improving cluster lighting 64 cuda.

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charles hickey

charles hickey

CUDAROO
Joined
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alabama
I recently restarted restoring my y64 cuda. I decided to start with the function and appearance of the dash and controls. One of the first items was the cluster. I purchased a new bezel. I also remem bered that the lighting was poor in the cluster so I bought green led bulbs hoping that they would help. THEY DIDNT. Turns out that there are only 2 bulbs in the cluster for lighting. The picture shows, i hope, where I added 3 more. One bulb I drilled a half inch hole for at the bottom left of the speedo. the other two went in existing socket holes not used from the factory that were for different turn signal indicators for other cars that share the same circuit board. I know that I'm not explaining much, but please ask questions and I will explain. The cluster lights up very well now.

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IMG_20190227_150134748.jpg
 
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There's a ton of junk on the market in "LED bulbs". Good ones to fit the bayonet-type sockets in your '64 are available but unrealistically expenisve. Instead, buy '66-up sockets to accept the wedge-base bulbs. That's these (sold individually, one "each" at the listed price, even tho the pic shows two—hence why two buyers left upset reviews, thinking one money got them two sockets) and install the good bulbs. That's this yellow one, top pick for general dashboard illumination, much brighter light without glare that you'd get with the white bulbs. Red (high beam, oil pressure) is this one. White is this one. If your cluster has a single turn signal pilot light (same light flashes green on the dash whether you're signalling left or right) then you can't use an LED in it, because those single pilots work by current flowing one direction for a left turn and the other for a right, which is fine with a filament bulb but LEDs only pass current in one direction).
 
slantsixdan said:
There's a ton of junk on the market in "LED bulbs". Good ones to fit the bayonet-type sockets in your '64 are available but unrealistically expenisve. Instead, buy '66-up sockets to accept the wedge-base bulbs. That's these (sold individually, one "each" at the listed price, even tho the pic shows two—hence why two buyers left upset reviews, thinking one money got them two sockets) and install the good bulbs. That's this yellow one, top pick for general dashboard illumination, much brighter light without glare that you'd get with the white bulbs. Red (high beam, oil pressure) is this one. White is this one. If your cluster has a single turn signal pilot light (same light flashes green on the dash whether you're signalling left or right) then you can't use an LED in it, because those single pilots work by current flowing one direction for a left turn and the other for a right, which is fine with a filament bulb but LEDs only pass current in one direction).
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You are right. I checked and the turn indicator only worked in one direction. Guess ill change it to conventional bulb. Thanks!
 
slantsixdan said:
There's a ton of junk on the market in "LED bulbs". Good ones to fit the bayonet-type sockets in your '64 are available but unrealistically expenisve. Instead, buy '66-up sockets to accept the wedge-base bulbs. That's these (sold individually, one "each" at the listed price, even tho the pic shows two—hence why two buyers left upset reviews, thinking one money got them two sockets) and install the good bulbs. That's this yellow one, top pick for general dashboard illumination, much brighter light without glare that you'd get with the white bulbs. Red (high beam, oil pressure) is this one. White is this one. If your cluster has a single turn signal pilot light (same light flashes green on the dash whether you're signalling left or right) then you can't use an LED in it, because those single pilots work by current flowing one direction for a left turn and the other for a right, which is fine with a filament bulb but LEDs only pass current in one direction).
Click to expand...

That is precisely what we did in Jason’s 1965 gauge cluster. It worked great, and the results are outstanding. Thank you again, slant six Dan, for all the great information you provide to this board.

2D3503FD-24D6-4F05-A442-9042B6105446.jpeg
4D742DC6-640D-4C05-BDAD-E258E30D7279.jpeg
2B3FE82A-C5E5-4C3D-B8A8-27A3F0181E90.jpeg
 
slantsixdan said:
There's a ton of junk on the market in "LED bulbs". Good ones to fit the bayonet-type sockets in your '64 are available but unrealistically expenisve. Instead, buy '66-up sockets to accept the wedge-base bulbs. That's these (sold individually, one "each" at the listed price, even tho the pic shows two—hence why two buyers left upset reviews, thinking one money got them two sockets) and install the good bulbs. That's this yellow one, top pick for general dashboard illumination, much brighter light without glare that you'd get with the white bulbs. Red (high beam, oil pressure) is this one. White is this one. If your cluster has a single turn signal pilot light (same light flashes green on the dash whether you're signalling left or right) then you can't use an LED in it, because those single pilots work by current flowing one direction for a left turn and the other for a right, which is fine with a filament bulb but LEDs only pass current in one direction).
Click to expand...
Ibought my leds for around 80 cents apiece. they work great. the real problem with 64 barracuda is not enough bulbs in stock form. I assume 65 up that has a different gauge cluster has more than 2 to start with.
 
pishta said:
Yeah, I was going to call that out but you did already. What did those come in? I never seen one.
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It came out of a 1966 Plymouth fury according to the numbers on it.

It actually sounds really good with some modern 6 x 9s wired in series

I didn’t realize it was rare. Lol.

My uncle had it laying in a cabinet, and we hid it behind Jason’s factory AM face plate.

It blends in with the dash quite well and with the 5’ antenna gets great reception. Lol
 
IIRC 63 Imperial was first Mopar offering, then 64 was line wide. Put some sealed buckets under those 6x9's for better sound. I agree, I got a small 50W remote controlled FM/aux/USB/MP3 amp ready to hide up under the dash for the real deal.
 
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This makes me wonder if you could install ultraviolet/blacklight bulbs (whether incandescent LED), which in theory, would have the effect of making the lettering and needles light up, super bright rather than send light all over the cluster.
 
There are threads on here about using the under cabinet stick on led light strips inside the instrument cluster. Looks way cool. Wish I had known that idea when I did mine.
 
I went to LEDs in my dash and the same ones in the under dash gauges so they all illuminate the same. Found non-polarized dimmable bulbs for a reasonable price and will never go back.. One long drive at night sold me.
 
slantsixdan said:
If your cluster has a single turn signal pilot light (same light flashes green on the dash whether you're signalling left or right) then you can't use an LED in it, because those single pilots work by current flowing one direction for a left turn and the other for a right, which is fine with a filament bulb but LEDs only pass current in one direction).
Click to expand...

@slantsixdan

Hey Dan, do you have a solution for the one bulb indicator light in the dash?
I replaced the front and rear exterior bulbs in my 64 Valiant with LEDs and used the electronic flasher you recommended (United Pacific 90652). So far so good, outside works fine, but of course the single indicator light in the dash doesn't work.
Do you have a work around?
 
I’m about to rewire my 64 Dart with a Ron Francis kit. What’s the process like for converting to led’s inside and out? It seems from your links dan that it’s plug and play for the interior lights if you get the ‘66 up sockets. How do those install on the ‘65 And Lower clusters?

Curious so i can make any modifications while I’ve got the cluster out initially.

slantsixdan said:
There's a ton of junk on the market in "LED bulbs". Good ones to fit the bayonet-type sockets in your '64 are available but unrealistically expenisve. Instead, buy '66-up sockets to accept the wedge-base bulbs. That's these (sold individually, one "each" at the listed price, even tho the pic shows two—hence why two buyers left upset reviews, thinking one money got them two sockets) and install the good bulbs. That's this yellow one, top pick for general dashboard illumination, much brighter light without glare that you'd get with the white bulbs. Red (high beam, oil pressure) is this one. White is this one. If your cluster has a single turn signal pilot light (same light flashes green on the dash whether you're signalling left or right) then you can't use an LED in it, because those single pilots work by current flowing one direction for a left turn and the other for a right, which is fine with a filament bulb but LEDs only pass current in one direction).
Click to expand...

KosmicKuda said:
@slantsixdan

Hey Dan, do you have a solution for the one bulb indicator light in the dash?
I replaced the front and rear exterior bulbs in my 64 Valiant with LEDs and used the electronic flasher you recommended (United Pacific 90652). So far so good, outside works fine, but of course the single indicator light in the dash doesn't work.
Do you have a work around?
Click to expand...
 
chinze57 said:
I’m about to rewire my 64 Dart with a Ron Francis kit. What’s the process like for converting to led’s inside and out?
Click to expand...

Inside is per socket and bulb links already provided.

It seems from your links dan that it’s plug and play for the interior lights if you get the ‘66 up sockets. How do those install on the ‘65 And Lower clusters?
Click to expand...

Directly. Remove/replace, no mods needed.

Exterior is trickier, because you're dealing with safety lights that have to work right (not just light up), and there are optical complications. Start reading at post № 80 of this thread. That situation is in flux; one of the world's reputable light source makers (Tungsram, long affiliated with GE) is gearing up to launch a new line of LED signal bulbs that stand a good chance of working well in old-car lights. As soon as they're released and I've tested them, if they're as good as it looks like they might be, I'll shout about it on here.

Headlamps also require very choosy and informed shopping; see here.
 
slantsixdan said:
Inside is per socket and bulb links already provided.



Directly. Remove/replace, no mods needed.

Exterior is trickier, because you're dealing with safety lights that have to work right (not just light up), and there are optical complications. Start reading at post № 80 of this thread. That situation is in flux; one of the world's reputable light source makers (Tungsram, long affiliated with GE) is gearing up to launch a new line of LED signal bulbs that stand a good chance of working well in old-car lights. As soon as they're released and I've tested them, if they're as good as it looks like they might be, I'll shout about it on here.

Headlamps also require very choosy and informed shopping; see here.
Click to expand...

For headlamps, those JW ones look awful nice. Might have to pick up some soon enough.

I thought your take on the tail/stop lights was interesting. Sure those lamps will work and emit light but they don’t emit light properly for the physical location/their enclosure.

Going through my FSM, my tail/stop/turn signal lights are 1034, whereas you linked to 1157. Is there a suitable replacement for 1034 or should I get sockets for 1157 and wire that in to make my life easier?
 
slantsixdan said:
1034 was the shorter-life predecessor of 1157. Same-same.
Click to expand...

Now this one might have no LED answer. The push button controls have a little lamp inside of them to illuminate them when the headlights are on. According to the manual it’s 53X, is there a LED replacement for it?
 
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