Dash Lights

Pauleo · Post by **Pauleo** » Sat Sep 25, 2004 11:49 am

Hello everyone! Although I have had some pics of my CC on here for a short while, I think this may be my first actual post. This place is AWESOME! I'm hooked! Reading everyday! Anyway, I read somewhere that we can replace the dash lights on our trucks. I think it would be cool to get some red ones to match my truck & make it kinda like the Pontiac cars. Only thing is, I don't know where to even START to try to get to them. Can anyone offer any insight?

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Sat Sep 25, 2004 12:59 pm

i'm sure if you did a search in one of the S-10 Forums found under the links on the home page you could probably locate a source. Another source is ebay which has a lot of different gauge backgrounds (for lack of a better term) that are one color by day and diffrent colors when instrument panel is lighted.

BTW....welcome aboard, am a newbie too but, you can find out a bunch here and they all are very willing to help you. You just need to sift thru a little sarcasm at times.

Post by **HenryJ** » Sat Sep 25, 2004 2:02 pm

Sarcasm? There is none of that around here

Check out this thread- Interior lights- door panel switches
It might be worth asking Mark if he ever found a complete solution.

This outfit has quite a few- LIGHTLENS.COM

I have heard rumors of LEDs being used to replace the stock bulbs, but the two that I bought as indicator lights were pretty expensive.

Many aftermarket gauges come with colored plastic covers for the bulbs to match an existing color theme. I have not seen these available by themselves though.

Another option would be to paint them with the colored tint craft paint. Although I'm not sure how long it would hold up, or if it would tend to brown with time.

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Sat Sep 25, 2004 2:25 pm

HJ,

You must have your pager/cell phone set to activate along with sirens mounted in every room of your home and garage to alert you when someone starts a topic or replys to one.

You are always "johnny on the spot:)"

Post by **HenryJ** » Sat Sep 25, 2004 2:29 pm

awe, heck .. that took over two hours to respond to

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Sat Sep 25, 2004 2:44 pm

Well, you just made up for it with the <5 response time

Maximous · Post by **Maximous** » Sat Sep 25, 2004 8:44 pm

as always, i am a day late and a dollar short,

the lights thing is fairly simple, its getting to them that is a pain-in-the-ASS-10, its so tight getting everything in and out of there, it can be a real Son-of-a-Barch

ok sorry, i thought that was funny, anyways, the lights you can get at like discount auto parts or advanced auto parts, its all there next to the import......uh...."stuff" the real good thing about using these lights is the fact that if you ask the nearest rice rocket racer, they will confirm that these lights actually add like 4 or 5 horsepower, im not sure on exact numbers, but i do know that the big Powered by Honda sticker give you at least 10 extra horsepower

barch97 · Post by **barch97** » Sun Sep 26, 2004 4:07 am

Maximous wrote:it can be a real Son-of-a-Barch

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Sun Sep 26, 2004 4:24 am

Handsome young man. Is he a neighbor's boy?

Maximous · Post by **Maximous** » Sun Sep 26, 2004 7:50 am

god loves you Barch, always quick to the punch, I am stepping down from the challege of trying to get one up on you, you won again haha,

that is a pain-in-the-ASS-10

owwwch

Fixed the ubb code-HJ

AZS10Crew · Post by **AZS10Crew** » Sun Sep 26, 2004 5:10 pm

I already did this to my truck...like 2 weeks after I bought it.

I replaced the stock clear lenses with red ones. I can check and see what the part number is if you want. Just shoot me an e-mail. And changing them is more of a PITA than just taking apart the dash. My clear bulbs were somehow "glued" into the twist out sockets and I ended up having to break all the clear bulbs out with a pair of needle nosed pliers. Just be careful not to tear them apart too much that you don't leave the wires in the socket. I'll try to get a pic posted of what they look like later tonight too.

barch97 · Post by **barch97** » Mon Sep 27, 2004 5:46 am

Maximous wrote:god loves you Barch, always quick to the punch, I am stepping down from the challege of trying to get one up on you, you won again haha,

This is not a competition. Only an exhibition. Please, no wagering.

Pauleo · Post by **Pauleo** » Mon Sep 27, 2004 11:38 am

Hey, thanks all. I heard that the bulbs are attached permanantly to the sockets and I know now that I can but those sockets and bulbs at an Advanced or something. They are just a buck or so for the sockets and about the same for the bulbs. What I also learned is that a company makes little "rubbers" that will fit those tiny bulbs. They come in alot of colors and supposedly just slip right over the exsisting bulbs. I would probably just try that if I can find them.

Mark, those pics would be GREAT if it's not too much trouble. I would like to know what I'm getting myself into. I'm not all that mechanically inclined!!!!!

AZS10Crew · Post by **AZS10Crew** » Mon Sep 27, 2004 5:34 pm

Pauleo wrote:Mark, those pics would be GREAT if it's not too much trouble. I would like to know what I'm getting myself into. I'm not all that mechanically inclined!!!!!

I wouldn't recommend the covers. The won't last long-term and they might end up giving you kind of a pinkish color too. Your best bet is to find some bulbs that are red glass, not red dyed or painted glass. Thopse will be the truest color and longest lasting.

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Mon Sep 27, 2004 5:40 pm

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, the infamous 1/4 tank of gas

2bunik · Post by **2bunik** » Tue Sep 28, 2004 9:01 pm

oooooooohhhhhhhhhh looks good .. matches the color of my pickup too.... P###s

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Wed Sep 29, 2004 3:09 am

Actually the red matches and is helpful keeping your night vision until you meet the next person with his/her brights on.

Pauleo · Post by **Pauleo** » Wed Sep 29, 2004 5:57 am

Hey Mark! So how many bulbs and sockets do I need to buy to do the whole dash that way? Also, I read somewhere that you can paint the gauge needles. i think it would be cool to have the red lights and then put chrome vinyl over the needles!

Are they accessable when I go through the light process?

I laid the chrome vinyl over my s-10 emblems and bowties already. I got the vinyl from a sign company down the street. They use it for making exterior sign lettering so it should hold up. Best of all, IT WAS A FREEBEE!!!!!!!

They just GAVE me a piece big enough to do the job. It wasn't a HUGE difference in the look of my CC, but hey, I like it! I'll try and post a pic of that if anyone is interested.

Justin · Post by **Justin** » Wed Sep 29, 2004 7:53 am

I bet you lasted 10 miles from the 1/4 to the fule low sign

Post by **Walt** » Wed Sep 29, 2004 8:45 am

I bet $10 that he lasted 15 miles

AZS10Crew · Post by **AZS10Crew** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 5:23 pm

Pauleo wrote:Hey Mark! So how many bulbs and sockets do I need to buy to do the whole dash that way? Also, I read somewhere that you can paint the gauge needles. i think it would be cool to have the red lights and then put chrome vinyl over the needles! Are they accessable when I go through the light process?

I laid the chrome vinyl over my s-10 emblems and bowties already. I got the vinyl from a sign company down the street. They use it for making exterior sign lettering so it should hold up. Best of all, IT WAS A FREEBEE!!!!!!! They just GAVE me a piece big enough to do the job. It wasn't a HUGE difference in the look of my CC, but hey, I like it! I'll try and post a pic of that if anyone is interested.

It's either 6 or 8 bulbs...can't remember which. And I don't feel like pulling the dash apart.

Never heard about painting the gauge needles. They are accessible when you remove the cluster for the lightbulb change though. Just take off the bezel/front glass piece and you have access to the needles.

Oh yeah...I actually had 3/4 tank...I just turned the truck on...didn't start it.

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 5:32 pm

Please accept my apologies AZ5

AZS10Crew · Post by **AZS10Crew** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 5:47 pm

f9k9 wrote:Please accept my apologies AZ5

No need to apologize...I've been nearly burned by the "1/4 tank/nearly empty tank" thing several times.

Pauleo · Post by **Pauleo** » Tue Oct 05, 2004 3:21 pm

Alright! So I finally got the bulbs done! I tried to change the sockets too since the bulbs were such a PITA. Well, they didn't work for some reason. So after two trips to the local parts place, a bit of cursing, and a little TOO much time, I got-er-dun! I painted the needles red also. Broke the clear gauge cluster cover. But the needles look SWEET!

Now I'd like to change the hvac control panel and the headlight control panel to red bulbs too. Got any suggestions on how? I tried to fool with it a bit but I thought I'd better stop and ask you guys first. Again, I'm not all that mechanically inclined and I'd rather not break anything else!!!!

2bunik · Post by **2bunik** » Tue Oct 05, 2004 6:50 pm

I should have warned you about breaking that. I actually posted here a topic on " bad guage bezel install" It was a PITA to get the glear plastic off and then to reinstall was even harder... I dont recommend it... however someone said they just let theirs off and it looks and works better without it..

2bunik · Post by **2bunik** » Tue Oct 05, 2004 6:51 pm

oh yeah .. how many light bulbs were back there and also what type did u get,, part # or pic would work..

Pauleo · Post by **Pauleo** » Wed Oct 06, 2004 5:53 am

Yeah. I just left the plastic off. Don't plan to replace it. It looks just fine or better without it. Here's a tidbit of information for ya! As I said above, I painted my gauge needles. The next day when I drove to work, none of the needles responded. I thought,

"Oh great! Now what did I do wrong?!" Turns out all was fine. The paint was a little tacky and it stuck to the little rest posts. I just gave them each a nudge and they popped back. So if you paint your needles, let them dry with the cluster OUT of the truck. It could have been worse for me if the paint ran down too much and got really stuck!!!!

OK.....enough ranting. There were six bulbs back there. (Not including turn signal arrows, ect. Didn't change those.) The little grey sockets just twist out. No wires on them. The factory bulbs WILL come out with alot of coaxing. There is a small hole in the bottom of the socket. I shoved a small nail through and that helped pop most of them out. I wouldn't recomend buying new sockets as the ones I got didn't work for some reason. The bulb numbers are 194 I think. It's printed on the side of the sockets anyway. I had to bend the wires down on the new bulbs so that would make contact. They were the right number bulb but wouldn't just plug in and work. As for the clear cluster cover, if I would have taken the time to unplug the wiring harness, I wouldn't have busted it. Always in a hurry.

I wish I would have taken pics to post for you. Next project I tackle, I will remember to do that!

Maximous · Post by **Maximous** » Wed Oct 06, 2004 8:08 am

jump start your antenna, this will also let you slide that hypertech in there, then just buy some new fuses, if anybody ever tries this and you don't like the result, don't blme me, i am just saying this will work, i am in no way telling you to do this, i just happen to know that it is the easy way to turn off an alarm, it is really hard to steal (repo) cr if he lights are flasing and the siren is screaming, not a good combo

this will help here to, it will give you a reason to change tose little bulbs

2bunik · Post by **2bunik** » Thu Oct 07, 2004 10:36 pm

OR you can put foilpaper for fuses...

thanks for the info ..

Post by **Walt** » Fri Oct 08, 2004 6:33 am

Pauleo wrote:What I also learned is that a company makes little "rubbers" that will fit those tiny bulbs. They come in alot of colors and supposedly just slip right over the exsisting bulbs. I would probably just try that if I can find them.

Mouse Condoms!!!!

AZS10Crew · Post by **AZS10Crew** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 3:27 pm

I don't know of any bulbs that will replace the HVAC controls. Maybe some ricer stores will have some LED's that will work. Maybe take one out and head to your local ricer store.