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Dash Light Switchover...

Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 6:30 am
by LaureltheQueen
I think I wanna switch out my dash lights from green for another less early 90's color. I'd probably do red, but blue is going to be the accent color around my car, so I figured that'd be the way to go. Has anyone ever done this?

If so, what lights did you use?

Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 7:49 am
by Dr Nick
I haven't done it, but I know you can buy blue dash bulbs for GM cars.

Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 10:56 am
by Yukonart
Shouldn't be THAT difficult to find out what bulbs are in there. In fact, if you go to shucks and look in the Sylvania book for bulb applications, it might even list the bulbs for the dash lights. :D

Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 3:17 pm
by THAWA
Let us know how it goes k? I want to change mine to red, but i'm too afraid that itll end up looking brown :?

Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 11:21 pm
by LaureltheQueen
OK.... Update of sorts. I got my dash all apart(will be posting a "how to" eventually. I can't get the climate control module thingy out, though i think with some friendly force it will eventually come. I also got my guage cluster all apart. The clear plastic's off, and that makes me nervous messing around with it. I cant find evidence of any bulbs chillin in there, but there's gotta be something illuminating it... Has anyone had thier cluster apart, or has an extra one they can mess with?

Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2003 12:04 am
by THAWA
Yeah needless to say be careful with that plastic off your guages, I messed up a speedo one time with the plastic off, it actually went below 0 mph when you went into reverse, kinda funny actually

Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2003 12:15 am
by LaureltheQueen
bahahahahahah! Got the lights out of the guage cluster, got the cc pod out, the temperature cable was what was holdin it in. I cant get it apart though. I'll take it to work for an evening project(very few customers at night)

I cant drive my car there though. :( Gotta take our hoopty truck. :eek:

the speedo doesnt work. :x :shock:

Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2003 6:54 am
by LaureltheQueen
UPDATE:

Got a few bulbs to play around with colors.... Stupid poor subaru planning. I've been painting over with nail polish to try and get an idea of colors.

Dark red=pink
bright red=light pink
dark blue=dark green
bright blue=stock green
clear=stock green
bright purple=yellow-y white. Go figure.
Any suggestions?

I think I may resort to the purple bulb approach. That is, if I can find any high temp spray the right color. :x
I also dropped one of the bulb holder mounts into my dash, so I'll be making a trip to subaru tomorrow afternoon.


The climate control hoopla. Oh my! I spent the better part of 3 hours prodding at that sucker. Finally got it off. I have photos. I'm going to need 2 new bulbs for that, and 7 blue or red LED's to replace the green ones that turn on when you select a vent option, and someone to teach me how to solder.

Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2003 6:57 am
by Yukonart
Did some soldering on Jeff'z car today. . .. bring that ish up north if you're out of options. :?

Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2003 6:58 am
by LaureltheQueen
providing jeff gets NOWHERE near my car, I may just do that. Though i'd have to do it during the afternoon....

Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2003 4:27 pm
by THAWA
When you look at the cluster and the buttons and stuff, are they tinted green? If not how about going to a local arts and crafts store, and picking up some of that paper that is sort of see through but not completely, not tissue paper but a little bit thicker, I cant think of the name right now. I used that on my last car to change from green to red, it worked and looked pretty red but wasnt that bright. I'm sure a brighter bulb back there would've worked and made it look really good, but I didn't feel like goin through the trouble of getting one. How long did it take you to get all that stuff off and were there anytimes when you thought you were going to break anything?

Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2003 6:55 pm
by ciper
How is the brightness after applying the color? Do you have to turn it up a click?

Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2003 9:18 pm
by LaureltheQueen
Okay... Goodness. I broke my temp gauge off. :?

Got the tach off. The plastic itself is sort of a greenish color. I think if i get a bright enough blue led, and have my friend hook that up where the bulb is supposed to be, we can make it work. when i shined my red led keychain thing through it wasnt bright enough.

I'm off to the yard for a new temp gauge, and to subaru for a light socket, and perhaps some advice. They dont make aftermarket gauges for the b1 legacies, do they? :shock:

Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2003 9:31 pm
by ciper
Aftermarket faces yeah. If you dont find one you should ask in the parts forum, there are at least three legacy being parted out.

Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2003 6:45 am
by LaureltheQueen
Okay, so the LED plan is a no go. There's not enough room to fit an led and capacitor in that mount. Also, the nail polish that i used as a test burnt off on my way home tonight, so I gotta find a high temp stained glass paint. Any suggestions?

Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2003 8:11 am
by THAWA
what about engine enamel? or vinyl dye?

Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2003 7:19 am
by LegacyPunk
http://www.procarparts.com

They sell a White guage face for our cars, it lights up blue or green indiglo, i put blue bulbs in my dash but somehow they all faded back to green.

Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2003 9:12 am
by Yukonart
LegacyPunk555 wrote:http://www.procarparts.com

They sell a White guage face for our cars, it lights up blue or green indiglo, i put blue bulbs in my dash but somehow they all faded back to green.
Oh damn. . . this sounds like the best solution, yet. You have any info on a place that sells th is?

Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2003 7:58 pm
by JasonGrahn
Image

The whole white face is a little too *blingbling* for me. Though i do like the look it has at night.

Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2003 10:29 pm
by THAWA
Yes I really don't like the white look of it. It just wouldn't fit, plus i dont like those light blue circles on the inside, I say just go witht he stock guages and try to change the colors

Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2003 1:18 am
by Yukonart
Guys. . . I think Laurel is going to be VERY excited about this. 8)

Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2003 4:11 am
by LaureltheQueen
its quite bling-bling, but i'm so fed up with this business(best i've done so far is pink) that I think a bit of "customizing" of this white face may do the trick.

If i cut out a circle in my stock black over-thingy around the temp and fuel gauges, i think it may look okay. I ordered one at any rate. lol.

Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2003 4:13 am
by Yukonart
SWEET!

Personally, I don't think it'll be bad at all. At any rate, it'll match the Pioneer deck you're putting in there after a while. 8)

Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2003 4:40 am
by LaureltheQueen
Here's the current gauge situation. Now they dont actually look like that. The blue color is just something my camera made up. They actual color that shows through is that pale pink... :oops:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sra ... 06031c.jpg

Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2003 4:43 am
by Yukonart
These reverse EL gauges. . . . 100x better, Laurel. 8)