White LED dash gauge illumination photos

[Rusty Heap]

Finally got around to replacing my 911 dash gauge lights with some slick LED bulbs I got off ebay for $25 for a set of 8 direct replacement LED bulbs.

They provide a NICE white light instead of the vintage dingy yellow look, about the same brightness, maybe just a tad bit dimmer but the white look really makes the gauge face letters and numbers jump out at you more. I like the look and a cheap good mod at $25. They work fine with the dash dimmer too, they don't dim, but you don't need to bypass anything, just plug the bulbs in and play.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Porsche-bayonet-LEDs-for-914-911-912-930-WHITE-8-pcs_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33713QQihZ004QQitem Z140140838903QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

[jtfreels]

The after looks great, you can see the whole gauge!
Can you do a bit of a writeup on how you went about making the change?

Thanks

Jay

[Porsche_monkey]

These must be available somewhere else, no?

[porschefool]

Exhaustive thread here:
What is the best way to increase brightness in gauges?

[Rusty Heap]

Yup, I'd read the whole exhaustive thread a while back, but I just wanted to cover the LED bulb swap out and not all the other solder up your own bulbs topics.

I see these guys have the same bulbs for $.89 cents each, the BA7 in white LED if they're the same bulbs.

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/commerce.cgi?product=755

I don't care if I paid too much at $21 for 8 bulbs, paypal is too easy on ebay to fuss with other sources sometimes.

Other than the tach, all the other gauges popped out real easy and the total bulb swap might of taken 1/2 hour max.

[SCWDP911]

When we discussed the use of LED's before, those that had tried them said that the light was too focused. It might just be your pictures, but it sort of looks that way to me with the ones you used as well. Not picking mind you... I say whatever floats your boat... Like the top of your tach looks like it is dimmer than the sides in your pic. Is that true, or just the picture doing an injustice?

[DaddyGlenn]

Looks great. Glad to see someone else has twisted their speedo, too.

[kplackmeyer]

Originally Posted by DaddyGlenn

Looks great. Glad to see someone else has twisted their speedo, too.

A quick question...I understand the idea of twisting the Tach...I do that sometimes when I am driving the twisties.
But what is the advantage of twisting the speedo?

(sorry to get off topic.)

[porschefool]

I replaced all my old bulbs, and it looks a bit brighter.
I'd love to try the LED route, and for a lousy .89 per bulb, why not?
I, too, wonder if it leaves "hot spots", though....

[porschefool]

Twisting your gauges, especially with an aftermarket (usually slighly smaller) wheel, brings the useful range into view. I could only see from 0-40 mph without moving my head, and I only wanted to see 50-90 real well.
I turned mine so that when I'm going 60, with the tach at about 3K in 5th, the needles both sit "level" with the ground. Great way to peripherally check, and make sure that speed isn't creeping up too much (at least not past 90, where the $#!?!! wheel blocks it again!

Plus it looks cool and racecar-ey

[kplackmeyer]

Originally Posted by porschefool

I, too, wonder if it leaves "hot spots", though....

I wonder if the hotspots would really be any worse than the normal incandescent bulbs? I can hardly see the top of my tach at night....

[kplackmeyer]

Originally Posted by porschefool

Twisting your gauges, especially with an aftermarket (usually slighly smaller) wheel, brings the useful range into view. I could only see from 0-40 mph without moving my head, and I only wanted to see 50-90 real well.
I turned mine so that when I'm going 60, with the tach at about 3K in 5th, the needles both sit "level" with the ground. Great way to peripherally check, and make sure that speed isn't creeping up too much (at least not past 90, where the $#!?!! wheel blocks it again!

Plus it looks cool and racecar-ey

AHHHH....that makes sense. I usually twist the tach so redline is straight up, but like the speedo idea.

[Rusty Heap]

I recommend the LED's just for the white look, over the yellow look, no it's not brighter, and its about the same light coverage as the bulbs, no real "hot spots" but you still have dead zones like the stock bulbs.

Something real easy to try, and if you don't like the mod you can easily swap it back!

Yup too on the speedo twist, with my momo steering wheel and the 0 mph straight down, I can clearly see 0 - 100 mph, in white light now too!

[Michel J]

I am in agreement with Dave. I replaced my gage bulbs with the blueish LED replacements and could not be happier.

I did read a bunch of those of threads generally not recommending them and do not understand that. The blueish light also of adds a bit of a modern look too.

Just my opinion.


Michel

[RSBob]

Just purchased a set for the 914. If they work out well, another will be on order for the 9 one one.

[khamul02]

Originally Posted by Rusty Heap

Yup, I'd read the whole exhaustive thread a while back, but I just wanted to cover the LED bulb swap out and not all the other solder up your own bulbs topics.

I see these guys have the same bulbs for $.89 cents each, the BA7 in white LED if they're the same bulbs.

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/commerce.cgi?product=755

I don't care if I paid too much at $21 for 8 bulbs, paypal is too easy on ebay to fuss with other sources sometimes.

Other than the tach, all the other gauges popped out real easy and the total bulb swap might of taken 1/2 hour max.

ordered

[jclporsche]

Not to hijack thread, but in a similar light I've been thinking about replacing my 'in the way' 3rd brake light (stuck to the top rear windshield) with some LEDs placed inside the vent slots above the rear window. Anyone here ever done that? Could be wired for braking (all on) or additional turn signals ( just l or r section).

[khamul02]

Ok this picture is horrible but it gives you an idea about white faces and white leds. Although the photo isn't much good I highly recommend the leds on the white faces. As much of a purist as I am, I think this really helps the low lit stock dash lights which to me have been a problem even after new bulbs and terminal clean up. This was a 10 minute fix. Finally something easy

[FinallyGotOne]

those look great! looks like I have one more project to get started on... thanks for the pix

[DaddyGlenn]

Originally Posted by jclporsche

Not to hijack thread, but in a similar light I've been thinking about replacing my 'in the way' 3rd brake light (stuck to the top rear windshield) with some LEDs placed inside the vent slots above the rear window. Anyone here ever done that? Could be wired for braking (all on) or additional turn signals ( just l or r section).

I ran across that in another light thread somewhere. Looked very cool. Do a search, it is out there.