[Scarebird]

I had the same issue sadly:

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...&postcount=151

[79 Phoenix]

Okay, thanks guys. I need to look closer at this. It will have to wait as I'm going out of town for a week. I will get on it when I get back. Thanks again. --Kim

[79 Phoenix]

I have verified that all the u-joints have the c-clips and the pinion u-joint is held on with u-bolts.

I had originally installed the driveshaft with new u-joints last Fall. It drove without vibration then. Then in February I had to remove the transmission to replace the throw out bearing and think (hope) I just reinstalled the driveshaft off-center. Vibration started after re-installation. Now that I've centered it, it drives fine.

Here are some pictures... Does anyone see any problems?

[79 Phoenix]

I took the plunge! Taking the dash apart. The plan is to clean everything; clean the cluster; replace all the bulbs; paint the silver part of the bezel; install woodgrain on the bezel; fix one crack on the dash pad; paint the dash pad and re-assemble before the 14th... because I have an appt to get passenger outer wheelhouse and partial quarter installed the last half of the month. So, I need to keep moving on this.

I need to unhook wires to courtesy light switches or uninstall switches and get the whole pad off the car and then to figure out how to remove bezel and cluster. Any suggestions or tips would be welcome!

Anyone know if I can replace bulbs with LED's?

[67Lemons]

I installed LED’s in my dash cluster when I pulled it this spring. Search here for some threads, there were some really good threads on removing the dash in the ‘70-‘72 cars, it’s not hard, just requires patience.
Edit found:
https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...t=Dash+removal

[79 Phoenix]

Thanks 67 Lemons. for the great link. I had done previous research but had not come across that thread. Fortunately, I have already accomplished that much. I just need to disconnect the dome light switches. and then pull the unit out and work on the bezel and cluster.

I plan on using SEM Color Coat Satin Black on the pad after I fix a small crack. As far as I can tell, the Satin should be the closest to original.

So, do the LEDs work well in yours? Not too bright?

The only lights that currently work on mine are the speedometer lights, But ,they are very dim. But they have been in there for at least 45 years!

[Scarebird]

Only issue I have had with LED instrument lamps was they do not dim.

[Shiny]

Like Scarebird says, they may not dim at all or dim the way you want.

You can certainly use LEDs but get specifics from someone that used them and is happy. It may be tricky to get the right "light output power" and the "color" can vary.

You may need to re-do the blue reflector paint in some of the gauge backs.

Not a 70 Tempest, but this may offer some insight:

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...highlight=1891

It has been almost 10 years since I went through my dash, and I chose to stick with incandescent lamps.

Here are some notes I took, but they are incomplete. No guarantees about accuracy so double check:



There are several threads on here that suggest alternative lamps that are brighter. The tradeoff will likely be hotter and less life. Here is another chart I pulled out of my notes that details some of the differences. For example, 168 is sometimes recommended as a brighter option for 194 and is what I installed:

[79 Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Shiny

Like Scarebird says, they may not dim at all or dim the way you want.

You can certainly use LEDs but get specifics from someone that used them and is happy. It may be tricky to get the right "light output power" and the "color" can vary.

You may need to re-do the blue reflector paint in some of the gauge backs.

Not a 70 Tempest, but this may offer some insight:

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...highlight=1891

It has been almost 10 years since I went through my dash, and I chose to stick with incandescent lamps.

Here are some notes I took, but they are incomplete. No guarantees about accuracy so double check:



There are several threads on here that suggest alternative lamps that are brighter. The tradeoff will likely be hotter and less life. Here is another chart I pulled out of my notes that details some of the differences. For example, 168 is sometimes recommended as a brighter option for 194 and is what I installed:

Thanks Mike! Very helpful information and link. I'm thinking of staying incandescent due to the LED dimming issue and also having more uniformity in the brightness. If I could only get some in LED and not others it would look weird...

My Gt-37 is a base model and doesn't have some of the lighting...ashtray, glovebox, etc. so I don't think there will be that many bulbs to locate.

[79 Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Shiny

Like Scarebird says, they may not dim at all or dim the way you want.

You can certainly use LEDs but get specifics from someone that used them and is happy. It may be tricky to get the right "light output power" and the "color" can vary.

You may need to re-do the blue reflector paint in some of the gauge backs.

Not a 70 Tempest, but this may offer some insight:

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...highlight=1891

It has been almost 10 years since I went through my dash, and I chose to stick with incandescent lamps.

Here are some notes I took, but they are incomplete. No guarantees about accuracy so double check:



There are several threads on here that suggest alternative lamps that are brighter. The tradeoff will likely be hotter and less life. Here is another chart I pulled out of my notes that details some of the differences. For example, 168 is sometimes recommended as a brighter option for 194 and is what I installed:

Thanks Mike for this very helpful info! I'm thinking of staying with incandescent because of the LED dimming limitation and to try to maintain some uniformity in brightness. My GT-37 is a base model so it doesn't have some of the optional lighting like ash tray, glove box, etc. But I will need to figure out which bulbs I will need and have them here before re-assembly.

[79 Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Scarebird

Only issue I have had with LED instrument lamps was they do not dim.

Thanks for pointing this out! I had forgotten about the dimming issue.

[67Lemons]

I got mine from superbrite LED’s and they do not dim but they look great, remember the color spectrum of the LED also plays a role in how they look vs incandescent bulbs. It’s hard to see in the pics because I also have blue LED strips for mood lighting in the footwells. Pretty sure that I used these 4000k bulbs or something similar.

https://www.superbrightleds.com//194...-Natural~4000K

[79 Phoenix]

Thanks! Cool looking dash and the instruments light up well. I'm going to mull this over and have to decide which route to goo soon, but this helps!

[Scarebird]

I took another look at the instruments this morning. Note that the illumination is slightly uneven. Also, I paid closer attention to the rheostat and noted that the result is 100%-85% then nothing: no very dim for those blacker than Hitler's heart nights.

The inside of the gauges are sprayed early 60's Pontiac engine blue. I will eventually dust this with gloss white

[79 Phoenix]

Are your bulbs LEDs?

[Scarebird]

yes.

[79 Phoenix]

Still thinking about incandescent VS LED.

But this afternoon was able to get the pad cluster and bezel out. I am hoping to get by with all the bare black plastic on the original bezel and vents. Chrome accents are pretty good. I want to repaint the silver along the bottom of the bezel. I do plan on using the fake woodgrain around the gauges that I got from AMES.

I would like to get the lens off the cluster. It looks like it is held in by metal tabs that are bent over the lens... I'm nervous about bending them for fear of breaking the 54 year old lens... Any suggestions?

[Scarebird]

I have had good luck with a narrow knife blade and a good pair of needlenose pliers. If this is the first ime they have been bent back you shoud have no issues. It is not an age thing, only repeated bending will make it an

[79 Phoenix]

Okay, thanks!

[79 Phoenix]

More progress today. Finished cleaning up bezel, masked and painted silver part. Then with my wife's help, put on the fake woodgrain (not easy). Polished gauge tunnels with Plastx.

Removed cluster lens (thanks Scarebird!), cleaned and polished with Plastx.

Cleaned, masked and painted steering wheel pad with SEM Color Coat satin black.

Also I decided to stick with the incandescent bulbs and replaced all of them.

Tomorrow I will mask off and paint dashboard flat black. It has some slight surface rust in spots and stains...probably from condensation. Overall, it just looks old. So, it would be silly not to take the time to repaint it now while everything is apart. Also, will paint steering column tomorrow. I will use Rustoleum satin black.