[LJZ]

I have been toying with the idea for a while now and finally decided to make a start.

When I first did my LED replacment lights for the dash I wasn't very impressed. Becuase there is only 4 lights behind the instrument cluster it ment that there were bright spots and dull spots accross the gauges. Not ideal.

What I want
1. Lights so there are no bright or dull spots accross the face of the guages
2. Lights that change from blue to red when the car rev's above 4000RPM when the second turbo kicks in. Maybe even have a dial on the dash so I could adjust the rev range at which the lights change.

Solution
1. The lights.
This is easy, I bought some RGB LED light strips from ebay for $10 a metre and glued them around the inside of the cluster. I used about 1.2m

2. RPM chaning lights
This is a little more tricky.
The RGB lights can be illuminated at Red, Green, Blue, White or any colour inbetween.
To control the lights I need a frequency switch that can be set to trigger a relay for the lights at a particular frequency range. It can not be a voltage switch as the MKIV supra intrument cluster uses frequency signal and not a voltage singnal for the tacho.
Jaycar sell a good one in kit form for $40, here is a pic of one I prepared earlier

http://i1204.photobucket.com/albums/bb417/dogdetective/IMAG0033.jpg

This device has a relay attached with a open and closed circuit that with swich over when a certian frequency range it imput (which I will set via the device)
This means that the lights will be connected so that blue is always on until the frequency is reached then they turn off and the red turn on. once the frequency dropps below the set amount the red turn off and blue back on.
Ofcorse this main unit will get its power from the back of the cluster lights so that it only operates when the lights are actually turned on.

Here are some pics of the blue and red lights working in the cluster

http://i1204.photobucket.com/albums/bb417/dogdetective/IMAG0032.jpg

http://i1204.photobucket.com/albums/bb417/dogdetective/IMAG0031.jpg

And a little video of me (manualy) switching the lights, I havn't wired up the frequency switch yet. I will do that once its in the car.



I will continue to update this thread as the project progresses

[harleyMKIII]

Something different for sure!
looking forward to see how it all comes along :)
who needs dose for pulling abilities when you have a dash that changes colour? ahahaha

[--Golli]

I reckon this would be freaking awesome if you could have it gradually change from blue to red as the RPMs increased, rather then the solid change

[Gordo]

yeh i think it looks great. i wish i could just change my digital dash from the crappy green to blue. might need to get another dash and have you work your magic luke :) hehehe

[LJZ]

Hahaha cheers Harley

--Golli, on 12 September 2011 - 04:01 PM, said:

I reckon this would be freaking awesome if you could have it gradually change from blue to red as the RPMs increased, rather then the solid change

I like your radical thinking mr Golli, that would be possible with a few more electronic goddies that I could put together but the cross over colour would be pink :smileygay: .
I might hook it up later and show you what it looks like when the both red and blue colours are on at the same time. Would be good in a chick car lol

Gordo, on 12 September 2011 - 10:14 PM, said:

might need to get another dash and have you work your magic luke :) hehehe

Consider my magic, your magic mate. I love these little projects. I got loads of LED light strip left over from various jobs, so just bring the cluster and some beers and we can make it happen

[Gordo]

hahahaha yeh i might just buy another to test and play with. ill let ya know what i find :)

[Stika]

looks good indeed ,

if you can get the dial face out - and take the needle off - i can scan and produce a different face for your dial....on a translucent film - something to think about

its a little different from what i have at the moment - when i get above 5000rpm at night the dial is gone dark - so i call it "mystery reving" :whistling:

[LJZ]

Stika, on 14 September 2011 - 09:05 AM, said:

if you can get the dial face out - and take the needle off - i can scan and produce a different face for your dial....on a translucent film:

ARE YOU SERIOUS!!!!
I would be VERY keen to do this. I didnt realise you could do it on that film.
Now that I know that I will work on a design myself. How would you like the file supplied?
PDF, AI, EPS etc?

[Stika]

what is basically is....

its a translucent white hard plastic, ( which lets light thru ) and all i do is either stick a solid sticker on with the light points see through - or a clear digitally printed sticker - with the gaps left clear where you want the light to shine thru ,

can be almost any design etc

i have some dials here allready on the computer - as per the picture

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll64/Stikasupra/series2na.jpg

ones i have saved on computer are -

series 2 na
series 1 turbo
series 2 turbo
and looks as if i was half was in seting up series 2 na


eps - tiff - jpg should be good enough for the design,

[LJZ]

Could you send me a PDF of these so I can use the shape and outline as a template. then I can design something myself when I have time and hit u up with an order?
Mine's series 1 turbo

[Stika]

yeah too easy - whats ya email adress ?

[LJZ]

Stika, on 14 September 2011 - 02:24 PM, said:

yeah too easy - whats ya email adress ?

awesome, cheers mate. I PM'd ya my addy