194 Bulbs (for the dash cluster)

[txkprotege]

Does anyone know where I can get deep red bulbs at? I bought 4 of them at walmart, "GE 194R bulbs", R stands for red

Anyways, those light up an orange/pink type color... Anyone know of a *simi* common store that carries a deep red, maybe maroon color bulb? I want a bright red to match my CD player

Autozone has some I saw, but they look about the same as the ones I bought at walmart..

[the_slow_pro]

if there very bright, hit em with a light coat of spray paint...more like a mist....yes, a mist....thats what i did, and mine are blue......but any bulb but an LED will fade over time....invest in the LED "194" style bulbs from corksport....thats what im doin.

[txkprotege]

Good idea man, walmart won't take them back anyways I was thinking about buying some glass paint, it's like 4 bucks though.. You think the lights would be damaged by the spray paint? (i've got duplicolor blaze red and high temp red engine paint)

edit: yeah I'm going to buy the leds from them when I have my paypal account

edit: cant mess it up more than the "condom" things on the regular bulbs.. I'll do it soon as theres some daylight outside. i might make a how-to on getting the cluster out, i know mazdaracer has one but i want to make one with more pics

[BoostedPro]

Even with red bulbs, the gauges won't look too red since there is green impregnated into the gauges.

[txkprotege]

agreed, but i really hate bright green and the original bulbs are about shot anyways

I've never really investigated the subject, but are there in fact any aftermarket ways to spruce up the cluster? I know corksport sells some faces,but that's about all i've seen.

[VelBurg]

There are some lights that most part stores sell.. I think they are from apc.. and you can put them anywhere.. they shine down in a spread pattern.. They come in red, blue and green and I think white... they are real small and they come I think 3 lights in a pack...that is one alternative..

[txkprotege]

3am and I'm out spray painting and screwing around in the car.. the neighbors already flashed me with their flashlight and drove by :?

Just spray painted one of them. the color isn't TOO bad with the red bulbs in the first place, I'd just rather try to make it a deep color. besides, if i decide on going normal bulbs i'd have to buy another pack of 2 anyways, so this can be my test subject

[txkprotege]

Here's 2 pics, my camera doesnt pick up the red colors in the dark very well, the second pic shows an almost true color of it More at in this post

edit: ****! i forgot to hook up the odometer

[jnorion]

http://www.superbrightleds.com

Get the super wide angle ones that have leds aiming out the sides too.

[MazdaRacer]

well, i did the red bulb thing awhile ago and i must say I HATE IT! mind you i hardly ever dive the car at night anyway, but i can't see ****. I used the Autozone APC i think...i had a gift card, needed to kill a few bucks... the color is OK, but it's hard to see the needles. atleast is is for me anyway (no old man cracks ok, i wear glasses and they WORK!)

anyway, check out my site i have some cluster customizing ideas and pics of what i've done.
www.mazdaracer.com in the DIY section.

[txkprotege]

Thanks MR. These are actually pretty bright but leds would make it much brighter I would guess I'm going to order them as soon as I can..

I forgot about mazdaracer.com :p:

[the_slow_pro]

Even with red bulbs, the gauges won't look too red since there is green impregnated into the gauges. -BoostedPro

you think if you could detach the face and rough it up with super fine sand paper it would clear?

[jnorion]

There's been a lot of speculation about that but I've never heard actual results from anyone who's done it. I'm planning on testing that pretty soon... I have my non-tach cluster set aside as a guinea pig for new backlight color and new gauge needles. I'll post results as soon as I can come up with something.

[TheLastMarauder]

Red is the best color for gauges to be, because they don't night-blind you like blue and green ones do....

[jnorion]

That's true if there's no other light around, but with the headlights on the difference is so small it doesn't really matter. And psychologically blue is easier to look at than red... it's much more calming. Also, for the red to not blind you it has to be a perfect deep red color. Any orange in it completely negates the effect.