Lotus Europa Community
Lotus Europa Forums => Garage => Topic started by: literarymadness on Thursday,April 08, 2021, 11:43:11 PM
-
Just curious what some of you have done to upgrade your dashboard panels lights. And were you happy with the results. I do a lot of night driving and really would love to actually see the gauges. I can only see them on only the darkest roads. On the expressway, they get washed out by the overhead expressway lamp-posts. A night photo of your dash would be great.
-
I used Led bulbs in mine. I have a pic lighted up and a pic of the bulb in this thread.
http://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php?topic=1035.msg8838#msg8838
-
I fit LCD bulbs (I think) and also fit a dimmer as they are quite bright when wired direct.
-
I swapped all my lights, except headlights, for LEDs. I wrote up the file at the end of this post to list part numbers and suppliers. Of course, it pertains to my car that has the rectangular idiot lights between the tach and speedo so those lights won't work for everybody. In fact it's worse that that because on my car, they used tow different types of bulb holders on my car! Sorry I didn't document the different light part numbers I needed. Actually, I think that replacing the idiot lights with LEDs isn't worth the effort. The lights for turn signals don't blink as nicely as incandescent bulbs. When you turn on the turn signals, the idiot lights turn on and instead of blinking, the intensity of the light is all that changes. Not terrible but I prefer a real blink.
The biggest difference is with the gauge lights. You can actually read the gauges at night! I think it's on my oil pressure gauge, the LED bulb is long enough to interfere with the mechanism so I can't push the bulb all the way in and it's not illuminated as well as the others but it's a lot better than it was previously!
I also replaced the turn signal, brake, reverse, and marker lights with LEDs. LED turn signals require either a resistor at each light or an electronic flasher. I chose the flasher route. Most of them do not make a sound so you could look like a real geezer when you are driving down the highway with your left turn signal on for twenty miles! There are electronic flashers that do make a noise. I found one that beeps but not clicks. I still haven't gotten used to it! I might get the resisters eventually! I didn't list which flashers I got because I tried several and the ones I have now are no longer available. They are widely available at Summit Racing, Superbrightleds.com, amazon.com, mossmotors.com, etc.
Keep in mind that for colored lights (idiot, turn signal, brake, reverse, and marker) require that color LED lights because the LEDs are bright enough to wash out the color of the color filter so brake lights end up looking pink instead of red.
Superbrightleds.com
===================
Brake light (2): 1157-R24-WV
Rear Turn signal (2): 1156-A24-WV
Front Turn signal (2): 1157-A24-WV
Backup lights (2): 4410-W1-CB
Rear Side markers (2): BA9S-R4-90-12VAC
Front Side markers (2): BA9S-A4-90-12VAC
License plate lamps (2): LPC-C-NW2
High beam indicator (1): BA7S-B (for S2)
Turn indicators (2): BA7S-G (for S2)
Oil/ignition indicators (2): BA7S-R (for S2)
Interior Festoon (1): 3610-NW4
Moss Motors
===========
Instruments (6): 170-972 or
170-971 (short)
-
Thanks BDA.
Once I get the heartbeat going and electrics installed I’ll report back.
I would say circle back but it might be taken wrong. :BEER3: :FUNNY:
Dakazman