Ok, for the "basic safety check" they do to title vehicles, it really isn't all that basic. It's like a 100 point used car inspection!

Anyway, the high beam indicator on the gauge didn't work. I finally got it working, but it's not that bright. You can't really see it during the day, which is when I would get the car inspected. Are there any other bulbs or other method I can use to make that indicator brighter?

Dan

If you could see it duering the day , he will also. It only needs to be visible at

night. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

Tell them believe it or not you do not use your high beams during the day. That is what the sun is for.

My 73 is exactly the same can't see it in day time.....I have replaced the bulb still the same.....nature of the beast.

I just took apart two tachs to make one, and both high beam indicators had blackened almost to being opaque. It's strange, but the center of the little blue filter is black, where it's exposed through the hole, while although the perimeter has darkened, it hasn't nearly as much. There must be something about the blue organic dyes they used back then. I speculate that it may even be one reason they moved it from the bottom of the tach to the top- to better shade it from UV light.

Before the surgery, mine wasn't even visible at night any more. I had tried hard-wiring a new bulb on wire leads so it extended further into the little shaft, to no avail.

I fixed it with a piece of blue plexiglas that I got on the internet. If anyone's interested, I can post some pictures to show you how I did it. Also, where I got the plexiglas- a whopping $2.99 for a 6" x 12" piece! That's a lot of 914s!!!

It's also strange that the green filters for the directional indicators have lightened over time, not darkened....

Jim Kelly

Dan:

I see you are in Dallas. Is this inspection the one needed to apply for title for an out of state vehicle? If so, it should be basically the same as the usual TX annual state inspection safety check. In my experience, if you go to a reasonable shop where they know you, something like a dim high beam indicator shouldn't be a problem.

Also, they usually pull the car into a shop bay to check the turn signals, etc and I bet the light will be visible in the shade of the bay, even during the day.

BTW, where in Dallas are you?

Brian

this is by design. the "filter" on the indicator is made fairly opaque on purpose. the idea is that the dash light does not distract and/or blind you at night when you're most likely to use the high-beams.

if the light was clearly visible at daylight it would be blinding bright at night ...
Andy

He lives !!

B

Well, OK, but the two that I took apart (my previous post) were darkened all over, but they were blackened in the center only, where they were exposed to light coming in through the lens. So they started out much brighter than they drifted to over time. And, as I said, my '76 original had become so dark that I couldn't even see it at night.

I don't think that was by design... but it's certainly a good argument to give the inspector though!

Jim

Yea, it's an out of state inspection. I had a hard time seeing it in my garage during the day, but if they cup their hand around it they should be able to see it.

I live in Wylie.

Dan

i wasn't actually responding to your post (sorry, didn't see it until i had already posted), my response was to the initial post/question ...

i agree, if the bulb or filter is burned, they need to be replaced. 35 years is a long time. i had a tach where the turn signal indicators were waaaaay to bright, so i took it apart and the filter material had actually lost almost all of it's color. when i tried to remove it, it just turned to dust in my hands ...

Andy

Thanks everyone for your help! This group is great.

BTW: I have another tach that came with the car, I'm assuming the PO might have been on the same trail I'm on right now.

Dan

I'm so glad we don't have such inspections in Ohio. Here, it if has 3 out of 4 wheels, you can drive the fu*ker.

In Connecticut they are much more strict you must have all 4 wheels.

When I got mine done last year, they didn't look at the warning light. The inspector had me operate the lights, signals, etc. while he observed from outside the car. He didn't even want to drive it into the shop bay after his brake test in the parking lot since the car would not idle unless you kept your foot on the gas. I guess idling is not one of the "100 points".

I used to live in Cincinnati, and in Athens on OU's campus. Actually Ohio does have inspections for out of state vehicles, but the test consists of comparing the vin number on the title to the one on the windshield/dash.

I heard they finally dropped e-check.