Upgraded the Factory Dash Lighting
 

Working at a performance / replacement part store has its drawbacks. I never seem to leave without buying something. Last week I bought all new APC ultra-white 194 bulbs to make my cluster back-lighting brighter.

After installing them, all it did was make the #'s look blueish and no brighter at all. I was kinda dissapointed. In my CRX I used all PIAA "extreme" series bulbs, those are REALLY bright (but more $$). So I guess I'll have to get those for the truck too... The crappy part is that I can't even return the APC lights.

Oh well, live and learn... hopfully this will save someone else the hassle though.

Thanks for the tip Kyle,
I don't think I could stand to work at a place like that either.
I find I build engines when I have no idea what to put them in.
Man....am I sick or what?
I have a tip for you (if you don't already know this);
I thought I would make my brake lights a little brighter in my '84 so I got some of those halogen bulbs AutoZone sells and installed them.
The things melted my tail lamp lenses!
I thought "Well.....they won't be on that long"
Right!
:eek:

194s? the 194s i tried blew up shortly after installing them.. try using 168s and paint the blue relective piece silver/chrome.. you will see a BIG difference!

Thanks Jon, that sounds loke a good idea. I'll grab some 168's tomorrow and I'll use this peel&stick chrome on the reflective bit.

do you have an airbrush? I'm going to use a couple of coats of chrome, and then a couple of coats of clear to make it really reflective. Ideally, I'd like to replace my tired faded guage faces with new ones, but there don't seem to be any decals for my '77. i may have to make some myself.

Another thing. Did anybody try that thin neon rope? THey ran out of it at Target, and I was thinking of coiling it behind the dash. You never know...:D

senor.. try Chevychic about the decals/overlays.. and last i heard she was going to try the neon rope as well...