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  •  » LED Interior Lighting

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    1/12/2022 2:20 PM  #1

    Toploader
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    Registered: 4/15/2013
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    LED Interior Lighting

    I'm planning to upgrade my dash lights and courtesy lights to LED and wondered what others have done. Did you go with coloured bulbs? Does anyone have any feedback or can anyone recommend where to purchase?

    1964-1/2 D Code Coupe - 289 V8, 4 Speed Toploader, 3.00 ratio rear, Autolite 4100 Carb, 15" tires, Pertronix ignition
     

    1/12/2022 5:21 PM  #2

    Rudi
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    From: Stuck in the 50's Welland Ca
    Registered: 4/01/2013
    Posts: 3,785

    Re: LED Interior Lighting

    I did not convert my instrument bulbs to LED but all the interior lights are. At the time dimmable leds we’re not available for the gauges.
    I cut openings the door lowers for home made red and clear leds also made up led housings for amber hood signal lights as well as clear led strip driving lights under the fog lights in the grille.
    I sourced the lights from various places, Amazon and local auto accessory shops.

    Good work ain't cheap, Cheap work ain't good!   Simple Man
     

    1/12/2022 7:50 PM  #3

    HudginJ3
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    From: Cedar Hill, TX
    Registered: 4/29/2015
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    Re: LED Interior Lighting

    I did it to my 70 because I couldn't see the panel. The LED's made a big difference. I didn't change out the turn signal bulbs or the Hi beam bulb to leave some resistance. I had read that I needed to do that.

    70, ragtop 351W/416 stroker Edel Performer heads w pro flow 4, Comp roller 35-421-8. T5
     

    1/12/2022 8:27 PM  #4

    Toploader
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    Re: LED Interior Lighting

    Did you guys use coloured LEDs?
    I was thinking LEDs for the instrument cluster, two courtesy lights and the one console light.
    If you can post some pictures with the lights on, that would be great.

    1964-1/2 D Code Coupe - 289 V8, 4 Speed Toploader, 3.00 ratio rear, Autolite 4100 Carb, 15" tires, Pertronix ignition
       •Thread Starter
     

    1/12/2022 8:40 PM  #5

    josh-kebob
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    From: Madison, AL
    Registered: 4/06/2013
    Posts: 2,902

    Re: LED Interior Lighting

    I used blue led's in my 66 instrument cluster. They are dimmable and I don't like the blue.
    If I were to do it again, they'd be bright white....

    I don't have pics to post...sorry

     

    1/13/2022 1:50 AM  #6

    Jeff in GA
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    From: San Luis Obispo, CA
    Registered: 4/01/2013
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    Re: LED Interior Lighting

    I used the white bulb in the dash and let the instrument housing and bezel set the colors. I did, however, end up keeping the incandescent courtesy lights below the dash and below the quarter-vents. I wasn't feeling the 'hospital' feel that the LED courtesy lights gave off.

    1965 Mustang 2+2 EFI
     

    1/13/2022 9:44 AM  #7

    red351
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    From: Cumminstown PA
    Registered: 5/31/2018
    Posts: 445

    Re: LED Interior Lighting

    I used the so called warm white LED on the 72 instrument housing. They were so bright that I could still use the original blue diffuser for factory look. Big improvement.
    Someday I will remember where I ordered them from.

    Last edited by red351 (1/13/2022 9:47 AM)

     

    1/13/2022 11:35 AM  #8

    Rudi
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    From: Stuck in the 50's Welland Ca
    Registered: 4/01/2013
    Posts: 3,785

    Re: LED Interior Lighting

    Some of my LED mods.
    These are some LED's from Amazon




    Interior light

     LED strip lights from Amazon Front , rear console and DRL


    Good work ain't cheap, Cheap work ain't good!   Simple Man
     

    1/13/2022 1:22 PM  #9

    BobE
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    From: White Plains, NY
    Registered: 4/04/2013
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    Re: LED Interior Lighting

    I purchased LEDs from "Super Bright LEDs".  The dash bulbs are green, with a red for the high beam indicator. I also changed the front turn signal w/amber LEDs, the rear run/brake w/red LEDs, and the back up lamps w/clear LEDs.
    I replaced the original under-dash interior lamps w/”Accent” LEDs from "Haywire"; these replaced the original lamp sockets also.  Note: This was primarily to eliminate me touching the ‘hot’ original bulbs when working under the dash with the doors open.
    Almost forgot, I installed a rope LED in the trunk, I think it was 6' long and it wrapped around three sides of the trunk.
     

    Last edited by BobE (1/13/2022 1:26 PM)

    65 Fastback, 351W, 5-speed, 4 wheel discs, 9" rear,  R&C Front End.
     

    1/13/2022 5:57 PM  #10

    MS
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    From: Canyon Lake, Texas
    Registered: 1/24/2013
    Posts: 11,731

    Re: LED Interior Lighting

    Ramses used the strips having an LED every inch or so, and mounted the strips around the perimeter of a 66 dash, rather than individual bulbs.  Worked great.

    Money you enjoy wasting is NOT wasted money... unless your wife finds out.
     

    1/13/2022 6:21 PM  #11

    BillyC
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    From: Chesapeake, Va.
    Registered: 4/02/2013
    Posts: 965

    Re: LED Interior Lighting

    I have one LED on the interior of my 66. It’s a flashing red one that reminds me the E brake is set.



     

    "anyone that stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty"Henry Ford
     

    1/14/2022 2:36 AM  #12

    Muzz 66
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    From: Madera, California
    Registered: 4/01/2013
    Posts: 414

    Re: LED Interior Lighting

    Hipoparts.com  has a set of dash lights which are done in a beautiful factory aqua color. These are nice. There is limited dimmability in the two of the three sets available.  I have them.  They are nice.
    I tried some other company’s attempt at aqua dash lights and they put yellow and blue LEDs next to each other with no real success.  The colors did not blend very well.  Give the hipo’s a look.

    '66 Fastback since July 27, 1981. Springtime Yellow, originally a 200 cu in, 4 speed. Also a '92 LX Coupe, 5.0, 5 speed.
     

    1/14/2022 3:28 AM  #13

    50vert
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    From: QLD Australia
    Registered: 4/01/2013
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    Re: LED Interior Lighting

    Vintage Leds now does a dome light. I'm sure it's as good as the rest of his stuff. I'd have one if either of my cars had a dome light. Check out the pics.
    https://www.vintageleds.com/store/p42/64-70_Mustang_Dome_Light.html
    Be quick, only 4 left. 
     

    Last edited by 50vert (1/14/2022 3:33 AM)

    "Those telephone poles were like a picket fence"
     

    1/14/2022 6:52 AM  #14

    Toploader
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    Re: LED Interior Lighting

    Thanks everyone!
    The hipoparts store look like they have good selections.
    Based on that site's information, I will go with the factory color LEDs for the instrument cluster and rally pac. For the courtesy lights, I think maybe the white light LED?
    I think that's the way to go?
    The hipoparts site offer three options with the bulbs at varying prices. Does anyone know what these options mean?

    1964-1/2 D Code Coupe - 289 V8, 4 Speed Toploader, 3.00 ratio rear, Autolite 4100 Carb, 15" tires, Pertronix ignition
       •Thread Starter
     

    1/15/2022 9:14 PM  #15

    HudginJ3
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    From: Cedar Hill, TX
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    Re: LED Interior Lighting

    Toploader wrote:

    Did you guys use coloured LEDs?
    I was thinking LEDs for the instrument cluster, two courtesy lights and the one console light.
    If you can post some pictures with the lights on, that would be great.

    I went out to take a picture and none of them work except two. GREAT!   I bought new diffusers for all of them because the old ones were melted pretty bad.  Sorry bout that.

    70, ragtop 351W/416 stroker Edel Performer heads w pro flow 4, Comp roller 35-421-8. T5
     

    1/16/2022 10:06 AM  #16

    BobE
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    From: White Plains, NY
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    Re: LED Interior Lighting

    HudginJ3 wrote:

    Toploader wrote:

    Did you guys use coloured LEDs?
    I was thinking LEDs for the instrument cluster, two courtesy lights and the one console light.
    If you can post some pictures with the lights on, that would be great.

    I went out to take a picture and none of them work except two. GREAT!   I bought new diffusers for all of them because the old ones were melted pretty bad.  Sorry bout that.

    Were these replacement LEDs for 194 bulbs that plug into a circuit board rather having individual lamp sockets?
     

    65 Fastback, 351W, 5-speed, 4 wheel discs, 9" rear,  R&C Front End.
     

    1/16/2022 10:08 PM  #17

    HudginJ3
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    From: Cedar Hill, TX
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    Re: LED Interior Lighting

    Yes,  they replaced the 194's. They only work one way. You have to make sure not to mix up the + side of the bulb with the - . They wont work if they are backwards. I tried to look up when I installed them, I couldn't find any record of it. I havent driven my car hardly at all since the bash, so I thought the battery was low but charging it didn't make them come back on.

    70, ragtop 351W/416 stroker Edel Performer heads w pro flow 4, Comp roller 35-421-8. T5
     

    1/17/2022 11:06 AM  #18

    BobE
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    From: White Plains, NY
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    Re: LED Interior Lighting

    HudginJ3 wrote:

    Yes,  they replaced the 194's. They only work one way. You have to make sure not to mix up the + side of the bulb with the - . They wont work if they are backwards. I tried to look up when I installed them, I couldn't find any record of it. I havent driven my car hardly at all since the bash, so I thought the battery was low but charging it didn't make them come back on.

    Well, at least you know the fix. 
     

    65 Fastback, 351W, 5-speed, 4 wheel discs, 9" rear,  R&C Front End.
     

    1/17/2022 12:39 PM  #19

    Rufus68
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    From: Knoxville, TN
    Registered: 4/26/2017
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    Re: LED Interior Lighting

    The 194 bulbs can be inserted in either direction.  This is because the pair of wires on each side of the bulb are reversed so that when looking at either side, the + and - will always be the same.  This means that the polarity of a 194 LED bulb and the polarity of the 194 socket must match.  So it is the socket that has to be wired correctly then the bulb will always work.

    1968 T-code Coupe with a 302.  Nice car, no show stopper for sure, but I like it.
     

    1/18/2022 3:32 PM  #20

    Muzz 66
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    From: Madera, California
    Registered: 4/01/2013
    Posts: 414

    Re: LED Interior Lighting

    Toploader wrote:

    Thanks everyone!
    The hipoparts store look like they have good selections.
    Based on that site's information, I will go with the factory color LEDs for the instrument cluster and rally pac. For the courtesy lights, I think maybe the white light LED?
    I think that's the way to go?
    The hipoparts site offer three options with the bulbs at varying prices. Does anyone know what these options mean?

    The three options for the dash lights are basically brightness and cost. I got the most expensive and brightest and was not disappointed.  It will dim “a little.”  Apparently with LEDs there needs to be an incandescent bulb or two somewhere in the circuit to allow the voltage to dim enough to affect the LEDs. I’ve been thinking about tweaking with that idea to get more dimmability but that’s down on the list.

    '66 Fastback since July 27, 1981. Springtime Yellow, originally a 200 cu in, 4 speed. Also a '92 LX Coupe, 5.0, 5 speed.
     

    1/21/2022 10:09 PM  #21

    Toploader
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    Re: LED Interior Lighting

    I just replaced the instrument cluster bulbs with LED.
    I kept the original bulbs for the generator light, oil light, turn signal light and high beam light.
    Strangely, the original bulbs were far brighter in those applications.
    With the Scott Drake rallypac, I discovered these bulbs are different. They are very small and a push in type. Does anyone have a part number for these? I want to swap these for blue ones to match the instrument cluster.

    1964-1/2 D Code Coupe - 289 V8, 4 Speed Toploader, 3.00 ratio rear, Autolite 4100 Carb, 15" tires, Pertronix ignition
       •Thread Starter
     

    1/22/2022 6:26 AM  #22

    Toploader
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    Re: LED Interior Lighting

    1964-1/2 D Code Coupe - 289 V8, 4 Speed Toploader, 3.00 ratio rear, Autolite 4100 Carb, 15" tires, Pertronix ignition
       •Thread Starter
     

    1/22/2022 11:49 AM  #23

    BobE
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    From: White Plains, NY
    Registered: 4/04/2013
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    Re: LED Interior Lighting

    Toploader wrote:

    I just replaced the instrument cluster bulbs with LED.
    I kept the original bulbs for the generator light, oil light, turn signal light and high beam light.
    Strangely, the original bulbs were far brighter in those applications.
    With the Scott Drake rallypac, I discovered these bulbs are different. They are very small and a push in type. Does anyone have a part number for these? I want to swap these for blue ones to match the instrument cluster.

    Suggest calling "SuperBrightLEDs", they helped me get a LED replacement bulb to fit my 50 year-old Sun Tach.  The LED bulb listed as a replacement on there website was too long to fit, they helped me get a different bulb that was shorter, but with the same base that worked. 
     

    65 Fastback, 351W, 5-speed, 4 wheel discs, 9" rear,  R&C Front End.
     

    1/28/2022 5:37 AM  #24

    Toploader
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    Re: LED Interior Lighting

    I'm working my way through the interior with LED replacements. Here is a photo of the driver's side courtesy bulb being swapped over to LED. The passenger side still has the original globe type.
    The original globe type courtesy bulbs would get so hot. I remember burning myself on them a few times.

    1964-1/2 D Code Coupe - 289 V8, 4 Speed Toploader, 3.00 ratio rear, Autolite 4100 Carb, 15" tires, Pertronix ignition
       •Thread Starter
     

    1/30/2022 2:58 PM  #25

    Toploader
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    Re: LED Interior Lighting

    I finally got the rally pac bulbs swapped over and the instruments are all matching.
    The tachometer seems to be the brightest, but I can live with that.

    free picture upload

    1964-1/2 D Code Coupe - 289 V8, 4 Speed Toploader, 3.00 ratio rear, Autolite 4100 Carb, 15" tires, Pertronix ignition
       •Thread Starter
     

     

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