Going to be ordering some LEDs for the dash and need to know how many bulbs are used behind the ventilation controls. I see a bulb chart from Jeff that shows 4 bulbs are used there. Type 2721

I will be ordering Blue for the cold air and Red for the warm but are there other bulbs just to backlight the control? Guess I would order White for those.



http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/zTN_Elect_LampIndex.jpg

and can you access the holders without removing the control unit from the dash?

I haven't climbed under the dash yet to check.

I guess I’m missing a few. Interested to know where 4 bulbs go...

Color comes from plastic. I only have 2 bulb holders in mine.

IIRC, I have 3.

Just contorted my body to get under there and look...…

Only saw three, two on the right, for the red light and arrow below and one on the left in the position for the blue light. there is a place for another bulb on the left for that arrow but no bulb holder. Unless it wandered away somewhere and I just can't see it.

There are four unless earlier cars had less. I’ve never looked at this particular area on early cars. But one bulb at each corner of the control panel. I believe three are on the same strand of wires. The fourth, the one for the fan, is on its own wiring section and is lit whenever the car is on.

I’d have to look at a schematic to be sure but that’s the way I remember it...

Click to view attachment

Two places for bulbs

Very interesting. Both my '74s (produced Nov '73 and March '74) have only three bulb holders. A spare I purchased used also has only three holders for bulbs. I know the faceplates changed over the years but had no idea the lighting had.

Not my pictures, but this is what the unit in my '73 looks like build date 9/72

4 bulb holders.

Click to view attachment

Click to view attachment

I believe this is the same unit as in my ‘72 build date May 72, l seem to remember that the lower holders are there but they do not open to the faceplate. The arrows are luminescent not translucent. For the upper holders, if I remember correctly the left side is clear and the right side blue but I don’t remember how they indicated operation?

The bottom bulbs illuminate the ‘Def Off’ and ‘Def Max’, not the up and down arrows.

This thread just reminds me what a sore spot the controls are in a 914. I’ve thought for years about restoring these. Very few look decent anymore. The last one I tried to clean up the paint actually washed off while I was cleaning it with dish soap!

Also most don’t realize it but originally these came with a small ball under the slider for the fan. It engages three detents in the metal just above the ‘I, II and III’ on the face of the controls. That gave you a positive stop for each of the three fans speeds while sliding that arm to the right.

I've just finished restoring mine as Rob said the paint washed off when I cleaned it. My car is a very early 73 (08/72) and despite four bulb holders I only have two bulbs.

That looks fantastic. Can you tell us what your restoration entailed?