Dash lights, roof light and 2 neons

[jiff]

Ok #1 i want to change the dash lights (speedo etc) from the standard green to red is this possible? If so is it hard to do or should i get a sparky to help me out.
#2 The roof light i also wanted to change to red can you buy red bulbs or would i have to do something to the plastic cover? I was thinking about just doing a simple thin layer of paint but thought that may block out a fair bit of the light so any help with that?
And #3 i want to hook up 2 neons just above the driver and passengers feet once again is this a big job or leave it to the sparkies.

Thanks in advance.

[SweetWagon]

Ok #1 i want to change the dash lights (speedo etc) from the standard green to red is this possible? If so is it hard to do or should i get a sparky to help me out.
#2 The roof light i also wanted to change to red can you buy red bulbs or would i have to do something to the plastic cover? I was thinking about just doing a simple thin layer of paint but thought that may block out a fair bit of the light so any help with that?
And #3 i want to hook up 2 neons just above the driver and passengers feet once again is this a big job or leave it to the sparkies.

Thanks in advance.

Everything you mentioned is possible to acheive yourself, you will need some soldering and electrical skills.
Changing the dash lighting is a process of removing the cluster and changing the bulbs to red LED's. there are numerous threads on here so it would be a good idea to search and have a read. Generally you will need more LED's to evenly disperse the light and avoid hotspots. the green backing has to be scrapped off to allow the red to penetrate.
The roof light i think Jaycar sell replacement LED's to fit the globe holder, else you can solder your own LED's in there. I have also seen clear covers on ebay you could paint
Footwell lighting you can buy LED or neon strips from jaycar, autobarn, ebay etc. I simply tapped mine into the interior light circuit so they work with the door open.

[kopper69]

vn6pwr has done a great job explaining it, but ill just add a couple of points.

The interior light being red - Ok in principal, but when you try it you will be disappointed. The reason being it makes it just too hard to see anything. Im sure you can get coloured interior lights off ebay, I got a blue. Put it in and could hardly see. It only used about 4 leds, but even with more leds I dont think it would have helped. The brightness wasnt a problem, but the colour just didnt work. I put in a white led with about 8 leds and was much happier.

Interior neons, nice and easy, will just take a bit of time and patients. You can come on here and ask as many Q's as you like, take pics if you need. If you dont have a soldering iron I would recommend you just stay with crimp connectors. They cheap, easy and if done properly, reliable. You can pick up packs of 50 crimps for something like $5 from dicky smith and get yourself a ratchet crimper. Will cost something like $45 but will make a perfect crimp for you everytime.

The only one that you may need help with is the dash. If you plan to use leds, you will definitely need a soldering iron, solder etc. Space is tight and parts are bit small. You could do it, but would really help if you had a mate at tafe or something that knew how to solder and had a bit of the stuff. As vn6pwr said, there is still a coloured lens that the light shines through. For the instrument cluster you might find it easier and more effective to replace the fascia. There was a member selling them on here but there are also a few guys on ebay. You can redesign the appearance and colour. Will probably cost a little bit more but is going to be easier. Here is one example off ebay:

WHITE DIALS Holden VR VS Commodore level 3 tacho gauge - eBay VN, VP, VR, VS, Holden, Car Parts, Cars, Bikes, Boats. (end time 18-Jan-08 20:26:55 AEDST)

Good luck and remember to get some pics up if you do go ahead with it.

[jiff]

Ok thanks heaps guys you have really helped me a lot.

kopper69 - thanks for the ebay link but that wont fit my car it sais VR but mine is a lot diferent.

Now about the neons you wouldn't know of a guide to wiring it up would you? If so that be so handy. I would like to have it so they turn on when i open the door.

as for the roof light i just want it done for looks more than anything as i'm going for the whole red them as you may have noticed so ill have a look around for some colour ones.

Thanks again guys.

[SweetWagon]

Ok thanks heaps guys you have really helped me a lot.

kopper69 - thanks for the ebay link but that wont fit my car it sais VR but mine is a lot diferent.

Now about the neons you wouldn't know of a guide to wiring it up would you? If so that be so handy. I would like to have it so they turn on when i open the door.

as for the roof light i just want it done for looks more than anything as i'm going for the whole red them as you may have noticed so ill have a look around for some colour ones.

Thanks again guys.

Keep looking on ebay, theres bound be to one made to suit yours, but you may have to get it customised to all red numbering etc..

When i did my footwell lighting i just traced the wire from the interior light down the drivers side a-pillar (comes out above the bonnet popper) there should be a wiring connector above the accelerator pedal (above black trim), find out which wire has constant +12v then splice and solder the (+)wire of the neon/leds to it, then splice the (-) to the other which is the switched earth, you may place an inline fuse on the positve wire but not essential as its already fused.

i just used speaker wire to extend it to where i placed mine but it is not ideal just make sure its the same size gauge or thicker than what it comes with, as Kopper said you can use crimp connectors but solder the joins if possible and make sure you insulate with electrical tape or heatshrink.

[VZTHUNDER]

Everything you mentioned is possible to acheive yourself, you will need some soldering and electrical skills.
Changing the dash lighting is a process of removing the cluster and changing the bulbs to red LED's. there are numerous threads on here so it would be a good idea to search and have a read. Generally you will need more LED's to evenly disperse the light and avoid hotspots. the green backing has to be scrapped off to allow the red to penetrate.
The roof light i think Jaycar sell replacement LED's to fit the globe holder, else you can solder your own LED's in there. I have also seen clear covers on ebay you could paint
Footwell lighting you can buy LED or neon strips from jaycar, autobarn, ebay etc. I simply tapped mine into the interior light circuit so they work with the door open.

the green backing does not have to be scraped off
this helps in causing hotspots
i have done mine in blue and the green backing is in tact

[VZTHUNDER]

vn6pwr has done a great job explaining it, but ill just add a couple of points.

The interior light being red - Ok in principal, but when you try it you will be disappointed. The reason being it makes it just too hard to see anything. Im sure you can get coloured interior lights off ebay, I got a blue. Put it in and could hardly see. It only used about 4 leds, but even with more leds I dont think it would have helped. The brightness wasnt a problem, but the colour just didnt work. I put in a white led with about 8 leds and was much happier.

Interior neons, nice and easy, will just take a bit of time and patients. You can come on here and ask as many Q's as you like, take pics if you need. If you dont have a soldering iron I would recommend you just stay with crimp connectors. They cheap, easy and if done properly, reliable. You can pick up packs of 50 crimps for something like $5 from dicky smith and get yourself a ratchet crimper. Will cost something like $45 but will make a perfect crimp for you everytime.

The only one that you may need help with is the dash. If you plan to use leds, you will definitely need a soldering iron, solder etc. Space is tight and parts are bit small. You could do it, but would really help if you had a mate at tafe or something that knew how to solder and had a bit of the stuff. As vn6pwr said, there is still a coloured lens that the light shines through. For the instrument cluster you might find it easier and more effective to replace the fascia. There was a member selling them on here but there are also a few guys on ebay. You can redesign the appearance and colour. Will probably cost a little bit more but is going to be easier. Here is one example off ebay:

WHITE DIALS Holden VR VS Commodore level 3 tacho gauge - eBay VN, VP, VR, VS, Holden, Car Parts, Cars, Bikes, Boats. (end time 18-Jan-08 20:26:55 AEDST)

Good luck and remember to get some pics up if you do go ahead with it.

your stock lense will work
the light is bright enough to shine throu the lense the same colour
look at mine in my my ride page. my lense is untouched and it looks fine

[1991_Vn2nV]

As said the green backing does not need to be touched.

[SweetWagon]

As said the green backing does not need to be touched.

But has anyone tried getting RED through the green backing? I know most people dont remove it and it looks fine with the blue LED conversions but red may produce a different effect..?

[VZTHUNDER]

the red is exactly the same man
in my pm i told u how i helped with my car at illuminate your commodore
they showed me red ( cause i couldnt decide between red or blue) (they had a red one going) and it looks fine mate
the leds are srtong enough to shine throu the green backing
its like it isnt even there

if u remove the green backing on the lense. you will get hotspots.