Interior Lighting - As requested...

[flangermog]

OK here goes, as best I can remember. I've done some diagrams and pictures too!

1. Remove A-pillar trim, instrument cluster and side of dash (by drivers door), loosen headlining (no need to completely remove)

2. Join wire to instrument light wire (+ve) (before rheostat if using LED, after rheostat if using ordinary bulb)

3. Run wire behind instrument cluster, out the side and up behind A-pillar trim (there are little catches you can put the wire behind to hold in place)

4. Continue with wire above headlining to centre (center).

At this point you have a serious choice to make, you can either bore a hole in the headlining and mount your LED/bulb behind but you will need to enclose the light
to stop the light leaking to anywhere else. Personally I would only do this if you are criminally insane as the thought of drilling a hole in my Porsche makes me twitch violently!
OR
IF, like me, you value the interior of your car, fashion a small tube and attach to the very top of the windscreen (see pic). The tube is important so that you don't actually see
the light itself, just the glow. This is a better method (there are pictures on how to do this) because you don't wreck your car, the light is adjustable (can be used for map reading)
also non-permanent!

I used bits that I had lying around my toolbox but you can get all these bits for maybe a dollar (US) or two from somewhere like Radio Shack (US) or Tandy (UK). If you opt for a white LED as I did, be prepared to be told they don't exist (they do, I have several) or they will be expensive, should you come across this, amber will do just as well but won't match your dash lights.


5. Attach the +ve wire to the LED and run a short wire to the -ve of the courtesy light casement (shorter wire makes easier and better earth).

6. Aim the light at the gearshift knob and switches, if the beam is too narrow, shorten the tube slightly.

7. Secure the light and test. I used a small foam sticky pad, like the ones you can get to fix license plates to the car, although I also made a small hinge so that I could adjust the direction of the light. If you choose to have a fixed light, you'll have to get the angle right at the back end of the small tube before you affix it.

8. Re-attach the trim and wait for nightfall...

9. turn on your lights and now you should be able to see the little buttons in front of the gear stick, as well as the gear stick.

Make sure the light isn't too bright or it will distract your driving, the point here is to have a soft glow around the centre of the car NOT to floodlight it!

It is surprisingly discreet, nobody who gets in my car ever notices it until I point it out.
Let me know how you get on....

Also, it's not come out too well, the white is much brighter in real life but the problems of photographing monochromatic light in the dark are great. I adjusted the contrast on this image so you get a better idea how it looks.



This is just straight replacement of ordinary bulbs with black-light bulbs. Very hard to find, my local autoshop found these for me. As an alternative you can get LED versions out of those little banknote reader torches, but you will have to step down the voltage to the instrument lights to do this which is risky business!!

[SoCal Driver]

Now THAT is a map light!

I just have the snake kind you plug into the cig lighter.

[ronin]

cool, you finally posted!

very, very nice. the light looks real good! I'm definitely going to give it a try. what did you use to make the hinge?

also, on the blacklight bulbs, the way the picture looks actually reminds me a bit of the current Merc S-class instrument lighting. is that close?

[afx]

Thats pretty cool. Do you have a model number for those black-light bulbs?

[flangermog]

RE: Hinge: sunglasses from a chunky pair of plastic 70's style glasses that were scratched (from falling on the floor of the car) i just used a soldering iron to melt off the bit I wanted and tightened the hinge screw so it wouldnt move too easily.
Can't really show a close up because its all shrouded in black vinyl now to match the car...

RE: S-Class: Dunno mate, never been in one, Mercs are old mans cars
Its kinda like inside one of those ghost train rides at the funfair, except its needles and numbers instead of skeletons... or like a night club you should stay well away from...

RE: Model Number: Don't have one, I'll ask next time I go to the shop but I suspect he made them using a violet acetate because the coating can scratch off quite easily and underneath is just a normal white bulb. You could probably do it yourself if you could get suitable translucent paint or acetate.

The guy at this shop is always doing mad things like this, I asked for the bulbs he said "leave it with me" and a week later there they were. He's even made a reverse parking sensor that will fit behind the bumper of any car - even a 944 - and beep when you get close to something. Hes also made washer jets that attach to the wiper itself and squirt as you wipe. Hes MAAAAD I tell you

I'm trying to convince him to do a website so I'll keep you posted...

[Brazzos]

Bump for good info.

[flangermog]

Could someone please, please educate me.

WTF does 'bump' mean? I see it all the time and have no idea...

Am I just an internet neanderthal?

[ronin]

bump? just a way of getting a thread to stay on the top of the list by posting so others will notice it . most people write "bump" to indicate that's why they posted even though they didn't say anything else

and btw, BUMP... (this is a worthwhile thread)

you're it

[Buddy]

Here's a place you can buy ready made led lamps that will replace the ones in your instrument panel.

http://www.superbrightleds.com/1157.htm

They also carry clusters that will replace your tail light lamps, blinkers lamps, etc.

[afx]

It doesn't look like any of those are a direct replacement for the 944 dash lights... too bad

[Buddy]

I thought the ones towards the bottom of the page were. Maybe wrong.

[rammstein]

I thought anything that was a replacement for 194 bulbs would work. I bet if I fixed the reflectors and put in red LED bulbs, it would make a nice, night-vision friendly cluster.