Dash revamp...
Dash revamp...
Author
Discussion

Nick P

Original Poster:

29,977 posts

281 months

Wednesday 15th November 2006
quotequote all
I've got the Leven Metal dash, with lots of the upgrade done....so far so good.

however the dials have black bezels (I contacted the Company in Cardiff and they never got back to me rolleyes) and i want to convert them to silver....also the dial faces are powder blue (i'm happy with that) and wondered if i could change the internal bulbs for LEDs or coloured bulbs to increas the intensity of the blue? I thought it would match in nicely with the blue radio screen. Is this possible? Does someone do a kit?

M@H

11,298 posts

302 months

Wednesday 15th November 2006
quotequote all
I think Halfwits do coloured bulbs for this, and I also believe you can do it with LEDs instead. Johno has done exactly this with his Griff, if you drop him a line I'm sure he will let you know the info

hugepiece

724 posts

257 months

Wednesday 15th November 2006
quotequote all
nick, although the thread is cerb specific have a look at www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=318944&f=6&h=0 im sure the bulbs themselves are similar if not the same, if not the same suppliers will be able to supply...

poorpeet

837 posts

275 months

Wednesday 15th November 2006
quotequote all
I saw something on the Griff pages a while ago where the guy had stripped off the black paint on the dials & then rubbed them down with fine wet & dry.I assume he followed up with a coat of laquer. The effect was like brushed stainless.

Nick P

Original Poster:

29,977 posts

281 months

Wednesday 15th November 2006
quotequote all
poorpeet said:
I saw something on the Griff pages a while ago where the guy had stripped off the black paint on the dials & then rubbed them down with fine wet & dry.I assume he followed up with a coat of laquer. The effect was like brushed stainless.


beer thats a good idea...i may try that.....cheers.

Nick P

Original Poster:

29,977 posts

281 months

Thursday 16th November 2006
quotequote all
anyone else with a Chim done the dash/dial lights?

schimg

1,923 posts

283 months

Thursday 16th November 2006
quotequote all
In the summer I replaced all od the dah bulbs with new standard one's looks like I will be lifting the lid back off the dash again!

just seen theblue jobbies on the link look a1 banana.

Steve.G.

Nick P

Original Poster:

29,977 posts

281 months

Friday 17th November 2006
quotequote all
do halfrauds and the likes do LEDs? It's just i dont want the car pulled apart for days on end whilst waiting for a delivery only to find they are the wrong ones. I'd rather just go with a handful of bulbs and compare in the flesh.

barreti

6,689 posts

267 months

Friday 17th November 2006
quotequote all
poorpeet said:
I saw something on the Griff pages a while ago where the guy had stripped off the black paint on the dials & then rubbed them down with fine wet & dry.I assume he followed up with a coat of laquer. The effect was like brushed stainless.

I did this with the clock on my Griff when I replaced it.
Someone had already polished the dials of the other clocks and I had a knackered speedo to play with so had a go.
Its time consuming but it can be done. I didn't lacquer the clock dial afterwards but there have been no ill effects from that about a year on.
Tape over the face carefully so you don't scratch it, then I think I used medium wet and dry to start the job and get so metal was just starting to show, then fine to get the rest of the paint off, then wire wool to polish.

andy-w

1,987 posts

256 months

Friday 17th November 2006
quotequote all
Maplin do led's that are in a holder the same shape and size as the original bulbs...

M@H

11,298 posts

302 months

Friday 17th November 2006
quotequote all
andy-w said:
Maplin do led's that are in a holder the same shape and size as the original bulbs...


Any more details.. ?? (part ID?)

andy-w

1,987 posts

256 months

Friday 17th November 2006
quotequote all
cant rember the standard bulb size for the dials???
anyone help us out?

Nick P

Original Poster:

29,977 posts

281 months

Friday 17th November 2006
quotequote all
i've taken the bulbs out.....basically there are 3 sizes.

the largest of the 3 sizes is a 12v 14w and there is only 1. however the bayonet is the same size as the middle size bulbs.
the middle of the 3 sizes is 1 12v 2w and there are six of them
the smallest of the 3 sizes is a 12v 2 w but smaller and a slightly different bayonet. this is the clock one.

ETA:

just ordered some stuff from www.ultraleds.co.uk

UBA7B BA7 - 7mm BC One Led Blue Bulb £1.47 (the smaller clock size).......
UBA96B (233) BA9 - 9mm BC 6 Leds Blue Bulb £24.50.....these are the normal bayonet ones that i have ordered 7 of...they have 6 leds in one unit so will be ultra bright and are £3.50 each.


Sub-Total: £25.97





Edited by Nick P on Friday 17th November 16:13

barreti

6,689 posts

267 months

Friday 17th November 2006
quotequote all
Will you let us know how you get on with the LEDs NickP
I changed all my dash bulbs earlier this year for so-called super bright blue bulbs.

How much difference did it make? [] that much. They still look like they are lit by glow worms in the dash and as for Blue - pah!

crazycraig

485 posts

261 months

Sunday 19th November 2006
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Nick P said:
anyone else with a Chim done the dash/dial lights?


I changed mine to blue leds at the beginning of this year and thought it was a vast improvement over the yellowie originals that were already in.

Saying that though, I did get alot of stick from the Bristol TVRCC saying it looked chav. grumpy

poorpeet

837 posts

275 months

Sunday 19th November 2006
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Anyone found a cure for the dreaded dim speedo syndrome?

Flintstone

8,644 posts

277 months

Sunday 19th November 2006
quotequote all
Supplement the power supply to the speedo light with a bycycle dynamo running off one of the wheels.

Drive faster, lights get brighter nuts

Nick P

Original Poster:

29,977 posts

281 months

Sunday 19th November 2006
quotequote all
crazycraig said:
Nick P said:
anyone else with a Chim done the dash/dial lights?


I changed mine to blue leds at the beginning of this year and thought it was a vast improvement over the yellowie originals that were already in.

Saying that though, I did get alot of stick from the Bristol TVRCC saying it looked chav. grumpy


i know it could be classed as slightly bling, but i justify it by saying that the leds make the dials readable!!! I've gone for blue as it matches my stereo screen and interior.

mbjoinery

125 posts

245 months

Sunday 19th November 2006
quotequote all
I have done my 94 chimp with red dash lights

better night vision with the red, might change them to red and blue like my VW yet.

Its easy just buy some translucant paint from a model shop, and paint the bulbs.

Mark