Instrument Lighting & Paint Testing

[Ifitaintbroke]

Totally off subject, but is that a Cobra down there? And the lights look great

[Ifitaintbroke]

Also, what on earth is that thing in the key holder?

[ratdude747]

In reply to both posts:

First, a better daytime pic from a year and a half ago (close enough):



(Only changes since are a coverlay dash cover and a dual power port swapped for the single)

Yes, that's a Cobra 25 LTD Classic. Cheap FB marketplace find that I fixed (bad RX/TX gauge, to my knowledge is 100% stock otherwise).

The thing in the cubby is a TPMS receiver. One of many gifts I received from EricTheCarGuy when I helped him move out of his former shop... he had a pile of tool/part review loot that never got shot, and he had a few other helpers and I divy it up. All sorts of wonderful stocking stuffers and the like (not to mention, he gave me his old craftsman creeper that he always spoke ill of but works great for me!).

The TPMS is designed to be glued to a dash and charged off an integrated solar panel, which I wasn't keen on. But it also has a micro-USB charging port, so I was able to fit a hardwired dash cam charger brick with a left-angle connector and somewhat discreetly hardwire power without modding the bezel at all. Wire is zip tied to the trailer brake controller harness and loops up and into the cubby. It just sits there with gravity, so if I ever need to remove it for service or the like, it just comes out and unplugs.

Both the TPMS and CB are powered from an ignition-controlled relay behind the dash, part of my efforts to eliminate alternator noise in my radios (ran dedicated power/ground circuits via an aux fuse panel direct to battery)... so they don't draw battery when parked. Also on that wiring is the added power points (and (obviously) the rest of the head unit (both unswitched)... all to avoid ground loops. Mostly successful!

[BigBrother-84]

ratdude747 wrote

I did swap (and test) all of the indicator lights (Turn signals, Seat Belt, High Beam, and Brake warning).

Hi Larry!
In my case, I put back the regular bulbs in these upper cluster sockets, since I found the LEDs to be too much bright.
But for the rest of the cluster, I am really happy about the LED result!

You went much farther than me, putting LED bulbs all around, ash tray, A/C controls, etc.  Nice job!

[ratdude747]

Funny, the brightness on the dash indicators after the swap is about right for my liking (the old bulbs were too dim). Go figure.

LEDs (IF good quality) run cooler, draw less power, and last longer than incandescent bulbs... the only place I've heard not to use LEDs is on exterior indicator lamps with Fresnel lenses (turn signals, tailights, etc.) as the required geometry to make it work is incandescent-specific and LEDs will result in less visibility to other drivers (not good!)

[Ifitaintbroke]

Wow. You probably have the only Bullnose with TPMS.

[ratdude747]

Not True!

Kramttocs's 1986 F250 has an android head unit that he uses with a USB TPMS receiver.

I run a similar setup on my 1995 Ranger, but in that case, the main reason for android is OBD-II/Torque support (I added TPMS to it later, based on his good results). That vehicle has native 2-DIN headunit support (it "looks" like it could have been stock in another reality), so for me, it makes sense.

On my 1984, it came stock with a twin-shaft headunit... and since I think they nuked rosewood after 1984 (same time they moved away from twin-shaft headunits and radio bezels), there isn't a good way that would look "right"  to make such a swap, and with the stock EEC-IV having no realtime data collection capability (let alone something that would work on Android and with a USB or Bluetooth adapter). Hence the use of look-alike head units (as vintage aftermarket units with a CD input are hard to find) and a discreet TPMS receiver.

[Ifitaintbroke]

I like that it is standalone instead of being in the dash, and giving you error messages/ sending the truck into limp mode...