LED Dash Lights

Bendder · Postby **Bendder** » 16 Apr 2010 12:43

Spent Some time in the garadge last night and here is what I did. Took out the dash and dismanteled the instrument pod and removed the speedo and tach. Removed the four green light covers and replaed lights with a flexible LED strip light. I placed them all the way around the Speedo and tach and left the tail end between the outer most guages. Above the radio I removed the bulbes and again replaced with flexible LED stip. As you can see I still have to do something with the Lights for the switches. Here are the results.

[img][IMG]http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt136/bendder/041610007.jpg[/img][/img]

[img][IMG]http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt136/bendder/041610008.jpg[/img][/img]

[img][IMG]http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt136/bendder/041610006.jpg[/img][/img]

So what do you think? I thought the red would be more fitting seeing as the seats and carpet are red and red check. Thoughts?

Mark
1977 TR7 FHC
1978 TR7 FHC
1980 TR7 DHC
1980 Rover SD1 4.0L

Dan B · Postby **Dan B** » 16 Apr 2010 14:15

That looks pretty cool, Mark. Can you dim the LED lights? Where do you get the strips, and what do they look like? What did you attach them with? Can you get other colors than Red?

I wonder how this compares to the LED lights others have used. Odd?

Dan B.
S.Charleston, WV
80 TR7DHC
66 TR4AIRS EFI

Bendder · Postby **Bendder** » 16 Apr 2010 15:16

Dan

I actually got them at Walmart!! 2 14" strips $29 I could shurly have gotten them of fleebay for less But I bought them out of curiosity to see if It would work. I tried it on an old Instrument pod first and it looked OK so I put them in. As for dimming yes they do dim slightly but once they get to a certain point they just go out. To wire them in I took out the four bulbs and then took the small metal clips in the bulb holder out bared the wire and put it through the small hole in the clip and reinserted it in the bulb holder I should probably put a drop od solder on them but I want to wait to see if I like them for driving. They have an addheisive back 3m tape on them so they were easy to just lay in behind the gauges. They are definatly brighter than the old bulbs though. They are available in White Blue and red at Walmart don't know if there are any other colors than that. They can be cut to length if needed also. I will be putting some in the foot wells and wireing them to the door card lights as well, when I held one up in the foot well and turned it on it realy highlighted the red carpet!

Mark
1977 TR7 FHC
1978 TR7 FHC
1980 TR7 DHC
1980 Rover SD1 4.0L

stevie_a · Postby **stevie_a** » 16 Apr 2010 17:52

Looking good Mark

I like it did you also do the door lights?

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dan B

That looks pretty cool, Mark. Can you dim the LED lights? Where do you get the strips, and what do they look like? What did you attach them with? Can you get other colors than Red[/b<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Oh so many questions ..[:D]
If you look about there are quite a few posts about led conversions now
I did mine about a year ago Just after odd did his
No you can't dim led lights if you use the dimmer they will just go off
I got my strips from maplins and bulbs from e-bay
as for colours you have just seen the Red odd has Green and I have the Blue

[b]The strips from Maplin are like this But I only used this for just above the radio

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If it's not broke don't fix it.

Bendder · Postby **Bendder** » 16 Apr 2010 18:03

Stevie

No I already had red bulbs in the door lights but I was planning on triing 3 lights off each strip in them. They are very similar to the strips that you used. Have you driven the car at night since you did yours? do you find them to bright above the radio? That is the only thhing I am thinkking ( have not taken the car out yet)

Mark
1977 TR7 FHC
1978 TR7 FHC
1980 TR7 DHC
1980 Rover SD1 4.0L

stevie_a · Postby **stevie_a** » 16 Apr 2010 19:04

Yes they were too bright
I cut them down to 2 lights and used a permanent black marker over them
and they are great now, the ones in the dash are bulbs and were fine
This photo was with 4 lights and was too bright

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If it's not broke don't fix it.

Bendder · Postby **Bendder** » 17 Apr 2010 03:19

Spent about 1hr and took apart the switch panel and put in the LED's tonight. I eliminated the small bulb holders and had to grind the 90* piece of plastic that it attaches to so that it was straight and used some shrink tubeing to attache the lights because they emit light out the end and no to the sides much. The result is much brighter than before not to mention red as opposed to green. You can see the difference from the pictures posted before where the clear lights and green filters were still there and these pic's. Not the best pictures but you'll get the point. As Stevie pointed out the lights above the radio may be to bright so I might have to eliminated a couple of them but I am happy with the result.

[img][IMG]http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt136/bendder/041610009.jpg[/img][/img]

Mark
1977 TR7 FHC
1978 TR7 FHC
1980 TR7 DHC
1980 Rover SD1 4.0L

stevie_a · Postby **stevie_a** » 17 Apr 2010 06:40

The dash looks very good ...[;)]

Yes I think you will have to take some lights away from the radio

I only have two one above each set of heater leavers

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If it's not broke don't fix it.

Shauniedawn · Postby **Shauniedawn** » 17 Apr 2010 08:30

I've just bough some of these for a use on my Defender.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 3D1&_rdc=1

and these

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWNX:IT

Cheap as chips from China. In fact cheaper than a bag of chips! Arrived in under a week. That was before the volcano mind.

Shaun

Bendder · Postby **Bendder** » 17 Apr 2010 14:36

The fist link looks to be the same as Stevie and I have used. The second link is a bit different I have not seen ones like those before.

Stevie I think you are right I will be takinf a fwe out from above the radio I have eight there now!! I think 3-4 would be more that enough. Have you re wired any of the cut off pieces? Is it just a matter of inserting wires and shrink tubbing?

I have not cut one yet so I'm not sure.

Mark
1977 TR7 FHC
1978 TR7 FHC
1980 TR7 DHC
1980 Rover SD1 4.0L

stevie_a · Postby **stevie_a** » 17 Apr 2010 15:07

yes i just cut the strip and soldered the wire

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If it's not broke don't fix it.

Bendder · Postby **Bendder** » 19 Apr 2010 03:28

Stevie,

You have one more vote of approval. My wife just looked at the pictures of your dash in blue and said "thatâ€™s cool" she likes yours better than mine

Can't win em all but I'm gonna keep trying

Mark
1977 TR7 FHC
1978 TR7 FHC
1980 TR7 DHC
1980 Rover SD1 4.0L

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