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Let there be light!!!

158K views 575 replies 109 participants last post by  4feeter 
#1 · (Edited)
Just changed my dash/clock/boost gauge to blue LEDs, here's a few pictures.

To be honest the photo's don't do the look any justice, but is the best i can do. They are not as bright as the volkwagon cars, but looks good all the same.

Just got to do the rest of the switches, and the heater controls.





I just find that the clock has a bright spot, where the LED is behind. I have taken out the orange plastic, but this is the result. The LED has a flat end, would a rounded bulb be any better?

Cheers
Skelo
 
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#57 ·
.::Clock Bulb ::.

I bought some new bulbs off of ebay hoping to convert everything to blue.
I took the clock out and removed the bulb, only to discover that none of my bulbs will fit in there, but luckily managed to Break my exising bulb for my clock so now I am in darkness.
Could anyone tell me what kind of bulb I will need, preferably a blue one for a Rover 214si 1997, or point me in the right direction - ebay?

Also I have fitted speedo lights and I also have hotspots so I'm going to give the Tippex idea a try tomorrw and let everyone know how I got on.

Thanks
 
#59 ·
I bought some new bulbs off of ebay hoping to convert everything to blue.
I took the clock out and removed the bulb, only to discover that none of my bulbs will fit in there, but luckily managed to Break my exising bulb for my clock so now I am in darkness.
Could anyone tell me what kind of bulb I will need, preferably a blue one for a Rover 214si 1997, or point me in the right direction - ebay?

Also I have fitted speedo lights and I also have hotspots so I'm going to give the Tippex idea a try tomorrw and let everyone know how I got on.

Thanks
Hotspots where? on the dials??

how did you get rid of the backing on the dials??

Cheers
 
#72 ·
nice one !! :)

You know on your dashboard dials... There is an "orange film" on the other side of the dial.

  • Have you removed this?
  • How?
With mine, its like a black square mesh.

My bulbs are not at all bright enough to view during the day/dusk. Can only really notice them when its dark, and then its still a ******/orangy/bluey glow...

Not 100% happy yet, Got any ideas?

Might try those LEDS in the link posted previously.
 
#73 ·
With mine being the R25, my speedo is the digital one, so is probably made up a bit differently.

I had mine apart earlier, but wasn't prepared to unscrew the dials themselves, as i don't fancy popping off the needles.

My bulbs a viewable from around dusk onwards (on the speedo dash), and i don't find them a problem.

Might find some LED 501 bulbs, rather than normal filiment 501's. May offer more light, than the filiment ones i have got in at the moment.

Think i'll be looking for some 5mm leds to do the heater controls, and try to find the brightest possible.

Its all a case of trial and error, to find the best combination of LEDs to use.

I like the switches tho, its the first time i have soldered anything so delicate.

Cheers
Skelo
 
#79 ·
No issues at all, just followed the guide that another kind member put up in here to the letter.

Remarkably easy to be honest.

I had to bodge the foglight switch slightly, as i damaged the bulb holder a little. Ended up getting it to work in the end tho.

Let us see the results when you've done it :broon:

Cheers
Dave
 
#90 ·
Ok I did this last night and it worked really well.

The lights are now daylight visible and look really good.

I will be posting pictures up later on today.

p.s. you sand the black mesh and u begin to see the orange film underneath it, so you sand untill that it gone.
No need to remove the dial from the mechanism or remove the needle
 
#98 ·
I changed to dials on mine to stainless steel with 3 colours for the display. The odometer was stripped and I made my own diffuser and LED hard wired in. The light aound the sides of the dials is done wih EL wire


I replaced all the switchgear with alloy switches that light up blue (except the hazard switch)


The heater surround was also made in stainless steel to match the dials with the same colours.
 
#100 ·
Thanks for the kind comment, it is really appreciated.

Some of the mods I have done have been incredibly easy (and cheap) others have been downright expensive and right roayl pain and I never want to attempt them again.

Just as a quick, easy and cheap lighting mod that can be done to your dials is the addition of some EL wire inside the reveal. You can get this in lots of different colours and the effect can be pretty good especially on the ZR dials with the silver faces.

This was mine that I did with purple EL wire


and this was a friends that I did in Aqua


All you need to do is strip the dials and stick the EL wire of your colour choice to the inside of the reveal
 
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