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Model specific boards => Golf mk2 => Topic started by: dodgyracer on 10 August 2006, 17:55

Title: blue dash convertion
Post by: dodgyracer on 10 August 2006, 17:55

Hiya, i just wanted to check that i have got the right idea about changing my dash lights from green to blue, basically if i take the dash to pieces and the heater control panel, remove the green film and put blue bulbs in the dash should look blue? is this right?

Title: Re: blue dash convertion
Post by: ...joe on 10 August 2006, 18:58

pretty much, do a search as this has been covered by many people so you should find some good tips.

some bad pics of mine:

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v689/raaage/DSC01330.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v689/raaage/DSC01329.jpg)

some say its a bit chavvy but i think its better than the green. did think about doing plain white? might look cool?

Title: Re: blue dash convertion
Post by: baz_the_man62 on 10 August 2006, 21:08

just emember to check ur leds are in the right way round or they wont light up.. and they need a resistor

Title: Re: blue dash convertion
Post by: Malloy on 11 August 2006, 08:23

Sorry to hi jack the thread, but.........

How did you get inside the heater controls when you made the change from green to blue.  My bulb has gone and I spent ages trying to find away to gain access to it, and failed?  Did you have to break the grey backing when it came off?

Plus, do you know if you can buy replacement bulbs to fit inside the dash switches, as none of mine seem inclined to work at the minute?

Thanks

Title: Re: blue dash convertion
Post by: ...joe on 11 August 2006, 08:28

if none of your switch lights work then you have a bigger problem. more likely it'll be the headlamp switch. there is a blue/grey wire that feeds the illumination for them so check that out as well.
i bought 12v l.e.d's with resistors attached fromn www.ultraleds.com for all my switches and the same for the dash ones but soldered them into the original holders. the heater panel just pulls apart with some force but its easy to damage it. run a sharp knife round the joining faces. then it should be obvious how to get the old bulb out and solder a new one in.

Title: Re: blue dash convertion
Post by: rubjonny on 11 August 2006, 10:42

you have to split the rear casing off the heater surround ideally.  The way I did it was to chop the plug off the back of the surround with a hacksaw, pull out the 5mm bulb and fit an LED in the hole.  Then soldered the resistor & wiring to the plug so It plugged straight into my car.
I aslo fitted a second LED on the right side of the surround so the light pattern was more even :)

Title: Re: blue dash convertion
Post by: Malloy on 11 August 2006, 16:42

Thanks for the info,

I'm reasonably confident that it's issolated to the bulbs, when I bought the car in Februrary it was just the heater controls, and headlight switch that weren't illuminated.  Unforutnately I pulled the dash out to change a bulb, which finished off the fog light switch, and has left the rear window switch very dim. 

Guess i'll have to have another go at the heater controls, perhpas I'll source a second one first as surly I'll suceed with one. 

Had anybody reading this got a spare MFA vacuum sensor that plugs into the back of 160 mph single plug dashboards.  A mokey has managed to destroy mine and snap the feed that the pipe attaches to

Title: Re: blue dash convertion
Post by: rubjonny on 11 August 2006, 17:49

i take it you've played with the dimmer slider on the headlight switch? ;)

Title: Re: blue dash convertion
Post by: Judderi on 15 August 2006, 09:11

Have a look in my project section. I did a small write up there. Its about page 6 i think.

Title: Re: blue dash convertion
Post by: VeeDubGTI16v on 15 August 2006, 10:17

how do you wire up the neon strips in the footwell to go with them :laugh:





joke  :rolleyes:

Title: Re: blue dash convertion
Post by: Judderi on 16 August 2006, 11:48

Well cars run on a simple positive and negative 12v system. Its very simple really, take the chunky wire from the coil and connect it to your steering wheel. Then start the car while holding onto the wheel. Job done, you will now have blue sparkly lights inside the car!

Title: Re: blue dash convertion
Post by: Mr Blue on 16 August 2006, 20:58

i regret converting to blue LED's

it looks tacky and you cant adjust the LED brightness + you cant see the dials clearly. Probably just me

Title: Re: blue dash convertion
Post by: Judderi on 17 August 2006, 09:06

Thats cos you did a crap job of it blue lol. I like mine. Looks more modern, a hell of allot brighter too and my dials are crytal clear at night. 100% improvement over the origional. Maybe i will change the colour at some point in the future though. Might try red next.

Title: Re: blue dash convertion
Post by: rubjonny on 17 August 2006, 11:19

I did my driver in blue, worked great once the green filter was out and i 'diffused' the leds (rubbed the ends down with sandpaper)  The dimmer worked perfectly too.

I'm going with red LEDs in my GTI, along with a corrado heater pannel for that touch of class  :cool:

Title: Re: blue dash convertion
Post by: JMallows on 18 August 2006, 00:01

Like to see pics when your done John, as i want to do this, but with red. I only seem to be able to find pics of blue dash conversions, no red ones!

Title: Re: blue dash convertion
Post by: rubjonny on 18 August 2006, 09:23

Trust me it looks cool, better than blue imo :)

I did a green LED dash conversion on a mates MK2 and that looks cool too, he wanted to stick with the OEM look but without dim & faded switches!