Hey Everyone.

With summer coming up, and my ever lasting need for school money, I have decided to take up revamping the stock Fiero instrumentation into the newer technology LED style illumination. This technology is found in most high end cars being built today and looks very impressive. I will soon be investing what little money I have left from this Semester of school, into buying LEDs to build completely redesigned Fiero clusters to offer here and several other forums. I have been up all night working on the first prototype, and let me say... I'm still drooling! The outcome is beyond words.

Also let me briefly state that this is no simple process, many hours must go into each build to insure the outcome is flawless. LED's will replace every traditional light bulb in the dash, included instrument needless, warning lights, blinkers, auxiliary gauges, everything! The overlays must also be tweaked in order to eliminate the factory orange tint allowing any shade of color to pass through without distortion. I guess what I'm trying to convey is that this is not a cheap bulb replacement, there's a lot of work that must go into each panel to guide, channel, and redesign how the light gets to the face plates. Lets just say I've done a lot of homework to get to the point where I have with the prototype.

The beauty of this technology is that, with the method I'm using to refinish the OEM gauges; I can use any color LED I'd like, and in any combination I'd like. The Prototype is being built out of hyper white LEDs and resembles high end Lexus and Honda gauges. The white is very impressive, very luxurious, but I of course will be taking advantage of the ability to use other colors for those who want them. I have already bench tested the following colors; Red, Orange, Yellow, Blue, Green, and Purple, all colors having fantastic results.

I will have the prototype finished soon, and will of course post pictures and a small write up for DIYers who want to give it a try themselves. In the mean time, I'd like to get some feedback on colors you guys would be interested in so that I can go ahead and begin ordering the many basic LEDs I will soon be needing.

Important: Each setup will require 3 separate types of LEDs, and so I will most likely have to order each style LED from a different color. This means that I can only offer basic colors, like; Red, Green, Blue, White, Purple, Orange, yellow etc. Not; Magenta, Sunburst Orange, Lime green, Dark red, etc The colors must be basic so that the colors match for all three LED types. I can also do some mix and matching.

These will of course come with a new set of needles in any basic color you'd like.

So without getting too technical (Yet), if you would be seriously interested in this service, what colors would you be interested in? When the time comes to build these, I will also be offering custom colors as mentioned above, but for now what basic colors should I stock up on?

Also, this is what the prototype looks like right now:


Edited to add:
I should know better than to begin offering anything but a finished product, but I've had so much feedback requesting photo's that I've decided to show some of the bench testing photo's, so that others will have a good idea about what to expect. Keep in mind that all of the colored LED photo's are of only one LED behind the faceplate. When all LEDs are in place, everything will be as bright as the "220".


This was obviously taken in front of a florescent light, not an LED. The hyper white LEDs are directed and so the light from them is about twice as bright. This will give you a pretty good idea though. The picture on the right is what they would most likely look like in the dark with the florescent.



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_______________1988 Pontiac Fiero: Formula/GT - 3.4 DOHC - 5 Speed_______________

[This message has been edited by Emc209i (edited 07-18-2008).]

That looks amazing, you can get the Fiero gauges to look like that? What car are those gauges from?

Do you have an estimate on cost, that would be significant factor.

Edit: I like the White

[This message has been edited by Xanth (edited 04-24-2008).]

I already have gotten the Fiero Gauges to look like that. The example of the white cluster above is from an Eclipse. And you of course know that the Mitsubishi gauges are standard orange just like Pontiac's.

I'm still going to withhold price until I can figure out what my inputs are going to cost (LEDs are expensive). I'm sure it will be somewhere in the lower $100s for everything; Gauges, needles, auxiliary, signals, custom colors, you name it. Maybe less than $100 for a simple white without auxiliary gauges. I'll have more info soon. The prototype is using an older set of LED I had in a box, and I want to use high end strip LED's to save me many hours of frustration.

That's cool. It looks like HID in the dash.

[This message has been edited by Amida (edited 04-24-2008).]

I think I would want either red or blue. Just like the fiero has already just red or blue instead of orange.
I'd be interested in this.

Ryan

id be interested in white. Let me know what the cost would be? that will really determine this for me.

Austin

Interesting... Does the LEDs allow to keep the dimmer option of the backlight?

Thanks.

quote Originally posted by Mister: Does the LEDs allow to keep the dimmer option of the backlight? Thanks.

Yes. If I have any troubles I will be looking into a cheap pulse width modulation brightness controller to reduce the duty cycle. I very highly doubt that will be the case though.

Cool. I'll be waiting for the photos
(won't be able to buy one right away, but there is interest)

I understand this would require sending in a core to have it done, we have the metric gauges here.
Maybe you should consider also selling a DIY kit, thats would be nice.

[This message has been edited by Mister (edited 04-24-2008).]

That looks awesome. I think Blue would be my choice. Please continue on with this.

Heh. I have something like this planned for my guages as well. Only, I will be using Tri-Color LEDs for adjusting the colors as I see fit, and modifying the Fiero dimmer to use PWM.

Those look great.

I've always been partial to the blue gauge/red needle combo on VWs. I was thinking of going that route with speedhut gauges, but this might turn out to be the better option.

I would be intrested as well. I think in the stock color but If they get that bright then thats cool.

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Indy#64~FieroNews~Boots~Bag s~Wallets~Headliner~Spare Cover

Any pictures of the fiero set up?

EMC,

Is there a line yet?

I am interested in Green with Blue Accent.

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My best advice when it comes to your Fiero is to "NOT" do any dealings with www.kitcarman.com
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/A...070315-1-061575.html <~ The drama with kitcarman
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/078336.html <~ finishing and fixing kitcarmans mess
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/079860.html <~ re-do after kitcarmans motor blew up.

quote Originally posted by Fiero redux: I think Blue would be my choice.

Stand by.

quote Originally posted by Synthesis: Heh. I have something like this planned for my guages as well.

I'm positive the build thread will help you then.

quote Originally posted by GonsaiPK: I've always been partial to the blue gauge/red needle combo on VWs. I was thinking of going that route with speedhut gauges, but this might turn out to be the better option.

Speed hut gauges are great, I've seen several dashes with their product and I have to say; top notch. Gauge overlays are completely out of this projects league though. And I can tell you these will not be much more than the overlays.

quote Originally posted by Fiero Thomas: I would be intrested as well. I think in the stock color but If they get that bright then thats cool.

I'll see what I can do about orange.

quote Originally posted by doublec4: Any pictures of the fiero set up?

I'm waiting on the 1206 smt led's for the needles.

quote Originally posted by blkcofy: Is there a line yet?

It wasn't my intention, but.. yes there is.

quote Originally posted by JimmyS: I am interested in Green with Blue Accent.

Expound briefly please.

Main Gauge clusters in Green with Blue Needles and Blue Warning ranges on the speedo and RPM
Will you also be doing the Auxillary Gauges for the GT's?

[This message has been edited by JimmyS (edited 04-24-2008).]

quote Originally posted by Emc209i: Build Thread(snip)

I have already started on mine I may do a build thread when I am done. Keep up the good work

quote Originally posted by JimmyS: Will you also be doing the Auxillary Gauges for the GT's?

Of course.

quote Originally posted by Synthesis: I have already started on mine

Race ya!

I would just be happy knowing how to ax the orange tint.

Blue would be my color of choice, and I would probably do the job myself. It's funner that way

I'll let you know exactly how to do that in the near future.

I added photo's to the original post.

Red!

heh...of course, you could use some of the multicolor leds and the use can change the color they want just like in the Mustangs...

looks really cool how are those brakes

quote Originally posted by Mickey_Moose: heh...of course, you could use some of the multicolor leds and the use can change the color they want just like in the Mustangs...

The Mustang uses a very expensive computer to change the LED color. That computer alone would cost more then the entire setup, not to mention that the light diodes are twice as much. We'll just stick to one color right now and see if I can come up with an inexpensive method to change the color.

[This message has been edited by Emc209i (edited 04-25-2008).]

What would the life of these lights be?

If it was in the $100 range I would be interested. Color preference would, of course, be orange (or amber).

Why not use variable color LED's ?

I would be very interested in something like the eclipse look.

I'd go for light blue gauges, red needles, with blinkers and idiot lights in orange. 100-ish sounds good to me.

You certainly I have my attention!

I don't know what color to choose though, looking at the pictures I like all of them. I'll have to think about that out in the Fiero.

You may want a filter of some sort to help diffuse the light, to make the light more even. So you dont have bright spots.

I'm partial to the Blue, or Red

quote Originally posted by Emc209i: The Mustang uses a very expensive computer to change the LED color. That computer alone would cost more then the entire setup, not to mention that the light diodes are twice as much. We'll just stick to one color right now and see if I can come up with an inexpensive method to change the color.

That very expensive computer can be emulated with a $3.95 16F84 Pic and 3- $0.12 transistors. Whip up a small amount of code and a single button can select tons of colors easily. and the 16F84 pic is an expensive old out of date pic. ATMEL and other microchip pics can do it cheaper.

quote Originally posted by Fiero Owner: What would the life of these lights be?

100,000 hours. The car will rust in half before the light dims enough for you to notice.

quote Originally posted by Chris Hodson: You may want a filter of some sort to help diffuse the light, to make the light more even. So you dont have bright spots.

That's been a concern since the beginning. I've got it under wraps though.

quote Originally posted by timgray: That very expensive computer can be emulated with a $3.95 16F84 Pic and 3- $0.12 transistors. Whip up a small amount of code and a single button can select tons of colors easily. and the 16F84 pic is an expensive old out of date pic. ATMEL and other microchip pics can do it cheaper.

I've been doing a lot of reading. It would be possible, more expensive, but possible. The biggest things is that so many more parts are needed, making the assembly process more hefty, and I'm trying to keep things simple. I'll keep it at the back of my mind, but I'd like to focus on what I can do well right now.

I just had a breakthrough on a light filtering system. So adding highlight colors will definitely be possible!

Whats the status on this? I'm still very interested.

If its in the lower $100s like you said sign me up for a blue pair

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