we NEED 9or I NEED) to get this all worked out! Martin Taylor should get involved in this, too! Can we compile a list of #s, sizes, etc. to do ALL the dash lights on the 944s?

Very excited about this. BTW, I'll try to check out a VW to get a sense of the 2 color thing...

 

hey guys, keep this bumped!

 

Just a few thought's:

Although I'll keep a nice white backlit dash some of you might like the idea of using multicolored led's. Perhaps an led that's white or red depending on the input. If connected correctly the existing dash dimmer switch could be used to control the multicolored led and therefore you would end up with a dash that had a range of color from white to full red. The thing I'm worried about is a good method of mounting the led's so they are temperature indifferent and reliable. The dash doesn't look like too much trouble especially with this guide: http://tech.rennlist.com/924_944/por...stallation.pdf

Other probably rediculous thoughts of mine have been to make the led connected to the boost gauge turn from white to red as boost increases, the same could occur for the tach and rpm gauge.

It will be a couple weeks at least before I attempt this, mainly because I don't have time and because I'd like to hear everyones experience/suggestions.

 

I would settle for clean, crisp, new, WHITE dash lighting, instead of the grubby amber-ish glow I have now. (although a pale blue might be easy on the eyes as well)

I want to MODERNIZE the interior.

 

One general comment: somebody above mentioned putting a reflective surface inside the light tunnels. If you decide to use a silvered tape, consider the extremes of temperature & vibration over time. You want something with a _real_ good adhesive. And no, I have no idea of what to recommend. I wouldn't use silver body tape (yuck, anyway), or stuff from the local arts 'n' crafts store.

I just know from experience that cheap adhesives don't stand up well to automotive conditions, and it'd suck to have to re-do the whole job in six months...

Jim, wishin' y'all the best of luck with this project....

 

If you want the best reflective material, cut open that bagbof chips your munching on and super glue that shiny silver side to the light tunnels. Sounds stupid but it workes incredably well!

 

There is a special tape (NOT DUCT TAPE) that is made for sealing gaps in metal ductwork for homes. It is made out of thin aluminum, is very reflective and is pretty resistant to temp changes. You might wanna give this stuff a try.

 

cobbs:
i think i have seen the tape you are talking about, except that i was using it to hold tube stock together while i welded it. the tape is quite shiny and seemed to hold up under temperature fine. 3M makes some of this tape that doesn't have a seperate backing on it... get that kind because it's better.

LT:
i've never seen a dual-color LED that has white and another color (please tell me where to get them if you've seen them). and the dual color ones i have seen have a common lead (usually cathode) and two seperate anodes. so you ground the common and depending on which anode gets power, that element will light. this actually gives you a tri-color application because turning them both on together gives you a third possibility. rigging this to change colors off your brightness control, which is essentially a potentiometer varying the voltage to the lights will be very non-trivial. what i've been thinking of doing is replacing all my gauges with autometer ultra lite (white on black) and replacing the single incandescent bulb with a red/green LED and then wiring it to the circuit that lights the little warning light in the "danger zone" of each gauge, so that the backlight will change from green to red when, say, your oil pressure is low or your coolant temp is high. even if i had to use new sensors and eliminate the existing light-control circuitry, it wouldn't be that hard to make a comparator to switch a couple bjt's to change the led color.

 

bg: Actually as I was writing I didn't know for sure if a white/red dual-color led existed, it probably doesn't if you haven't seen one. Your also right about the three leads necessary on a dual-color LED (I think I was mistaken with what happens when you overdrive a two leaded LED ). So yeah I suppose a comparator would be needed. Couldn't you just use a higher value resistor on one element of a dual colored LED to make it turn on later when voltage was higher (i.e. temp gauge is showing hot)?

Looks like we'll end up with a good solution pretty soon

 

bump

 

What about going with some Rice technology.
Indiglo gauges.

 

gag.

 

I will begin mine next week. I got some 1.5mm white LED's that will fit everthing. I will need to work on the reflective properties in the dash to get an even light. Everything will be white. I am not huge on the colored theme. I might add a little blue to add to my Kenwood reciever that has a blu, green, or red setting.

I'll let you know and take many pics!

 

right on, keep that shopping list!

 

Sweet, can't wait to see it. I'll be installing my stereo this weekend (why do I spend money on my a stereo for this car ).