Brighter dash lights

[loneagle]

Any ideas on how to make my dash lights brighter? Maybe some different bulbs or LEDs or some extra lighting wired in?

[Chori]

Hey, that's really insightfull! the other way around LEDs.

[loneagle]

Thanks for the info. I'll mess around with it some more today!

[Custom Jim]

I would also make sure you are getting full voltage to the lights. You may have some poor connections or voltage drop at or before the headlight switch.
Jim

[RED67]

Make sure the instrument cluster is grounded properly:D

[loneagle]

I added an extra ground wire to the back of the cluster and the lights are nice and bright now. :) I would like to try some red LEDs. Here are the ones I'm thinking about:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/10-HID-HYPERED-LEDs-Dash-N-Gauge-194-168-Free-SHIP_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33713QQitemZ806130 7802QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

[YFH8SIT]

This may seem odd, but I put head light relays in a few months ago and the biggest difference I saw wasn't in brighter headlights but the dash lights. The head lights were a tad brighter but the dash lights were way brighter. Maybe becuase the headlights were draining all the juice from the dash and they now have a power source directly off the battery.

[72GreenRally]

Get Jonesy outta yer car!!!! That guy can suck the brightness out of a million candle power spotlight!!!!:D

When I had to replace some of the dash lights in my Nova, I found that one of the light companies makes a "bright" version of the dash light bulbs. I think it was Sylvania. You might wanna check it out!

Randy (so bright, I don't need dash lights!!);)

[loneagle]

Sylvania bulb #2825 are the ones!

[ovrdrive]

Would painting the backside with white instead of the metallic silver do the same? Or would it be worse?

Dan

[chevynuts88]

You can put in white backgrounds www.whitegauges.net pretty reasonable.

[loneagle]

Nice job on the white gauges!

Well, I recieved the LEDs and installed em. They aren't bright enough to illuminate my Autometer gauges!

Looks like I'll be using the Sylvaina 2825 bulbs

[americangraffiti]

Make sure the instrument cluster is grounded properly:D
Speaking of grounds..........what (if any) if the best place to take ground from?
I always try to scrape paint off of a surface if I am ground there.......but is there the ideal spot on the car to draw a good ground? (especially under dash) Mr. Moderator?

[loneagle]

I used the area just above the park brake pedal. I think this is where the factory ground wire is connected. After adding the extra ground wire, I cleaned the area and used a star washer to bite into the metal. My dash lights are nice and bright now.:)

[nasrock]

ok, wheres the best place to add the cable to the cluster? i need one bad because i can hardly read my spedo.

[loneagle]

The stock one goes to the rear, left side of the cluster and uses a push on connector. I replaced the push on connecter with a ring terminal and used a screw and a star washer to secure. The other end is grounded above the parking brake area. I added another wire to the the headlight switch, where the strap is attatched. You'll have to remove the cluster to see what I'm talking about.

[Nova_Guy]

On 68's the assembly manual shows a wire running from the screw that holds the clock/Nova emblem in the dash to a hole in the clutch/brake petal bracket. The 68 are a little different because of the locations of the switches but it should work the same. The 68 each item has a metal strip connecting it to the next that ties into the instrument cluster. The ground wire looks like an afterthought to me. The metal strip touches the dash at the end to make the ground. It looks to me as a really good faliure point and the ground strap was the cure.

[nasrock]

The stock one goes to the rear, left side of the cluster and uses a push on connector. I replaced the push on connecter with a ring terminal and used a screw and a star washer to secure. The other end is grounded above the parking brake area. I added another wire to the the headlight switch, where the strap is attatched. You'll have to remove the cluster to see what I'm talking about.

ok i know exactly what youre talking about, this should do the trick, thanks

[vuss6t6]

Hey Chevynuts88 after seeing your gauge panel with the white back ground i ordered one for my car and it really made a difference in the looks.Added the 5 white bulbs and it is looking good at night.

[NovaNate]

You can put in white backgrounds www.whitegauges.net pretty reasonable.

I really like the white gauges, but I'm more impressed with the floating apple! How did you get that fruit to suspend in mid-air under your dash panel!

[chevynuts88]

glass top otta do it