Led dash bulbs

[Enzo C.]

I am about to install my restored cluster and I was wondering if I should use LED bulbs?
Has anyone had any luck with this

[Thomas S.]

My only comments would be related to color and light dispersion. LED's are individual chips that produce light that is perpendicular to the surface of the chip. So the light is very directional. In order to get a wider pattern, incandescent LED replacements can use fresnel lenses or multiple chips. A filament bulb produces a wider beam of light and has a different color as well so no issues there.

The cluster lights have to illuminate both forward and into adjacent voids so incandescent bulbs work very well. A multi-chip LED will do the same job, but will be brighter and most likely not the same color, unless they use a chip that produces yellow instead of white. Some years had a self-blinking light for certain functions so you have to make sure the LED for that socket will also blink.

I've have clusters out numerous times but have not used LED's. Not sure how well they dim either or if judging is an issue with your car.

[Leif A.]

Enzo,
I know a lot of guys who have replaced their incandescent instrument lights with LED, and the difference in illumination is night and day. Attached is a link to Superbright LED. For your convenience, I pulled up the page for your '67. If you're planning on driving your car at night, it is a terrific solution to the stock incandescent bulbs...which were never that bright even when new. Also, attached a picture of my '67 with stock incandescent bulbs.
BTW, I wouldn't replace the turn signal bulbs, lamp indicator bulb or brake light bulb in the dash with LED...kinda overkill. All the instruments, including the clock and waterfall, for sure.

https://www.superbrightleds.com/vehicle?find=1967-chevrolet-corvette-6737089&sid=aBXWnDTpYz

[Thomas S.]

I don't run LED's but I would disagree with not replacing the turn signal lamps. The on and off cycling of the filament is a killer. I rebuilt my cluster about 4-years ago with standard incandescent lamps and the 1st one to burn out was a turn-signal.

if the main motivation is to replace and have it outlive you, the LED's are the way to go.

[Donald O.]

I have the LEDs in my 67 convertible in all locations with the exceptions of: ignition switch, cigarette lighter, brakes, turn signals and glove box.

I had cleaned and repainted the inside of the cluster and installed new incandescent lamps. The effort was only marginally better illumination of the gauges. So I made the switch to the LEDs from SuperBright and they are dimming but not linear. The difference was I could see the gauges and clock with the top down on city streets.
The single lamp for the heater controls and radio controls was a terrible design, so I designed my own. I gathered a couple of dash lamp sockets with pigtails and fabricated socket holders for the heater controls. For the green color I used the same size LEDs as the gauges only in green color. For the radio controls I bought single LED lamps in green pre-wired for 12v. I used a plastic red cap plug trimmed for height, drilled some holes for the LEDs and the radio control shafts. I epoxy glued the green LEDs to the red caps and powered them with the radio light power and grounded to the radio ground. I can now see and read the heater and radio controls at night.
I’m very satisfied with how the rework turns out. I’ll go out to the garage tonight and take a pic so y’all can judge for yourself.

Don

PS this is all reversible for judging.

[Donald O.]

filedata/fetch?id=1573364&d=1737752349&type=thumb filedata/fetch?id=1573363&d=1737752349&type=thumb Pictures as promised.

[Gary B.]

Don,

The LED bulbs make it look like it has properly illuminated gages for once.

Gary

[Enzo C.]

Thanks for all the pictures and comments 👍