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02-17-2013, 01:47 PM
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#1 |
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1970 Daily Driver
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Glenns Ferry IDAHO
Posts: 1,038
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Brighter dash light bulbs on a 57 3100?
I did a auto wire full wire kit in the truck and installed brand new bulbs. The gauge face still seems way dim at night. So does the stock radio light.
Is there a brighter bulb I can use, or maybe led? Posted via Mobile Device
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It's not truly yours if you didn't build it yourself or if you don't do your own maintenance. |
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02-17-2013, 02:03 PM
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#2 |
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1970 Daily Driver
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Glenns Ferry IDAHO
Posts: 1,038
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Re: Brighter dash light bulbs on a 57 3100?
Sorry. Can Someone move this to the correct forum?
Posted via Mobile Device
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It's not truly yours if you didn't build it yourself or if you don't do your own maintenance. |
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02-17-2013, 03:15 PM
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#3 | |
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and a few others
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains of VA
Posts: 5,638
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Re: Brighter dash light bulbs on a 57 3100?
Quote:
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Bill  US Army Vet -193rd InfantryBlueRidgeMuscleCars.com “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” Gandhi |
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02-17-2013, 04:06 PM
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#4 |
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Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Toppenish, WA
Posts: 15,708
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Re: Brighter dash light bulbs on a 57 3100?
Does you headlight switch have the resistor on it that controls the brightness of the dash lights?
Other than that you might check bulb specs and see if one with the same base has a higher light output.
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Founding member of the too many projects, too little time and money club. My ongoing truck projects: 48 Chev 3100 that will run a 292 Six. 71 GMC 2500 that is getting a Cad 500 transplant. 77 C 30 dualie, 454, 4 speed with a 10 foot flatbed and hoist. It does the heavy work and hauls the projects around. |
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02-17-2013, 07:26 PM
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#5 |
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1970 Daily Driver
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Glenns Ferry IDAHO
Posts: 1,038
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Re: Brighter dash light bulbs on a 57 3100?
Yes it does. It is a brand new switch from American auto wire. Even with it turned to the brightest position it is still duller than I would like.
Posted via Mobile Device Posted via Mobile Device
__________________
It's not truly yours if you didn't build it yourself or if you don't do your own maintenance. |
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02-17-2013, 08:05 PM
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#6 |
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Lawrenceville, Ga
Posts: 2,648
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Re: Brighter dash light bulbs on a 57 3100?
There are two different bulbs used in the cluster. One is a 57 bulb with two candle power and one is a 53 that is a one candle power bulb. The 57s are for the guage illumination and the 53 is for the high beam indicator. Check to see if you have all 53s in your panel instead of the 57s. I believe the turn signal arrows in the panel also use 53s. These bulbs are available at parts stores.
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02-17-2013, 08:16 PM
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#7 |
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1970 Daily Driver
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Glenns Ferry IDAHO
Posts: 1,038
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Re: Brighter dash light bulbs on a 57 3100?
When I got the new bulbs at NAPA I had them look it up and it showed two different types. I wrote on the packages which bulbs went where. I will pull them and make sure I didn't switch them.
Are there bulbs that would fit but have more than 2 cradle power and that would be brighter? Posted via Mobile Device
__________________
It's not truly yours if you didn't build it yourself or if you don't do your own maintenance. |
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02-17-2013, 10:15 PM
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#8 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Toppenish, WA
Posts: 15,708
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Re: Brighter dash light bulbs on a 57 3100?
Here is a chart for common automotive bulbs that might help. http://shed51.com/bulbs.htm
You might take a look at the 1816 bulbs that are three candlepower. I think that has the same base as the 57.
__________________
Founding member of the too many projects, too little time and money club. My ongoing truck projects: 48 Chev 3100 that will run a 292 Six. 71 GMC 2500 that is getting a Cad 500 transplant. 77 C 30 dualie, 454, 4 speed with a 10 foot flatbed and hoist. It does the heavy work and hauls the projects around. |
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02-18-2013, 01:55 AM
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#9 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Las Vegas - Nev. aka Sin City
Posts: 1,835
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Re: Brighter dash light bulbs on a 57 3100?
mr48chev
great charts !!! thank you for sharing |
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02-18-2013, 01:17 PM
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#10 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Motown
Posts: 7,680
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Re: Brighter dash light bulbs on a 57 3100?
i replaced my cluster lights with the proper 57 and 53 bulbs, they are plenty bright
as mentioned 57 are for the gauges and 53 are for the turn and highbeam indicators
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02-18-2013, 03:35 PM
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#11 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Camano Island, WA
Posts: 166
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Re: Brighter dash light bulbs on a 57 3100?
You can also probably find LED replacements. For those smaller bulbs they can do a great job with light output.
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02-18-2013, 08:57 PM
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#12 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Beaverton
Posts: 102
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Re: Brighter dash light bulbs on a 57 3100?
I put brighter bulbs in mine. The parts guy said that brighter bulbs may burn the cardboard holders, but I doubt it. I have had mine for a year and no problem. It is nice to see the instrument panel.
The parts guy also said that one reason that the lights were so dim is that back in the day (1955-59) there were a lot fewer street lights so it was easier to see the dash. hmmmm not sure that guy really knows what he is talking about. |
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