Dash Lighting

[jcluvsu]

I have looked through all the subjects and found nothing on this subject.

The dash lighting in my 62 GT is not very bright at night. They use the old 1445 bulbs that are only about 2 watts. I have tried another bulb (53) I think and the glass part is to long to fit and stay in the socket but is is alot brighter (about 4 watts). Has anyone found any LED replacements for these 1445 or a modification that would increase the brightness of these dash lights. The newer cars are much brighter and safer.

Any help on this matter would be very appreciated.

Tom

PS...my voltage are just great at idle. 13.5 VDC

[Farrier1951]

Well it doesn't look like there is any answer for your question yet huh? I have a 62 GT also and will keep watching to see if you get any help. What shape is you car in?
Jim

[Warren Webb]

I assuming you have checked out the dash light switch making sure its on the brightest (upper) position. Have you removed all the bulbs & cleaned them preferably with rubbing alcohol. The next step is taking all the guages apart & cleaning them good. This takes alot of time & one must be very careful since the tabs that retain the bezels are very delicate.

[Skybolt]

I swapped out all the dash bulbs in my 59 Lark with LED's. I got them from an eBay vendor. I also replaced the interior dome light, license plate lights, indicators, and stop lights. The only thing I did not change to LED's was the headlights but I did upgrade to halogens. If you need part numbers or vendors just let me know.

Now the plastic of the interior light will not be damaged by leaving the lights on. Other than the headlights being left on nothing should drain much from the battery.

[r1lark]

In addition to all the suggestions, here is another one specifically for Hawks. These cars will have more instrument light grounding issues than a sedan due to the fiberglass dash. You might try running dedicated ground wire from the metal gauge mouning areas to a good ground on the body. My first GT Hawk had what seemed to be an overheating problem, but only at night when the instrument lights were on. The instrument lights were apparently grounding thru the temp sender wire somehow, and the temp gauge would go up 20 degrees when the instrument lights were turned on. A dedicated ground wire attached to the metal 'box' that the temp gauge mounted into fixed the issue.

A quick check to see if this helps would be to use a wire with some alligator clips on it, clip to the metal metal portion of one of the gauge mounting 'boxes' or to the speedo, and the other end to a known good ground, and see if the lights get any brighter.

Another brainstorm idea......maybe the instrument light switch has high resistance? This could possibly make the instrument lights dimmer. A check for that would be to jumper out the switch using the same wire with alligator clips.

[41 Frank]

I changed my dash bulbs to #57's in my GT. Works for me.

[jackb]

another CASO move is to open up the gage boxes and paint them silver for reflective increase

[StudeRich]

Well I see what some of you are doing wrong, the 12V Instrument Bulbs are SUPPOSED to be #57 large, not #53 Small.

Skybolt; how did you get LED's to work, since they are directional, I sure would think that they won't light the whole inside of the Box, just shine a beam on the back of the gauge face.

You know when used for tail lights, they have to build a group of them angled all directions to make a legal tail light, otherwise they are like one of the silver projection screen TV's that you have to be looking 180 degrees from it to see the image.

[Chucks Stude]

I have been looking a lot, at LED's. There are some new ones coming on the market, in the color of "warm white". They do not have the blue cast that "white led's have. The only way to get them now are in 15 light strips. Way too long. Although you can cut them down. Extreme waste of money. These strips would work well in the small gauge housing, but not in the round gauges. Any ideas on them?

I have, also, lit up the spears on the top of the fenders, with led's. You do not have to drill the fenders or do any serious modifications. I took "amber" led strip lights, with the adhesive backing, and taped them under the plastic spear. You only need 3 leds, cut and discard the rest. Using a flat file, or a grinder, relieve the back of the spear, between the two screw holes. Run the two wires thru the back hole, on the spear, or down thru the stainless trim. I took the power for the lights from the back of the clock. But you can use whatever.

[jcluvsu]

I changed my dash bulbs to #57's in my GT. Works for me.

I did the #57 bulb change and it helped. Checked the ground and found the resistsnce a bit high (.5 ohms) so I added a short wire to ground and that also helped.(went down to .2 ohms) Not really into taking the dash apart and repainting for higher reflectability. So I'll have to be happy with that.

Thank you all for your good ideas

[Paul Keller]

Same problem w/ my "63 - Using #57 bulb now, but it tends to get the switch VERY hot in the "dim" position - And yes, there are two extra ground wires from the metal panel to the body (one each side). Also the clear (?) plastic surrounding the gage becomes discolored w/ age and yes ,it is a project to remove the plastic and replace, but it sure makes a diff. Also experimented w/ RED bulbs - They seemed to draw more power than equivalent clear - Maybe diff. manufactureres(?). Ended up using fingernail polish on a well cleaned clear bulb - works well and so far has not burned off (about one year).
Paul K