the problem after I tint the windows).

It wouldn't surprise if the tint becomes a big help, as you'll likely get at least 30% reduction coming in from the rear and sides, if not more.

If it's a custom installation of the dash, also check the wiring to see if had an optional wire to change the brightness if the head lights are on. If it's wired wrong you won't get full available brightness in the day, as it would cut brightness at all times.

We will see as I intend have the windows tinted next week (if all goes according to plan).