LED bulbs in dash

[focusedontheprize]

I noticed the lights in my dash just really aren't cutting it anymore so I was considering upgrading my 57 bulbs to LEDs. Has anyone else gone this route with good results? If you have, I would be interesting in what LED bulbs you went with and any photos.

Thanks.

[Coupeguy2001]

I tried it, and I must have the wrong kind of LED. The ones I got were too "beam focused" and didn't shed enough light in a circle, just pointed straight. Didn't work the way I wanted it to..
I used the original bulb sockets, soldered the LED in, and filled it with silicone, and had the whole LED out of the silicone. Remember, you have to use the resistor that comes with the LED or it will burn out faster than you can blink.

[e015475]

Not sure what a case for the 57 instruments looks like, but here's some AD gauges converted to LED

The LEDs are a flexible ribbon that has LEDs and the circuit card already built in and you can cut it every couple inches on a pre-determined locations - no resistors or anything required. The ribbon is arranged around the inside of the perimeter of the instrument can.

Here it is back-lit in green, but the LEDs can produce yellow, green or blue-


Sorry the image is a little blury from my iphone. The controller is about half the size of a pack of cigarettes and you select the color and the brightness. Plan is to tuck it up under the dash somewhere.

Note that these gauge faces are black plastic with opaque numbers, but you should be able to achieve a 'factory' look backlighting with LEDs the same way. They don't need to be color either, white LEDs and controllers are available