Where to get the little light bulbs

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65cudalover

65cudalover

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I need to replace all the little bulbs that go in my 65 Cuda dash. It is really dark at night with no dash lights! I think they are all the same. Look like they just plug into the pullouts on back of guage pod? Where can I get these bulbs, NAPA?
 
They are indeed bayonet-base (metal push-twist) in '64. 1966 was the first year for the all-glass wedge-base bulbs. You can use #1895 bulbs or for bulbs with less-problematic nickel-plated base instead of plain brass, use type T4W (Sylvania 3893, Wagner 17131). For a brighter upgrade bulb use Osram 3886X.
 
I put the little led lights in mine lights it up like a fire cracker.. ebay there like 75 cents each.
 
What's involved in replacing them on a 1966??? Do you have to pull the instrument panel cover off? My mitts are huge, so any under dash repair is nearly impossible for me.
 
On your 66 you just remove the dash cluster and they are accessible on the back. Drop the steering column and pull the four screw holding in the instrument cluster.

-Jake
 
tekslk said:
I put the little led lights in mine lights it up like a fire cracker.. ebay there like 75 cents each.
Click to expand...

I used LED's too in my 65 Dart dash. They look great. The original ones are a bit yellowish, so these look modern with a white/blue tint, and more importantly they should last almost forever and less heat and current draw. I put them in when I was refurbing the dash. They are a pain to change otherwise. Don't remember the PN, I just used the bulb#'s in the back of the owner's manual and ordered all the LED bulb types I could find on ebay. Takes a while to ship from Hong Kong, but much cheaper than at auto parts stores.

The stop and turn LED bulbs (1156 & 1157) are not as bright as incandescent. I use LED's there only when I have multiple bulbs, like my Newport's rear. I figure the LED's will give at least some light if the regular ones fail.
 
Hey Bill I would feel just not right putting something from hong kong in my ride I really am trying to stay USA in my 64 cuda. I do understand the difficulty though ,every thing is made overseas or it seems so.
 
BillGrissom said:
I used LED's too in my 65 Dart dash. They look great. The original ones are a bit yellowish, so these look modern with a white/blue tint, and more importantly they should last almost forever and less heat and current draw. I put them in when I was refurbing the dash. They are a pain to change otherwise. Don't remember the PN, I just used the bulb#'s in the back of the owner's manual and ordered all the LED bulb types I could find on ebay. Takes a while to ship from Hong Kong, but much cheaper than at auto parts stores.

The stop and turn LED bulbs (1156 & 1157) are not as bright as incandescent. I use LED's there only when I have multiple bulbs, like my Newport's rear. I figure the LED's will give at least some light if the regular ones fail.
Click to expand...

Pardon the naive question, but was simply a matter of replacing bulbs, or did you have to add circuitry to make the LEDs work in the dash? Does using LEDs mess with the ability to use the dimmer switch? I'd really like to give something like this a try.
 
No changes to circuitry. They fit just like the regular incandescent bulbs. The dimmer works the same.

I should add that I never drove this car before the upgrades, so can't compare to regular bulbs other than my 65 Newport's dash or what I remember from my 69 Dart. So far, I have only driven the 65 Dart once - to the DMV. But, I was pleasantly surprised when I tried the LED dash lights. I had taken apart the dash and polished the plastic lenses, so that surely helped. The main reason for LED's was "should last forever". I'll know in 10 years.
 
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