Best smoker barges 1-5 large [Vol 10]

[Geekman]

Just catching up - that 560 looks fantastic, great buy!

[tobinen]

BigBen said:

r129sl said:

0a said:

CharlesdeGaulle said:

Thanks Ben. I did twiddle a bit, but will do it more vigorously to see if it makes a difference. I'm suspecting bulbs as it's better on the right side than the left.

This is the same on my W124 - anyone know how to change the bulbs?!

Bulbs.

Pull cluster out with special hooks.

Change bulbs. All of them if you're anally retentive.

Spend ten minutes marvelling at how it all works back there.

Resist the urge to give it a haircut.

Put cluster back in.

Observe skinned knuckles.

On the Merc dashes I have removed it was also possible to push the dash out from behind by reaching up from below the steering column, mainly this was because I had no idea that special hooks existed.

Ben

Ben and r129sl are correct. There is a YouTube video I think. I have the MB hooks which you're welcome to borrow.

[Parisien]

tobinen said:

Ben and r129sl are correct. There is a YouTube video I think. I have the MB hooks which you're welcome to borrow.

Tobinen, am in throes of buying another w124 coupe, it also has dashboard bulb issues, If I could avail of borrowing the hooks offer too that would be very good of you.


P

[harrykul]

Me too Tobinen! We could send it around in a UK wide chain!

[cornershop]

Krikkit said:

Then you would lose the dimming function as well.

Maybe not?

Unsure what bulb size the sec uses, however this chap in the US has made dimmable led bulbs with a 'vintage' look.

I will drop him an email to see if he can assist as I plan to replace the retina burning leds I've currently got fitted to my 911.

http://airboxer.com/LED.html

[Krikkit]

Impressive! I didn't know such a thing existed.

ETA: In a small enough package to fit into a little bulb-holder!

Edited by Krikkit on Wednesday 19th October 14:05

[r129sl]

Merc clusters are illuminated using 2x W3W bulbs, each held in a small holder. Their light is spread through the cluster by means of two clear plastic prisms.

The w126 cluster is electronic. It is important to disconnect the battery before working on it.

This is a good guide here: http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/detailing-inte...

[deeen]

W00DY said:

deeen said:

Krikkit said:

W00DY said:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JAGUAR-XJ8-4-LITRE-1998-...

What a thing.

Wow, it almost looks new! Stupendous value for £5k.

It's an 18 year old Jag? Should be about 1k.

For a tired 3.2 perhaps.

Elegant, immaculate, opulent, quick and cool. And it's all yours for less than a Dacia Sandero. A fking steal in other words.

Ok so maybe I was exaggerating a bit... but my tired 3.2 was around £450, so I still think this one's over t' top!

[idiotgap]

Catching up on thread after a few days and CdG has gone and bought an SEC - looks lovely!

They say you can fashion cluster removal tools from a strong wire coat hanger. I've never done it myself.

[bmthnick1981]

I have no dash illumination at all in my 560 sec, another job i need to attend to !

Yours looks great CDG

[0a]

harrykul said:

Back off boys, I've already called dibs a page or two ago!!!

Former customers of CDG Quality Used Barges Limited get priority I hear?

Please add me to the list CDG. Scrap that, take me off - I had the quote for the SL today.

[anonymous-user]

Copied over from lovely cars

sleepera6 said:

1985 Mercedes Benz 280CE W123
Champagne/Biscuit cloth
£6500 ono, located in Portheleven,Cornwall.



Mmm

http://m.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C768207


1988 BMW 525sei. 47,000 miles from new, literally timewarp condition. £5,500.








http://m.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C654523

Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 19th October 19:54

[gooner1]

Krikkit said:

bob-lad said:

Lowtimer said:

I've never had a 126 dash in bits but on a Porsche of this vintage it's not bulbs that are the issue, it's dullness of the once shiny reflectors that were used to bounce the light produced by the bulbs around the instrument cluster. German automotive design being a fairly incestuous and cross-pollinating industry I would not be surprised if it is the same on an '80s Mercedes as an '80s Porsche.

The task then becomes finding a way to re-shinify the reflectors. This might involve e.g. repolishing them, or covering them with some shiny substance such as thin aluminised Mylar (such as party helium balloon material).

Or you could part blind yourself with LED replacements.

Then you would lose the dimming function as well.

Does anybody actually use the dimming function?

[dscam]

Forgive me for being slightly elastic with thread budget but I think this is wonderful - E38 750i SWB:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272416974923

[Krikkit]

Oof, that 750... Lovely. There's something about Navy carpets that's just so right.

gooner1 said:

Does anybody actually use the dimming function?

I use it on every car I've had with it...

[Lowtimer]

gooner1 said:

Does anybody actually use the dimming function?

I've used it on every car I've ever had (that's been equipped with it). Probaby from aviation practice. Always have the instrument lights only just as bright as they need to be for the conditions, is the rule. The brighter the lights in the cockpit (and the higher the colour temperature) the less you will see in the darkness outside.

Same reasons Saab came out with their instrument panel blackout feature
http://www.saabplanet.com/night-panel/

[r129sl]

Lowtimer said:

gooner1 said:

Does anybody actually use the dimming function?

I've used it on every car I've ever had (that's been equipped with it). Probaby from aviation practice. Always have the instrument lights only just as bright as they need to be for the conditions, is the rule. The brighter the lights in the cockpit (and the higher the colour temperature) the less you will see in the darkness outside.

Same reasons Saab came out with their instrument panel blackout feature
http://www.saabplanet.com/night-panel/

Same for me. I find bright instruments very fatiguing when driving at night and always set the lighting low.

I can't imagine how difficult it is to drive in the dark with one of these daft sat nav screens lit up like a Christmas tree in the middle of the dash top.

Edit: I rather love the beige E34 but that 750i is a winner for me. I love the blue leather dash top.

Edited by r129sl on Wednesday 19th October 22:34

[dtmpower]

r129sl said:

I can't imagine how difficult it is to drive in the dark with one of these daft sat nav screens lit up like a Christmas tree in the middle of the dash top.

LIke anyone else ,set the dimmer / brightness to a comfortable level. On the Lexus it inverts the colours , so details on a black background.

[bob-lad]

dtmpower said:

r129sl said:

I can't imagine how difficult it is to drive in the dark with one of these daft sat nav screens lit up like a Christmas tree in the middle of the dash top.

LIke anyone else ,set the dimmer / brightness to a comfortable level. On the Lexus it inverts the colours , so details on a black background.

Audi & Jag automatically go into night mode, which you can tune in the preferences.

[E65Ross]

bob-lad said:

dtmpower said:

r129sl said:

I can't imagine how difficult it is to drive in the dark with one of these daft sat nav screens lit up like a Christmas tree in the middle of the dash top.

LIke anyone else ,set the dimmer / brightness to a comfortable level. On the Lexus it inverts the colours , so details on a black background.

Audi & Jag automatically go into night mode, which you can tune in the preferences.

This. Never had an issue in the E65 in the slightest.