bulb replacement for 2nd gen

[rocky5517]

Was reading interesting thread about replacing bulbs in misc dashboard applications; does anyone have info like this for a 67? I might be doing some work in there soon.

Mucho thanks

[rodneybeauchamp]

Rocky,

I used a company called SuperBrightLeds for my 63 dash lighting. They have a vehicle application chart that you can use as a guide. My suggestion if you can is to identify what is there first by pulling some out, then use the vehicle guide to identify what you need.

 

I recommend using red LEDs for the idiot lights, green for the cold warning light and warm white for the night lighting and interior lighting.

 

Im impressed with the suppliers service and so far their products fit and provide nice lighting. Turning the ignition on now is awesome as all those slightly faded lenses on the idiot lights don't affect the colour. 

 

Have enclosed some pics but they don't do justice to how well they look. The shift quadrant uses a strip LED, all others are singles. Have yet to do the instrument back lighting yet, but even so with the lenses cleaned and polished, they came up well. And they won't degrade the lenses in the console and courtesy lights as they do not generate much heat.

 

[telriv]

if you look in your owners or shop manual it will give ALL the bulb numbers & their positions. A MISTAKE many of us made in the past for brighter dash lights was to put in a higher candle power bulb. This usually turned out to be a bad choice as they ran hotter than the recommended bulbs & caused other problems related to the EXTRA heat generated by those replacement bulbs. Today we have the options like LED's & LED strip lighting. Not only are they brighter they also generate MUCH less heat & require very LITTLE amperage to operate. The harder part is deciding which brightness &/or color to use. AND, if you need to dim them some are & some aren't dim-able.

[rocky5517]

thanks guys- sounds like a fun project!

[NC1968Riviera]

FYI, LED bulbs in the instrument cluser are not dimmable. When you rotate the dimmer control on the light switch they will not dim but will eventually turn off when you get to the dash light OFF position.

 

I pulled out the instrument cluster (an major exercise in frustrations, by the way) and placed LED bulbs above the speedo, in the turn signal indicators, the high beam indicator and the HVAC controls. I left the fuel and temperature lights incandescant. Unfortunately the fuel and temp light bulbs are not lighting up, so I am going to have to tear the console apart again to replace those two bulbs with LED's. I will post pictures of the instrument cluster soon.

 

See pictures below are of the other LED bulbs I have replaced in the interior and exterior of my '68 Riv. I used 6400k (bright white bulbs):

Passenger side sail panel: https://goo.gl/photos/exby9mDVAYDtbAGu8

Driver side sail panel: https://goo.gl/photos/wMcYvCjQNmX3LNxKA

Sail panels as seen from outside: https://goo.gl/photos/Nk6Ru4KmEdjbbRgV7

Foot wells: https://goo.gl/photos/j8ukRCfuj4tufwuw8 (these are highly directional LED's. I am going to replace them with omni-directional LED's in a more yellow color spectrum)

Tail lights and license plate light: https://goo.gl/photos/d2puxYS59Yt9bz3i6

Front markers (with headlights off): https://goo.gl/photos/jotQCr56udrRxWcq7

Rear side marker: https://goo.gl/photos/bsBDZd3YsF1iDP3H6

Tail light and backup lights: (incandescent license plate bulb): https://goo.gl/photos/rhwuv7MbGPvrqEJ57

I don't have any photos of the front side markers with amber LED's yet.

 

 

 

Edited July 10, 2017 by NCRiviera (see edit history)

[Schmiddy]

2 hours ago, rocky5517 said:

thanks guys- sounds like a fun project!

 

 I bet you gonna have fun!!! ...I hope you have long arms and thin fingers to reach these sockets! Otherwise you gonna have a real fun party!  I did it for my 65 few weeks ago, I could write a blues song about it! 
But at the end it was the right choice. Now I'm that masochist enough to do it again!
The guys above said what had to be said... As extra I would take a led strip for the shifter plate. Here we discussed that point: 

A LED strip gives you a better light distribution over the whole shifter plate.

Good luck, mate! 

[rocky5517]

NC Riv- those lites look awesome- especially the foot wells

[JZRIV]

I like the old OEM dim incandescent bulbs in these cars. It helps maintain the original driving experience. 

Edited July 22, 2017 by JZRIV (see edit history)

[NC1968Riviera]

To each his own!

??

[68RIVGS]

On ‎10‎/‎07‎/‎2017 at 9:58 AM, NCRiviera said:

I pulled out the instrument cluster (an major exercise in frustrations, by the way) and placed LED bulbs above the speedo, in the turn signal indicators, the high beam indicator and the HVAC controls. I left the fuel and temperature lights incandescant. Unfortunately the fuel and temp light bulbs are not lighting up, so I am going to have to tear the console apart again to replace those two bulbs with LED's. I will post pictures of the instrument cluster soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

. . . sounds like a 'make work' project to me, and a real P.I.T.A. job to boot !! LOL

[Schmiddy]

Was a bit tricky, but would do it exactly the same again! 

[rodneybeauchamp]

On 11 July 2017 at 1:16 AM, Schmiddy said:

 

 I bet you gonna have fun!!! ...I hope you have long arms and thin fingers to reach these sockets! Otherwise you gonna have a real fun party!  I did it for my 65 few weeks ago, I could write a blues song about it! 
But at the end it was the right choice. Now I'm that masochist enough to do it again!

 

 

Hi all,

just did some more on my '63 last night and the results are awesome, amazing, spectacular .........Sure I had to drop the steering column to access the light in the RH lower part of the speedo, as well as the HI Beam and Turn Signal globes but such is life.

 

The result of the indirect lighting on both large gauges is truly amazing, one of the best improvements you could ever make. Everything is clear, crisp and so easy to see ........AND THEY ARE DIMMABLE TOO!

 

And Eric, here is the start to your blues song, enjoy. It's called Riviera Night Time Blues

 

Riviera Night Time Blues

 

Oh my Riviera speedo, where are you?

Travelling this lonely dark highway, just my Marlboros and me

So dark out here in the wilderness,  

My speedo, I just can't see.

 

Chorus

speedo and gas gauge got no lights

An no lights on my console to see you

how will I find my way through the night

Riviera lighting just won't do

 

Dunno how much gas I got left,

My cigarette tip is the only light I got

where did all those gauges go

once the day was shot.

 

Chorus

Dropped my lighter on the floor somewhere 

Must be twenty miles back or more

Cant take my eyes from the road to find it

just wish I could use it once more.

 

Chorus

Cigarette glows on the windscreen

As thoughts turn to the voice in my head

The pretty girl at the parts counter

Her hands full of LEDs

chorus

Repeat first verse

 

 

[Schmiddy]

Hey Rodney

 

Holy sh***!!! Now I must dig out my old double bass and sing that song!!! These Lyrics are so cool mate  

If you don't mind, I print out these lines written by "Mr. Beautyfield" (Beauchamp) and keep them! If someday I play in a band again, you can be sure, that Blues will be part of the repertory!   Well done Rodey!!! 

So now it seems you have enough light in your Rivi after meeting that pretty girl at the parts counter, right!?   *hehehe*

[rodneybeauchamp]

Eric, your words about the struggle in fitting the globes really connected and gave me inspiration . When I looked down at the little cuts on my hands from trying to stuff them into places that are way way too small, I just had to respond. And mentioning about writing a blues song ......

 

And also I just had to respond to Jason's remark about " liking the old OEM dim incandescent globes ...... " 

 

and as to the song, feel free to use as you wish, just remember, when you become a huge pop star, with a picture of you, your guitar and your '65 on the album cover, ??? just mention who wrote the lyrics. ???

 

And I expect a copy of the CD too!????

 

Rodney 

 

I play acoustic guitar very badly, but never in a band. I asked my music instructor once  how long it would take to be able to play like Jimmy or Eric or Neil Young

 

He smiled as he said "I should have started when I was 15"????

 

[Schmiddy]

 ...Hell yeah, I tell you, with these lyrics I'm gonna be a Rockstar!!! ...And I swear, you will get more than a "nickle back" for your lyrics!  
(...by the way... It doesn't matter how old you are, it's never too late to catch something! So grab that guitar and play as long as you have fun!!! )

 

 

[Turbinator]

On 7/21/2017 at 10:20 PM, JZRIV said:

I like the old OEM dim incandescent bulbs in these cars. It helps maintain the original driving experience. 

 

On 7/21/2017 at 10:20 PM, JZRIV said:

I like the old OEM dim incandescent bulbs in these cars. It helps maintain the original driving experience. 

you are 100% right about the driving experience with dim incandescent lights. Unfortunately, I can't see as well as when I was a kid so I just had to put in those little LED's to brighten up a bit. Not too much brighter, but good enough I can see.

Red Riviera Bob

[60FlatTop]

Radial tires and LED lamps kind of roll into the same bucket for me.

 

But, then, I have removed printed circuit boards from dashboards and used a pencil eraser to remove tarnish. And I have soldered grounds in places and run a wire to be sure.

 

If I perceive a shortfall in my expectations my first question is "How did they sell this off the showroom floor like this?" They didn't.

 

If copper was cheap we'd all be running 6 volts today. The manufacturers only change so they could run smaller wire. How many of you have checked the contacts on the instrument panel voltage regulator.