Gauge Lighting

[saurey]

What are the OEM Bulbs and link if you have one? I tried searching the forum and couldn't find them. My right side of dash doesn't light up but the left side is fine.

-H

[GunMetalGrey]

So glad I went red and not blue :)

[orville22]

It's easy if you can work a bandsaw and a dremel pull it apart trace the orange plastic pieces on a clear piece of plexiglass cut it out with the bandsaw buff the edges wth the polish weel on your dremel and replace the normal lights with blue led's

[GunMetalGrey]

I used some push type LED's from superbrightleds . com
they work well, just need a tiny bit of modification to fit, and plenty of color options.

[blueapplesoda]

Now whats wrong with this?

half year thread revive


What LEDs did you use? I've been thinking of a proper LED cluster mod to brighten up the gauge faces to the clarity and brightness as in the e46 and so, while retaining the amber color.

[GunMetalGrey]

Now whats wrong with this?

[george graves]

That top one isn't an aircraft :)

[Pantless Spency]

what are those blue things?

i can't even begin to imagine the fuse box for an airplane after seeing this photo.... 0.o

[C Murda]

That's all well and good in the "everybody's a winner" kind of world that some people live in...but when it comes down to it there are a lot of people with really bad taste in mods.

I don't care what people do in the privacy of their own garage, but if you post it up, you will be made fun of. This isn't gym class.

if it isnt gym class then why make fun?? anyways ya i understand what you mean though. i just wouldnt necessarily call "better" lighting a rice thing. HIDs didnt come factory on these cars but every ricer has them and everyone wants them. the interior lights on E30s are dim and on EVERY BMW out there why judge if someone wants something a little different and brighter? i personally think it looks nice both ways OEM or with LEDs. the OEM look is classy and original and yes not painful to some ppls eyes but eveyone who owns a BMW has it so it cant hurt if someone would "tastefully" make an LED setup.

[benflagg]

I have been working in Military Aviation as a United States Marine for over a decade now, and I can tell you that cockpit lights come in 3 basic colors. Red, Blue, or Green. The reason for this is because these are colors that will not overwelm night vision goggles. You actualy have to use a colored lense over a flashlight at night on a flight line or in an operating environment in order not to blind the pilots. They are also all colors that wont destroy your night vision un aided, because instruments iluminated in these colors can easily be read while not being lite very brightly. It has a lot less to do with the actual color and more to do with how well you can see the infomation at a lower level of light. If you must know green is the color I see the most in almost every military aircraft I have come across.

red is the color that least disturbs the human eye. that is why on naval vessels they light up the coridors red at night so the watch can see where they are going and it does not disturb people sleeping in their bunks. you can also go into a room that has the red lighting, then go into a dark room and you eyes take hardly any time to adjust, unlike when you use a normal flashlight and try to do the same thing and you cant see for about 15-20 seconds. red is also picked up by the eye very well like someone said in this thread as well as blue, but blue disturbs the eye more and it takes longer to adjust at night after looking at it.

the reason red is used in the navy and on the battle field is because red light is less observable than white light. You have to be much closer to see it. The Navy uses red lights as well as blue and green once again. For the same reasons as stated as above as well as to be less observable. Before you exit the skin of a ship you have to pass through a light locker. It is essentialy a small "airlock" that is totaly dark, it prevents inside light from getting out and its what you use to let your eyes adjust so you dont walk off the side.

[george graves]

i hate how nowadays anything that isnt the "norm" is pretty much considered ricer... i understand with these specific cars trying to stay within the BMW brand but to each his own. its your car you're the one driving it and looking at it so do what makes you happy!

That's all well and good in the "everybody's a winner" kind of world that some people live in...but when it comes down to it there are a lot of people with really bad taste in mods.

I don't care what people do in the privacy of their own garage, but if you post it up, you will be made fun of. This isn't gym class.

[C Murda]

i hate how nowadays anything that isnt the "norm" is pretty much considered ricer... i understand with these specific cars trying to stay within the BMW brand but to each his own. its your car you're the one driving it and looking at it so do what makes you happy! that being said, if you do things tastefully then at least you'll stand out from the crowd without the negative comments. one of my cars is a 2000 Z28 with a factory/aftermarket ground effects kit on it and all ive ever gotten from people at car shows or anywhere in public is "i usually hate this year of camaro and especially hate body kits but yours is amazing"

heres a pic for proof

and a shot of one of my E30s the 87 325 which is now totaled and the ass of my 91 Z28 too hehe

[Gadea]

OP: you knew everybody was going to trash on your idea before you posted, unless maybe if it was your first post. Most people's eyes in this forum are very disturbed by the very idea of anything that is not BMW OEM. Everything else would be ricer (you should know better!!)Some people have good taste, some have bad taste, and in both groups some will like amber, some green, some blue. etc.
If god wanted us all to be able to enjoy only amber, he would have made us so. But we have choice. So if you want to paint your car pink with green and burgundy polka dots, go ahead. There will always be someone there to criticize and someone to compliment.

[GunMetalGrey]

Alright, despite most of you being so hardcore against this color change thing(like really? it's not that big of a deal) I went with red LED's and left the lower amber deflecters in, will post up some pictures in a bit. Looks awesome.

[george graves]

^Nice.

BUT! BUT! BUT! BUT! BUT! BUT! What are those blue things?!?!?!?!?!??!?!