98 Instrument Cluster Questions

MeatballBullet · January 24th, 2012, 03:01 PM

Hi everyone, I had a few questions on the 98 instrument cluster.

1st. Are the numbers clear, or is there a green film? I'm looking to install led lights in my dash. If they aren't clear It would be better off just to buy a new face that's clear.

2nd. I was wondering if purple led's would be easy to read at night? I love the look of them from what I saw online, but I'm just worried that they will be hard to see. I don't really want red, because a lot of people have red lights.

Thanks!

fastpony · January 24th, 2012, 03:25 PM

All of them are going to have green film backing to them. I bought some leds off of ebay and just threw em in. they worked pretty good. I did the cluster and the climate control area too i couldnt get to the shifter at all to change the bulb on it.

96red&blackstang · January 24th, 2012, 10:12 PM

that is sick!!!! Think this is my next project

MustGT98allday · January 24th, 2012, 10:56 PM

1. the film is blue not green. so careful what color you choose. you could always wetsand the blue film.

2. purple is actually the least bright of all the led's because it is actually uv blacklight not purple. i just did it in my girlfriends eclipse and the purple actually looks really good and isnt crazy bright like the other leds

MeatballBullet · January 31st, 2012, 12:33 AM

Thanks for your help everyone!
To wetsand them, what grit sand paper do you recommend?
Those look awesome fastpony.
And I love Eclipse's. What year is it?

laser98 · January 31st, 2012, 01:57 PM

Originally Posted by MeatballBullet

Thanks for your help everyone!
To wetsand them, what grit sand paper do you recommend?
Those look awesome fastpony.
And I love Eclipse's. What year is it?

Instead of sanding the cluster panel, why not just use red led bulbs? Red bulbs behind blue tint should give a purple glow. If you do decide to sand them, I would try the finest grit possible to avoid scratches that might impede the light shining through (1500 grit) and maybe even use some rubbing compound and lightly buff them out. If 1500 won't take it off maybe try 1000. I would say definitely not anything more coarse than 600.

WhiteNoise · January 31st, 2012, 02:27 PM

i suggest here: LED Lights, Bulbs & Accessories - SUPER BRIGHT LEDS

I dont trust ebay..

MustGT98allday · January 31st, 2012, 06:14 PM

that would work using red leds to make purple. and definitely use 1000 or more grit. i just needed to wetsand my girlfriends cuz her film was orange. also its an 03

MeatballBullet · February 1st, 2012, 12:14 AM

Okay, thanks for everyone's help. I don't know when i'll order the bulbs and such, but when I have the end product I'll post a picture of it. And that website is a lot more useful than any of the other sites I've seen.

wolverine34 · February 15th, 2012, 12:31 AM

just did mine i ordered the 5 led 194 bulb.

yamanx · February 15th, 2012, 08:06 PM

I ordered the Ebay bulbs for mine and was sorely disappointed, get them from SuperBrightLEDs.com

1996 GT · February 15th, 2012, 10:31 PM

I know for a fact, 100% my '96 cluster has a green film.

fastpony · February 15th, 2012, 11:01 PM

Did you pull the gauges out? or at least apart?

WhiteNoise · February 16th, 2012, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by fastpony

Did you pull the gauges out? or at least apart?

No need, unless your sanding. My 97 had a blue film. You have to think about this...... The stock bulbs in the cluster illuminate a yellowish light. So when your guage is that yucky green, its a blue film. Thus the blue film and yellow light show a green cluster. People think since the guage was green, the film was green. Some models may actually have green film! But mine was blue. So i bought the cool white and they turned out blue.

No need to open the cluster, the bulbs twist in and out on the back of the cluster. The black things are the housing that twists out. Simple pull the bulb out and replace with led.

Heres the old bulbs

Heres the new LED's

My ending product, i also did the HVAC controls.

Alente · February 16th, 2012, 11:05 AM

ill post a pic of mine, i can switch between blue/green.
I wanna do AC and shifter(shifter would help alot since theres no light)

Jhoward93 · February 16th, 2012, 12:25 PM

Anyone know what color wire powers the illumilnation bulbs I currently have no interior lights on the hvac controls or in the cluster but the clock still works all the fuses are good an new bulbs. I wanna do the leds but gotta get them working first.

WhiteNoise · February 16th, 2012, 02:58 PM

Here is the exact write-up i used to install mine.
How to Install LED lights in your Mustang Gauge Cluster

January 24th, 2012, 03:01 PM	#1
MeatballBullet Newbie 98 Mustang Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Iowa Posts: 18 iTrader: 0 reviews	98 Instrument Cluster Questions Hi everyone, I had a few questions on the 98 instrument cluster. 1st. Are the numbers clear, or is there a green film? I'm looking to install led lights in my dash. If they aren't clear It would be better off just to buy a new face that's clear. 2nd. I was wondering if purple led's would be easy to read at night? I love the look of them from what I saw online, but I'm just worried that they will be hard to see. I don't really want red, because a lot of people have red lights. Thanks!

January 24th, 2012, 03:25 PM	#2
fastpony Regular 1998 ford mustang gtclone Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Minneapolis,MN Posts: 487 iTrader: 0 reviews	All of them are going to have green film backing to them. I bought some leds off of ebay and just threw em in. they worked pretty good. I did the cluster and the climate control area too i couldnt get to the shifter at all to change the bulb on it. __________________

January 24th, 2012, 10:56 PM	#4
MustGT98allday Hardcore Enthusiast 1998 Mustang GT Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 1,282 iTrader: 2 reviews	1. the film is blue not green. so careful what color you choose. you could always wetsand the blue film. 2. purple is actually the least bright of all the led's because it is actually uv blacklight not purple. i just did it in my girlfriends eclipse and the purple actually looks really good and isnt crazy bright like the other leds __________________ pi swapped and dropped sn95

January 31st, 2012, 02:27 PM	#7
WhiteNoise Enthusiast 1997 Mustang GT Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Western Maryland Posts: 691 iTrader: 0 reviews	i suggest here: LED Lights, Bulbs & Accessories - SUPER BRIGHT LEDS I dont trust ebay.. __________________ Mods: MAC o/r H, SCT tuner, CAI, short throw shifter, dash LED conversion Upcoming: Suspension build (Spring/Summer 2012)

January 31st, 2012, 06:14 PM	#8
MustGT98allday Hardcore Enthusiast 1998 Mustang GT Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 1,282 iTrader: 2 reviews	that would work using red leds to make purple. and definitely use 1000 or more grit. i just needed to wetsand my girlfriends cuz her film was orange. also its an 03 __________________ pi swapped and dropped sn95

January 24th, 2012, 10:12 PM	#3
96red&blackstang Regular 1996 Mustang gt Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: San Antonio Posts: 69 iTrader: 0 reviews	that is sick!!!! Think this is my next project

January 31st, 2012, 12:33 AM	#5
MeatballBullet Newbie 98 Mustang Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Iowa Posts: 18 iTrader: 0 reviews	Thanks for your help everyone! To wetsand them, what grit sand paper do you recommend? Those look awesome fastpony. And I love Eclipse's. What year is it?

February 1st, 2012, 12:14 AM	#9
MeatballBullet Newbie 98 Mustang Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Iowa Posts: 18 iTrader: 0 reviews	Okay, thanks for everyone's help. I don't know when i'll order the bulbs and such, but when I have the end product I'll post a picture of it. And that website is a lot more useful than any of the other sites I've seen.

February 15th, 2012, 12:31 AM	#10
wolverine34 Newbie Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 5 iTrader: 0 reviews	just did mine i ordered the 5 led 194 bulb.

February 15th, 2012, 08:06 PM	#11
yamanx Regular 1998 Mustang GT Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Broken Arrow, OK Posts: 105 iTrader: 0 reviews	I ordered the Ebay bulbs for mine and was sorely disappointed, get them from SuperBrightLEDs.com __________________ Mods: Full Griggs suspension, Koni coilovers, Cobra brakes with SS lines, sub frame connectors, 3.73s, 5-speed swap, TR6's

February 15th, 2012, 10:31 PM	#12
1996 GT Traction...? 1996 GT/ 2008 GT Vert Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Canada Posts: 2,207 iTrader: 0 reviews	I know for a fact, 100% my '96 cluster has a green film.

February 15th, 2012, 11:01 PM	#13
fastpony Regular 1998 ford mustang gtclone Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Minneapolis,MN Posts: 487 iTrader: 0 reviews	Did you pull the gauges out? or at least apart? __________________

February 16th, 2012, 11:05 AM	#15
Alente Manthusiast 1996 Mustang GT Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Fayetteville NC Posts: 1,024 iTrader: 0 reviews	ill post a pic of mine, i can switch between blue/green. I wanna do AC and shifter(shifter would help alot since theres no light) __________________ "Virtus Incendit Vires"

February 16th, 2012, 12:25 PM	#16
Jhoward93 Regular 1997 Mustang GT Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Clinton.MS Posts: 285 iTrader: 0 reviews	Anyone know what color wire powers the illumilnation bulbs I currently have no interior lights on the hvac controls or in the cluster but the clock still works all the fuses are good an new bulbs. I wanna do the leds but gotta get them working first. __________________ A few racing videos. http://www.youtube.com/user/MrJhoward93?feature=guide

February 16th, 2012, 02:58 PM	#17
WhiteNoise Enthusiast 1997 Mustang GT Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Western Maryland Posts: 691 iTrader: 0 reviews	Here is the exact write-up i used to install mine. How to Install LED lights in your Mustang Gauge Cluster __________________ Mods: MAC o/r H, SCT tuner, CAI, short throw shifter, dash LED conversion Upcoming: Suspension build (Spring/Summer 2012)

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