Okay... I had some LED instrument bulbs made for my 914-6 project car. I know that this has been discussed before, but I had the correct bulbs made with the correct Ba7s base.




In my opinion, they offer some variation from stock bulbs.

The limitations on getting brighter lighting via LED really has a lot to do with the configuration of the bulbs in the instruments. The tachometer and speedometer really should have three lights to look better. Also the speedometer is deeper then the rest of the gauges. The two bulbs in the speedometer are actually farther away from the face plate then the other gauges. And the tube in which the are inserted are should be shorter (in my opinion) That's why this instrument is the dimmest.

You are also limited by the fact that the LED bulbs tend to direct light in one direction. I tried the same bulbs with a diffusing lense (reflects light sideways, but these were even dimmer when used in the instruments).

So here are some pictures...

(sorry for crappy pics. It is really hard to take digital photos in virtually no light.).

This is stock...




1. Blue LED is the brightest and looks the best (IMHO)




2. White (superbright) is second brightest and is a better white than stock. (superbright has every-so-slight bluish tint to it... Sort of like Xenon headlights)




3. Red looks good too, but is the weakest as far as brightness (just slightly better than stock bulbs). These bulbs have the lowest output of the three colors I had made. I knew this based upon the bulb specs. Again, just slightly better than stock, but they DO look cool!




Here is what you have to keep in mind.

1. LED bulbs will last virtually forever (about 10,000 hours) and will not get dim or "yellow" over time (inlike incadescent bulbs). They generate no heat.

2. There is no brightness control for these bulbs. They are either on or off. They require a constant voltage, however these bulbs have an internal resistor and can handle the varying voltage of our funky charging system. (about 11 to 14 volts)

3. You cannot use this for the alternator light. Something about the resistence of the filament used for this circuit...

4. You CAN use these for the remaining indicator lights. I would select the white bulbs for the indicators and dummy lights.

5. The speedometer and tachometer each takes two bulbs for peripheral lighting.

6. I believe the combo gauge and the center console gauges take one bulb each.

7. These bulbs are a direct replacement for the standard OEM bulbs, and will fit in the same bulb housing. They have the correct Ba7s base.


Now they do not necessarily offer a BRIGHTER solution then stock bulbs.... they offer color choices, and a brighter white.

The incandescent bulbs can yellow a bit.

Here is a side-by-side of a stock bulb next to a superwhite bulb in the Tachometer.




Do you like?

If so, I can make these available for sale. I have a ton of them. Cost would be about $1.25 per bulb, plus S/H

I'd like a full set. Let me know when they're available. They look great, Qarl. In the pics, the needles on the gauges seem hard to see in the blue and red.

Any chance you could post a pic taken with the stock bulbs, for comparison?

Yes.... keep in mind that my needles are yellow... so they look duller to factory indicator needles. Blue light will not "light up" yellow needles. Red does slightly. Of course with the white bulbs you can see the yellow needles just fine.



Also keep in mind that these photos are a little dim. This is a 5 second bulb shot trying to keep the camera steady (I don't have a tripod)..

I need a full set in blue for my dials, and some white ones for the rest. You have answered my prayers. I have LED lamps in ALL my other sockets. Even the festoon bulb for the interior light and the license plate. Now that these are available it will be 100%. I could not find anyone with the Ba7s bulbs. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Can't thank you enough. For anyone who wants a good source for the OTHER LED bulbs, go to http://www.superbrightleds.com. They do NOT have Ba7s. They DO have all the rest, at reasonable prices. They even have the #74 bulbs for your pull switchs, heater indicator lamp, and seatbelt warning lamp, and 4 lamps for heater/blower dash controls. Do it, and you'll never have to replace a bulb again. Thanks again. You rock.

Two of my extra instruments have green LEDs. Any chance you could work up a set for me in super or ultra bright green?

I can get green, but I would need to order about 300 of them, so probably not!!!

I had these made in China...

So what do these bulbs do when you turn the light knob. Does a lower current cause them to do anything weird like shut off?

They're either on or off, no in between.

Alright... $1.25 a bulb...

S/H would be $2.50 (to cover postage, padded envelope, handling) for any number of bulbs via U.S. mail anywhere in the U.S.

Just multiply the number of bulbs you want times $1.25 and add $2.50.

I can do Paypal (karl@iepg.com).

In the Paypal comments area you would need to all specify how many you want of each color. (i.e., 7 red and 5 white)

If you want to send a cashier's check or postal money order, them PM or e-mail me and I will send you my address.

Sorry, I don't want to deal with shipping outside the U.S.

i like it looks pretty kool
ill need a set in red and white bright.
ill need to go count how many that is
lol
but i like it.

I can't tell you how many you need because there are differences amongst the gauges. Early tachometers had turn signal indicators for left AND right. Later tachs had just one indicator that didn't show the direction.

Two for Tach, two for speedo, one for combination gauge...

And then you gotta count your idiot lights, indicators, etc. There are some differences, so again... go look and count...

It also depends on which combination gauge you have.

Just count idiot lights, turn signal indicators, high beam, etc. But subtract one for the Alternator (Generator).

Thanks, diagram is in my Haynes manual.

Does anynody know of the fuel gauge uses a standard bulb for the "empty" light?

I no longer have a standard fuel gauge....

nice.....when is the cutoff date for ordering these??

Looks like 12 for stock guages + 3 for console.

Speedometer:
2 surround lights
1 parking lights indicator

Tachometer:
2 surround lights
1 brights indicator
2 turn signals

Stock 4 cyl Combo Guage:
1 red flasher
1 gas surround
1 gas low indicator
1 idiot light
1 generator light (not applicable for LED)

Console Guages:
1 surround light each (total 3)

PayPal now.

No cutoff date...

I have 3 bags of 300 each sitting on my desk...

Awesome! I want some! (now I just have to figure out how many and what color I want)

I'll be converting the faces to a white face so I'm guessing the blue would look great.

just sent paypal for 12 white bright ones

Bernie

I want some too but I am not buying one more thing for this car till I can safely take it to 100 MPH without a problem. Too much into it now and I have never even driven this car........Ever.

From the picture in Haynes, it appears to be the same size socket, but it's probably a #47, same as the pull switchs. Right next to the generator warning light. But, that's on a '73 2.0.

What about Canada?

Something that small should only be about a buck or so extra postage....

Canada is okay... (I forgot about you guys). $1.00 more for postage to Canada is fine.

paypal sent for 15 of the white ones....

thanks qarl!

im in for a set...ill send you paypal when i get home, i have to count my bulbs first too

At that price, I'd like three or four full sets. How many in a set, I can't recall?

I suspect this run with be a once in a lifetime thing.

Your gauge cluster is truly a thing of beauty, Qarl.

-Rusty

Hey Qarl... have you posted in the Parts & Services forum, too?

-Rusty

I will post in the parts section later.

These are selling fast. I posted on the Bird Board (911 Tech) and have lots of orders for bright whites...

12 blue & 12 super white please Sent you a PM.

- Garold

Nope, see my list. The low fuel is the same as the other guage lights. Accessed from the back of the combo guage.

Please put me down for 12 blue and 12 super whites. Thank you very much

Qarl

Save some white and blue ones for me too!
A dozen of this and a dozen of that.

Chap

So, you only need a total of 12. Unless you have a center console, then it's 15. Plus one for any added gauges. These don't burn out. There's no point in ordering extras. They will probably outlast you or the car which ever goes first.

just sent paypal for 24 white bright ones

Korijo, what is that colorful little item at the bottom of your post?

OOPs

Too popular dude. Better get on the horn to china and order two more batches of white. Ha, china, white, sounds like a drug deal.

dunno. copied it from someone else here on the site.

wow that was fast, I just read the post today and all the whites are gone, oh well.

Question, how many bulbs for the combo gauge? Is it one per module...ex: 3 in your triple gauge? Thanks...if I build one I'd have to be sure to get enough bulbs.

Let us know when/if you have more white bulbs...I don't think the blue would look quite right on a 30 year old car ;-)

Doh, I'm too slow. Anyone know how many lights I'd need for just the dash (no console guages) with the 904 style triple guage? (not including indicator lights, since white is sold out) Just the lights needed for lighting the guages at night (I'm gonna choose blue).

Previous posting have all the numbers.

Gah, I'm such a moron.. the info I needed was in the FIRST post

I'm gonna get 8 blues since I think blue would look cool for turn signal indicators, and of course blue is fine for the high beam indicator.

Okay... if you want White bulbs, you can order them for me. I will put them on back order and ship when they come in.... 4-5 weeks.

Paypal is karl@iepg.com

PM or e-mail for payment address for checks.

I have plenty of blue and red bulbs left.

What? No Green?

So...does anyone know how many bulbs go into a triple gauge? Is it one for each module? I might make one and want to know how many to get, thanks!

The very first post says it's just one (right in the middle I presume?) I missed it too

I tried to send you a pm,I sent payment to your paypal account for 25 blue and 5 white blubs. Thanks , great job!

I like the superbright white LEDs... I do want a third one in the middle of my Tach though, so i can see when i'm about to hit 4k rpms... How abouts would i do that? just drill a hole?

REALLY nice product Qarl... expect me to buy a few when they're in stock

There are independent leds you can add by drilling a small hole and just plugging them in with a grommet. I put a couple of blue ones in the top of my driving lights, they look cool. I wouldn't recommend it on your tach though. I have no idea what metal shavings would do to the inside of the mechanism. Seems ill advised.