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wheres the o/d switch

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hitch

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Hi,
On my way back from the 24 hour Le Mans race I did quite a bit of night driving and found it a pain to have to feel for where the o/d switch was. Finding it annoying to have the wipers go when I expected warp ! speed I was wondering if anyone has heard of a switch which is softly illuminated from within, almost luminous. If there is one it may be easier and cheaper than doing the gear stick conversion. Also if you do a gear stick conversion, is there anyone who has had a hollow gear stick made so the o/d wire does not show. I guess this may present problems with the stick being weak at the point where the wire would exit???
Thanks Mike
 
Nice being able to answer your thread in return!

There is an optional works O/D Switch/Gear Nob assembly that has the switch build into the aluminum nob. It looks good and you need no extra illumination. Limora sells it around EUR 48.
 
Hi Hitch,
You can get illuminated toggle switches at just about any auto parts store. I think they look a little cheesy though.
 
Thanks guts for the ideas. I might keep my eye on flea bay for an old works type BMC switch. I found an old hazard switch and rally style reading lamp this way which I have mounted under the glove box.
 
I bent a small length of aluminum into an L shaped bracket that fit up behind the edge of the shroud and above the dash. I installed several 12 volt red colored LEDs. With the dash board cover piece in place, you cannot see anything. I now have light on my dash when I need it without blinding myself. I also put several more LEDs on the same circut in the top of my glove box.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I bent a small length of aluminum into an L shaped bracket that fit up behind the edge of the shroud and above the dash. I installed several 12 volt red colored LEDs. With the dash board cover piece in place, you cannot see anything. I now have light on my dash when I need it without blinding myself. I also put several more LEDs on the same circut in the top of my glove box.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ed, I like the way you McGyver. I have been pondering the same idea. I saw some thin neon flexible tube lights in one of those custom stereo shops. I also thought of running it under the lip of the padded top dash, over the toggle switches. You even thought about lighting up the top of the glove box. Right on.

You know, some guys light up their wheel wells. Glad you drew the line.

I like the LED idea. Could you post a photo of the wiring job you did.

Two leads? One hot, one ground? Do you have an on off switch? What did you splice into. Details man, details. "Ed's how to light up your toggle switch and glove box, 101 coarse" Looking forward to this. Roger....that.

PS. Maybe your design will end up being sold by one of the vendors. Like the reflector that ties into the top/turn tail lights. I made that modification during the discussion topic here a while ago. Shortly later, a vendor began selling it as a kit. What a coincidence.
 
When I made my dash pad, I replaced the ½ round foam piece that runs along the cockpit edge with a piece of wood. Then drilled to fit 6 LEDs.
226979-dashpad.jpg
 
Once the dash cover was on, I installed the LEDs into their sockets and fitted the little black surrounds that came with them. I replaced the panel light switch with a new main light switch. So up is off, center is panel lights, down is panel and LEDs.
226982-underside.jpg
 
I spent a lot of time looking at the available options. I thought about using those flexible tube lights but they all came with some kind of strobe controller which I had no use for. I also realized that the only place that needed to be illuminated was the center section of the dash that has all the switches and the front of the radio , along with the inside of the glove box. I bought 9 red LEDs that came with a couple of feet of wire attached to each. I put three in the " roof " of the glove box. I made two L brackets and mounted three LEDs in each. I drilled a small hole high on the front of the dash surface to the right of the right hand screw that holds the dash to the car. I routed all of the wires through the hole down to the area behind were the center console fits. I connected all the red wires and all the black wires. I made a common ground wire for this string of lights, the courtesy lights, and the grounds for the stereo and the radar detector circut. I made two ground points, one sandwiched between the console and dash mounting screws with a large lug and several star washers. I ran the same wire over to the firewall and put it under one of the heater mounting screws. I cleaned off a circle of paint under the screws and used star washers. I ran one common red wire from the LEDs through connectors to one of the three pull switches that I installed in the console to the left of the speaker grill. I also put a double throw switch on the side surface of the console at the top to function as an " accesory power " switch for the stereo. One position is " power always on" to allow the radio/cd player to work with the ignition off. The other position allows the stereo to power on and off with the ignition switch. The middle position is OFF with the handy benifit of being able to quickly turn the stereo off without fumbling around with little buttons, especially at night. The third pull switch on the console is the power to the radar detector. I ran these wires out the same hole as the LED wires then another small hole to the top of the dash. I ran this pair of wires under the dash pad and then up through the opening in the front. I think I'll put some velcro spots on the dash to the front and left of the rear view mirror to mount the radar dector when I am driving. It can be unplugged and locked in the glove box when I am parked. I guess I can look for the wife's camera but everything is back together so all you will see is the three console switches and the bottoms of the L brackets that hold the LEDs.... I mounted the L brackets by drilling a couple of 1/8 " holes through the front edge of the cowl for each of the two brackets and then pop riveted them in place. There is a center fastener in the car to hold the cowl onto the car. This is why I made two small L brackets instead of one large one for the center section of the dash. With the dash pad installed, you cannot see any of this. I guess if you are down low working on something and look up you will see them but that doesn't bother me.
 
Nice job Greg. I thought about something like that but for me the little L brackets were easier to make and install.
 
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