Most liked posts in thread: Gauging Interest: Mini Interior Lighting Conversions

I'm ALWAYS open to things like this. Whatcha got in mind - a multiple color setup, or a change to one preferred color.

 

Me Too opcorn:opcorn: Jason

 

Explain -- is this like mood lighting where you can change/shift colors or is it just replacing the white light with a single color?

 

I met this gentleman at the ABF Road tour over the weekend. We are going to identify a local MINI for conversion. Once that is complete I think everyone will have a better understanding.

 

It's gauge lighting I think, center console back-lighting.

What I'd like to see is interior courtesy lighting that is either white, or red, and it is instantly changeable with a switch. I just think it would be cool to have red lighting like a submarine. Would be for finding stuff inside the car at night, or reading cd labels... while driving, uh, at night.

 

The topic of gauge color lighting comes up occasionally on other forums, and there is always interest when pics are posted.

Simon of EssentialMINI in the UK (http://essentialmini.co.uk/) has been doing it but only locally (actually a while-you-wait service taking a few hours). Here in the US, a few people on NAM have done it on their own gauges (see here and here) and informally done it for a few others by special arrangement, but there hasn't been a regular service available for people to use. If you read the threads (and the topic keeps popping up occasionally), there is clearly interest. However, I think a problem you might have is the need to ship gauges to you and put the car out of commission during the turnaround.

For other interior lighting in the car, there are lots of possibilities. You can see examples of what I've done in my NAM gallery. Others have done similar things but everybody improvised their own one-off custom mods. There would be interest if you can assemble lighting kits ready to install.

 

Sounds promising, looking forward to pictures. opcorn:

 

I would looooooooooooooove to change my gauge lights to match my "mood" lighting. Is this for Gen 1 or Gen 2?

 

opcorn:

 

I would be interested in getting: Tach; Speedometer; over head console and center swiths done in either blue or white LED's the read is hard to see. Would that also be the Gels (Tachometer computer readout and automatic climate control).
Where does the line start.

 

Always wanted it to look like interior lights of my 04 VW:

 

Color change isn't that hard...

but don't expect it to be changing like the mood lighting, or with a switch. While that's possible, it's not easy at all. These are all surface mount LEDs. Those that have rolled their own have taken the stuff apart and done the work themselves. I got a few extra tachs thinking I'd screw around with it, but never really got the time.

The parts are inexpensive, but the risk if you screw up badly are large. The NAM thread has lots of examples of peoples work. Surface mount soldering isn't hard, but it takes a steady hand and good eyes!

Hay, if you do this, get the InvisiLens for the perfect look! (Shameless plug, I know!)

Matt

 

A guy in our club changed his gauges to blue, it was very labor intensive, as he went in a changed all the individual LEDs, or so he said? It came out very nice

 

Hmmm.....do I see a "swap out" system in the works?

 

Looks like it came out good. But......hmm....all that work and yea it looks different, but not that different, but hey that's what he wanted. I would like to see a all blue setup, have anything like that scheduled? Would have been nice to see the actual work being done, kinda step by step. How much time did all that take? What bulb did you use for the dome light? Thanks.