Dash upgrade done.

[Fenderer]

Like a lot of owners my wood dash had seen better days and was cracked and falling to pieces. As I had the dash top off to fix an alarm issue I took the opportunity to get it sorted with a new vinyl wrap and LED lights. Worked out really well and cheap as chips to do.

[bobfather]

Nice job, definitely the way I'd do it

[caduceus]

Very nice.

Do you have a link to where you got the LED clock lights from by any chance?

[Fenderer]

Got them all from eBay. LEDs for the clock here

Link1

These for the rev counter:

Link2

and rest of the instruments here.

Link3

Edited by Fenderer on Sunday 12th March 23:54

[QBee]

Sorry for the stupid question, but why not all the same LED lights?

[Fenderer]

The clock and rev counter use a different bulb type. Typical TVR. ;-) Unfortunately this means there are slight colour differences in the final illumination too, but can't be helped.

[QBee]

Still better than the original.
My reading glasses, not needed for driving, are 1.75 diopters.
Not strong, but I struggle to read the dials at night, and can never read the milometer or trip - the latter essential for judging fuel stops.

Thanks for the bulb list - dash refurb is even more firmly on my list after seeing this thread.

[bobfather]

I fitted coloured LED's sourced from three different places and colour appears very consistent. Sorry, poor photo. I fitted a double wattage LED in the speedo to compensate for the internal clutter

[Danattheopticians]

QBee said:

Still better than the original.
My reading glasses, not needed for driving, are 1.75 diopters.
Not strong, but I struggle to read the dials at night, and can never read the milometer or trip - the latter essential for judging fuel stops.

Thanks for the bulb list - dash refurb is even more firmly on my list after seeing this thread.

Please don't tell me you drive with +1.75D Ready Readers on!!?? I'd recommend some bifocals or varifocals or to only put those on when you are stationary!! It's better you can see where you are going rather than the dials! Wearing something with a focal length of 57.14285 cm is not good for driving now is it?

[andy43]

Danattheopticians said:

QBee said:

Still better than the original.
My reading glasses, not needed for driving, are 1.75 diopters.
Not strong, but I struggle to read the dials at night, and can never read the milometer or trip - the latter essential for judging fuel stops.

Thanks for the bulb list - dash refurb is even more firmly on my list after seeing this thread.

Please don't tell me you drive with +1.75D Ready Readers on!!?? I'd recommend some bifocals or varifocals or to only put those on when you are stationary!! It's better you can see where you are going rather than the dials! Wearing something with a focal length of 57.14285 cm is not good for driving now is it?

Sorry officer, I was just about to swap my glasses to check my speed when you stopped me....

[Danattheopticians]

^^ This is a free service that I provide! On another note, I need better lights behind my dash, and will replace the dash soon, have a new wooden one going ready to go in when I can get round to it, the advice given in this thread has been useful, will source the bulbs too.

[sgrimshaw]

Danattheopticians said:

Please don't tell me you drive with +1.75D Ready Readers on!!??

Well ..... he didn't

QBee said:

"My reading glasses, not needed for driving, are 1.75 diopters."

[andy43]

sgrimshaw said:

Danattheopticians said:

Please don't tell me you drive with +1.75D Ready Readers on!!??

Well ..... he didn't

QBee said:

"My reading glasses, not needed for driving, are 1.75 diopters."

Ah. I missed that bit. Dan, got any space in your diary?

[Danattheopticians]

andy43 said:

sgrimshaw said:

Danattheopticians said:

Please don't tell me you drive with +1.75D Ready Readers on!!??

Well ..... he didn't

QBee said:

"My reading glasses, not needed for driving, are 1.75 diopters."

Ah. I missed that bit. Dan, got any space in your diary?

Even though sgrimshaw pointed out. Not needed for driving. Mr. Bee said "Guaging fuel stops", meaning he uses his trip milage rather than his fuel guage to judge when to fill up, which is only really relevant a journey, whilst driving! I thank you

And yes I have room

[ClassicChimaera]

Just a thought, Anthony has quite the mathematical brain, I bet he knows to within 50 miles by vibrations when he needs to fill up.
That and he probably has a quick look before setting off.

I've got varied bi focals

[Danattheopticians]

ClassicChimaera said:

Just a thought, Anthony has quite the mathematical brain, I bet he knows to within 50 miles by vibrations when he needs to fill up.
That and he probably has a quick look before setting off.

I've got varied bi focals

Interviewer asked first 2 candidates what's 2 + 2? They answered 4. He then asked QBee the same question, he answered, "What do you want it to be?" QBee got the job

[ClassicChimaera]

Danattheopticians said:

Interviewer asked first 2 candidates what's 2 + 2? They answered 4. He then asked QBee the same question, he answered, "What do you want it to be?" QBee got the job

Accountants run businesses

[QBee]

Yes they are varifocals, no I don't wear them for driving.
I am at the age and stage where I cannot read small print without them.
I can make a guess if the subject matter is well lit.
The varifocals are set up for working, so stronger at the bottom (papers on the desk) and weaker at the top (computer screen - 28 inch), but if I wear them to drive everything over about 6 feet away is blurred.
I am lucky to be blessed still with pin sharp long sight, so am a complete driving god.

The problem is certain car dashboards.
I had an Audi for a while, which many will know has a red illuminated dash, i.e. All the numbers are in red. Very tricky to read. Probably explains why no Audi is ever driven at less than 90 mph.
I have no problem with Saab and Volvo dashboards. White on black, very clear and easy to read, even without glasses.
The Chimaera dash - I can see where all the needles are without my glasses, and can remember which gauge is which, but cannot easily read the mileage indicators without glasses, day or night.

And yes, the old jokes about accountants do have some truth. I am about to start doing two pieces of work for a friend of my daughter. One to prove to housing benefit how little she income she has, the other to prove to a potential landlord that she can afford the forthcoming rent on a new house. No problem whatsoever...... both will be the truth and nothing but the truth, but both will also achieve what she needs.

[s p a c e m a n]

You need and adhesive magnifying plastic lens thing to stick over the milometer on the clocks. I know they make them in the shape to stick on glasses, try cutting one of those up if you can't find one in the right shape

[jazzdude]

Fenderer said:

Got them all from eBay. LEDs for the clock here

Link1

These for the rev counter:

Link2

and rest of the instruments here.

Link3

Edited by Fenderer on Sunday 12th March 23:54

I about to order these, are all dials the same and take the same bulbs? I have read that it is difficult to find LEDs to fit and some people end up sticking to the originals. Mine is a 1995 prefacelift.