Dim….Very Dim instrument lighting

My 1971 instrument lighting is useless at night. At idle it is almost impossible to read, when I rev the engine it improves, but still not adequate. I have full instrumentation with gauges and clock. Can someone recommend the best solution? I have removed the blue covers and tried brighter bulbs - didn't provide the benefit I need.

The dome lighting and curtesy lights are great - would like the same intensity to the instruments.

Thanks Tom

Check out this thread:

http://www.7173mustangs.com/thread-fix-for-dim-71-to-73-mustang-dash-instrument-panel-lights?highlight=dim

Welcome to the dim light club I've had the exact same problem on my 72. I have to wonder if it was like that when the car was brand new. I know some guys are switching to LED's but I'm a purist and have to wonder if they might be just a bit to bright. I know I'm not much of a help but I wanted you to know your not alone.

Leds are the only way to go. You might also want to replace your head light switch. I did both and it took care of the problem.

John J

Dim lights are a common issue on these cars. As John J mentioned the fix a lot of us have done is LEDs, plus replacing the headlight switch. You could replace the voltage regulator that's attached to the back of the cluster while you are there and probably the printed circuit just to be safe.

If you wanted to keep it all tungsten, I would make sure you are getting lots of juice to the cluster. Replace the headlight switch, it commonly goes bad and it's a relatively cheap fix. Then, consider putting the headlights on a relay wired directly to the battery so the headlight amperage is not flowing through the headlight switch. If I understand things correctly this will give you about as much juice as you can get going there. You could also test to see if it will help by disconnecting your headlights and seeing if the cluster gets brighter. If it does than get the relay. (also pretty affordable, Jeff73mach1 has the info on which relay.) You could also check the wiring if it's an original harness. Even with all that though, the cars just have dim instrument clusters.

LEDs actually look pretty good. I've got white in mine and it's really nice to be able to see everything clearly.

I replaced bulbs with super bright led's, replaced circuit board & headlight switch. Made a huge difference! I can see way better now.

Well its been a while but I FINALLY got my car on the road. My first spin around the block and it seems I am in the dim dash light club as well. Also my headlights seem to go bright and dim while driving as well. Do you think the light switch can contribute to this as well? I guess it could be several things, it did sit in a barn for 27 years.

Gents,

We went through this drill last summer. It's all part of the fun of owning a 71-73!

Here's what I can offer based on our experience:

First, check out Ole Pony's thread - there's a wealth of info there. Remember, after all those years, contacts need some love! You may find that your headlights and external light sockets and grounds are a little corroded, too.

Second, and as JohnJ recommended, replace the headlight switch. Inexpensive and helps eliminate the potential issues of intermittent issues later on.

Third, if your voltage still isn't flowing, replace the ribbon or contact Midlife and see if his hardwired ribbon replacement harness is ready for prime time.

Finally, if you want brite- go with LEDs. Most of us have procured them though http://www.superbrightleds.com/. The site has an easy search feature that lets you ID bulbs by vehicle. If you put LED into the forums Google search bar, you'll pull up all the threads and be able to see what everyone has ordered.

Hope this helps....