what do you guys think?

BAD97LSC

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today i was bored and i had a strip of led's in green that i had gotten awhile ago and forgot i had em. this is what i did, i removed the dash trim panel that goes from the headlight switch to the message display and modified it. the part that goes into the hole where the gauge cluster sits, the top portion of it had to be trimmed, i had to trim about 1/4 inch off the entire length of it. i then installed 18 green led's to the bottom side of the top of the dash, just above the cluster. i then put the trim panel back in to make sure i had trimmed just enough off to let the lights shine down onto the gauge cluster between the cluster and the top of the dash trim panel, worked out perfect first try. i installed a toggle in a hidden location so i can turn them off when ever i want, i tried to hook them to the dimmer and it worked fine until i dimmed them, if i left them dimmed, and shut the headlight switch off, it would blow the fuse for the interior lights, i dint know why so instead of screwing with it, i put them on their own switch. i wish the green was a closer match to the interior lights, but it looks awesome at night and i can still see all my lights in the cluster, in these phone pics its hard to tell but i like it, i wont drive around all the time with them on but every now and then, and maybe parked at the local cruise night.

gaugecluster.jpg

gaugecluster2.jpg

gaugecluster3.jpg


i also havent had reverse lights since i bought the car over a year ago. it is because the reverse lights buckets were tied up with strobe lights. well, since my windows are as black as night, i cant see anything backing up at night and today decided to lose the rear strobes and put reverse lights back in. our cars use a single filiment 3156 bulb, which only has two wires at the base for contact, a 3157 bulb has the same base but has dual filiments, so there are 4 wires on the base, what i did was took the two inboard wires and looped them over and layed them across the outboard wires and plugged them back in, so now when i put the car in reverse, i get both filiments in each bulb to light up, so i get twice the light off the bulbs as a 3156. i am sure that if i drove in reverse this set up would kill the buckets fast but since they are nearly never on i wont worry about it, but holy crap are they bright.
reverselights2.jpg
 
reminds me a little bit of my brothers old 69 torino but to bright
I do like the concept though
 
Cool idea not the right green in my opinion. I have no problems when i dim my LEDs they were bought from vatozone for like 20 bucks. But they were designed to be put in a car, I'm not sure what kind you used but maybe give em a try.
 
the ones i have are autozone's too, there is 2 strips in the pack, both about 18 inches long and they are flexible, you can cut them to length with scissors, you just snip right through it. i am going to go to radio shack and try to find a potentiometer so i can dim them. i also have a special roll of tape that i remembered after i put it all together, that i think one piece over this strip will give me a perfect color match, its transparent fiberglass tape for taping off things you want powdercoated, it is a very pale blueish color, i will try it on the strip i didnt use, and if it works i will take it back apart, ugghhhhhh!!!!!
i was going for that old school 60's and 70's gauge cluster look.
 
I used one of the bulb holders from the back gauge cluster and soldered the wires to the contacts where the bulb holder would have gone. Worked perfectly I just need to add more on the ends.
 
that would work fine but i dont want these to be on everytime i turn on the lights thats why i put them on a seperate switch. when i turn the switch off, its just a normal stock looking cluster and you cant see the leds no matter how hard you look.
 
Sense there are a couple of threads going around about the LED lights, and the Blue LED looks really good. Is there anyway to change the message center lights to the blue as well?
 
not a big fan of it either. i dig the concept but id change the color myself. if i could get all the light up parts of the dash crap to be blue id so do that. but the way it is lit up isnt bad at all. wouldnt mind seeing it in person tho im sure the camera is not doing it justice at all
 
i'm gonna change the shade of green for sure but it is sunday and i ran out of time to screw with it and everyone was at home waiting for me to come home and play chef.
 
What did you make chef Jamie, I kind of like the green like a matrix look. Way to think out of the box. Hey need a part for my rear drives side under the opra window the trim that runs down the middle
 
So is this the appearance change that you were talking about a week ago?

Personally I don't like it either but if it works for you, then good for you. If I were to do any LEDs addition, it would be across the whole dash (the red line) above the speakers. Like how the new Cadillac, BMW, and MB have. (ambient lighting)

i1836.jpg
 
What did you make chef Jamie, I kind of like the green like a matrix look. Way to think out of the box. Hey need a part for my rear drives side under the opra window the trim that runs down the middle

hamburgers and hot dogs on the webber, nothing fancy! i dont have any trim for 1st gens inside like that jeff i havent parted out a 1st gen in nearly 3 years.
 
i like the idea. the back up lights are a great idea. any thoughts of making a sequential taillight kit for Gen 1 l.e.d. or otherwise?
 
I kinda think it looks like the instrument cluster lights broke, and instead of fixing them, you just stuck those on there.
 
I don't hate it, but the color isn't right. I wanna see the pics after you change it with the tape.
 

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