Adding LED lights to the instrument bezel.

[scitzz]

So, Kermit belongs to Smedley, the hostess of Festiva Madness. Her one car Lucky has this upgrade that Karttacer installed. She wanted it on Green for Kermit, so I did it tonight.

Kermit looks blue in this pic for some reason, probably stupid phone.



Bought these lights at Advanced Auto ~15 bucks



Unlit.



Lit.



Used just one strip, comes with 3M backing tape.




Took off this screw...


Then this one.



Pulled that panel up, installed (glued) the strip in place.



Was able to sneak the wire through without any cutting or drilling.



Ran it like the stock wiring, stripped the wire back a little, loosened the stock screws a little, wrapped the wire around the screws, tightened them down, then insulated it all with hot glue (Handy.)



Installed the bezel back into the car, here it is dimmed all the way...



Which is how I have to use it to keep from being blinded, and here it is set to brightest.



Quick and easy mod, took about an hour, including shooting the breeze with Smedley, and watching a little of UNC kicking Pitts butt on the TV.

[jawja jim]

Nice job I put LEDs in the regular sockets on the light bar, and all bulb holders in the tach cluster(except the "brake" light won't work with LED) and in the heater control. I like them except for the light bar not dimming as much as I would like. I notice there is a cloth or something laying in the bottom of the speedo. Does that lessen the light reflected onto the windshield? That has always bugged me even with the incandescent bulbs.

[scitzz]

That is just decoration. On the light bar, where I mounted the strip, you can pull that plate up, and see the white lights where they come through, that plate changes them to green. I am going to mount the other strip that came in the box there to dim them some more. This mod is too bright for me this way, but just right for Smedley.

[TominMO]

Good job and a good tutorial! Thanks.