Sorry for the photo- it was tricky shooting the dark interior...



I wanted to recreate the deep orange cabin lighting that they used in the modern MINI in Fiona, my 1992 classic, so I yanked off the dash and, after installing my tach, I affixed 5 brass brackets up underneath, out of sight. Then I drilled the brass to fit 5MM LEDs, and put orange LEDs in them tinted deeper orange with a few coats of red Sharpie (I learned this trick working in Nano), then wired them into the same circuit as the instrument lights. A sixth LED is mounted under the instrument binnacle, pointing down at a small LCD clock I hid from direct view right above the steering column (not yet hooked up yet, sorry). Cost: about $12.

It's nice - because the interior of the dash is black the glow is very subtle (the photo enhances the effect - see how bright the gauge light is) - just enough to be able to see items in the pocket without dazzling the driver or passenger. I have a few extra LEDs to redo the lights inside the gauges (once I figure out how to illuminate them - it's all circuit board power in there...)

 

Looks good.

 

Thanks!

 

thats cool.........i did a LED bar directly under the dash........looks good

 

Nice mods. Looks great! Now you have to keep the parcel tray neat...haha

 

Very good! I need to figure a way of using white LEDs in the speedo, temp, and oil gauges so that they are actually readable at night. The stock bulbs don't get it, and the quartz versions are $13 each. But as with Minis, so many projects...

 

There's enough space on the circuit board to enlarge spaces beside where the bulb clips in to fit an LED (I already filed mine out) - the trick is getting power to the LEDs. I can run wires, but then it will be hard to remove the instrument cluster without cutting wires. I guess I could make a n auxillery harness out of a Molex clip... I'll get one the next time I'm in the 'SHack.

 

I have the older 3 clock cluster/binnacle: Speedo, temp, & oil pressure, in separate gauges. The bulbs plug into distinct "socket(s)" in each. The issue is the LEDs tend to not disperse light like incandescents. Someone (here or at MM) mentioned also that the interiors of the gauges are painted blue rather than white, further limiting any light dispersion.

 

File the ends of the LEDs. The dome shape on the tip is intended to focus the light, making it appear brighter. If you grind the tip flat, the light will be diffused, making more of a "glow".

I don't think the interiors are blue - that would tinge the white light form the bulbs, Mine aren't blue, anyway...

4 orange or white 5MM LEDs, with the tips grpund down should make them shine VERY bright. If you want additional light, take an orange Sharpie and coat the OEM blubs then reinstall (if you're going for orange - you could just as easily coat them with blue marker if you wanted blue LEDs, green with greens, etc). Sharpie is great for lights because it's transparent ink yet very permanent.

 

that's pretty sweet

 

Nicely done.