Any advice o making 73 dash lights brighter

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ustang73

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Feb 20, 2016
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Location
Pennsylvania
My Car
1973 Mustang Convertible 302 auto
I finally fixed my dash lights on a 1973 convertible, turned out it was a blown fuse. I cleaned all the connectors in the engine but the gauges on dash are still hard to read with the rheostat on high, there are some after market gauges(oil, temp, volt, tach) and they are very bright, they must be LED). What does the forum recommend? DO the LEDS that I see on the net work or create more issues? I also just replaced the headlight switch last week.

Thanks,

Dave

 
I was going to ask about the switch, but you said you replaced that. I installed high power LED's, and they are much better. I stated with white, and changed to blue, but might go back to whit again. These are supposed to be dimmable, but I wired around my rheostat, so don't have that option anymore

I also replaced the blue diffuseness. I couldn't find them for the 71-73 year display, so I bought some 67-70 models, did a little modifying and then glued them in place.

 
Thanks, I think I will start with pulling put the cluster to look at the bulbs, maybe I can get them at a local auto store without ordering special online for now. BTW, Love your car, it's what I would like mine to be some day. I'm in Pennsylvania and travel down to MD in the summer would love to check it out.

Dave

 
The diffusers frost with time and block a lot of light. I removed mine and with regular bulbs it is acceptable now. I have LED's and will install in the near future, but first I want to get my spare ammeter rebuilt as a voltage meter and I'll probably install an aftermarket tach that is more compatible with my ignition system (I can't figure out why the stock one still works-it shouldn't by all accounts)

 
You know the 71-73 Mustangs seem to all have this issue and my car is no different. What I don't understand is why? I've owned a few cars from the 60s and this has never been an issue. I have to wonder if something was changed in the 70s and do other Fords from that era have the same issue?.

 
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Try these, they really make a huge difference. http://www.ebay.com/itm/20PCS-T10-5050-5SMD-White-LED-Car-Light-Wedge-Lamp-Bulbs-Super-Bright-DC12V-/171845038317?hash=item2802c330ed:g:OKYAAOSwe-FVAArp&vxp=mtr
Click to expand...
Are these plug n play or do you have to rewire and make changes to the harness?
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Plug & play, just don't do the turn signals. I think I even left some of the diffusers in too. Just make sure they are working before you button dash back up as they are polarity sensitive.

 
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I have heard others complain about this light issue. I never remember having dim lights in dash. I remember having to turn them down bright dash bugs me cannot see out the windshield. I would also clean all of the places on the printed circuit board wire harness with fine steel wool or a pencil eraser to get the oxides off. Also clean the contacts on the bulbs. Take the grounds loose under the dash and remove the rust and corrosion. Might just be bad connections. I for sure don't remember any dim light issues when new. Has to be the connections or the diffusers getting darker.

Someone on the forum posted the layout for the printed circuit board so you can bench check it. I know when I pulled my 73 vert dash out nothing worked but after cleaning the bench check shows everything working and I didn't replace a bulb just cleaned the connections. Sort of like your trailer lights especially on a boat trailer. They hardly ever work but bulbs are good.

David

 
I'm in Pennsylvania and travel down to MD in the summer would love to check it out.

Dave
Click to expand...
That would be cool. I'm originally from a small coal mining town in north east PA called .......................drum roll please............................

Minersville..................go figure :)

Where are you at ?



I'll probably install an aftermarket tach that is more compatible with my ignition system (I can't figure out why the stock one still works-it shouldn't by all accounts)
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I had mine rewired by the TachMan to a 3 wire. 12v, ground, and a wire that plugs right into the tach output of my HEI, will work with any modern dizzy.

http://www.tachman.com/

 
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Dim dash lamps are common throughout the first generation Mustangs. I suspect the diffusers, made of plastic, simply fog up with age. I too do not remember them being this dim when I was younger.

It could be that all of us are aging and our eyes simply don't see as well at night as they used to.

 
It could be that all of us are aging and our eyes simply don't see as well at night as they used to.
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LOL. That may be part of the problem, but since many, many new younger owners are complaining about the issue, I think we can blame the lighting system itself.

 
The diffusers frost with time and block a lot of light. I removed mine and with regular bulbs it is acceptable now. I have LED's and will install in the near future, but first I want to get my spare ammeter rebuilt as a voltage meter and I'll probably install an aftermarket tach that is more compatible with my ignition system (I can't figure out why the stock one still works-it shouldn't by all accounts)
Click to expand...
Have you considered sending your current tach to Rocketman for him to modernize it. As far as I understand, his version should work with modern ignitions. I have him modernize mine plus perform the voltage conversion. However, I can't yet comment on it since my dash is still disassembled.

 
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I haven't pulled the instrument panel off yet to inspect the issue but I did find some info about getting a tach from Rocketman. I have the idiot lights to the left of the speedometer and would like to get one of his Tachs in there. I have an aftermarket tach mounted near the shifter right now so I should be able to just fish the wires to the instrument panel.

Thanks for the advice on the diffuser, not really sure what it is but I will look it up.I have aftermarket volt, oil and temp gauges with lights wired to the headlight switch dimmer and and they get very bright so I want to fix the dash. I eventually want to integrate the aftermarket gauges into the panel above the radio like the other models of 73 mustangs have.

Thanks

The diffusers frost with time and block a lot of light. I removed mine and with regular bulbs it is acceptable now. I have LED's and will install in the near future, but first I want to get my spare ammeter rebuilt as a voltage meter and I'll probably install an aftermarket tach that is more compatible with my ignition system (I can't figure out why the stock one still works-it shouldn't by all accounts)
Click to expand...
Have you considered sending your current tach to Rocketman for him to modernize it. As far as I understand, his version should work with modern ignitions. I have him modernize mine plus perform the voltage conversion. However, I can't yet comment on it since my dash is still disassembled.
Click to expand...
 

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