Maybe I'm just gettin old but I find myself struggling to see my bouncing speedometer and gas gauge at night. I drive by one or the other these days, usually the gas gauge but the lights are so dim I feel like I spend more time focusing on them than I do on the road.
Any ideas to brighten things up a bit? It's a '68 300 Deluxe, already switched to the one-wire alternator so flare isn't an issue. All the bulbs are in working order and the headlight switch is set properly, just can't make out the images, and doing 75 down these roads at night with a lighter between the steering wheel and dash just ain't cuttin it

If your bulbs are the 194 type they do have LED bulbs out now that replace your factory bulbs but they're kind of pricey at $10 for two. But you'll probably not have to ever change them again. And yes they are brighter.

I had the same problem on my 66. It turns out that the ground wire from the dash was bad. I made a new one and the dash is nice a bright again.

Grounds are all good. I was thinking about the LED thing but I haven't found any of that size. I know they aren't 194s like my marker lights...hopefully someone will make them soon

Where is the ground wire from the dash usually connected?

Made a big difference in my work truck when I cleaned the gauge faces, needles, and polished the plastic lens.

Some of the bulbs were burnt out, too.

Somewhere I have info on bulb candlepower; there's a 1cp bulb and a 2cp bulb, but I forget which part number goes with which bulb.

Where is the ground wire from the dash usually connected?

On my 66 the ground wire is connected to the gauge panel and the dash. The gauge panel is metal but sits in plastic trim.

Measure the voltage that's going to the dash lights. You can measure it at the LPS terminal that is found next to that stubby fuse on the bottom of the fuse block. Have the engine running, the head lights on, the hearer running and anything else that you normally use when driving at night. If they're getting 13+ volts you can eliminate that as a problem.

If less than 12 volts : How did you connect the one wire alternator? It's a common practice to connect the one wire directly to the battery. This adds resistance to the main power feed to all of the cars electrical.

"Somewhere I have info on bulb candlepower; there's a 1cp bulb and a 2cp bulb
Lamp numbers through 69: 1 cp 1445, 2 cp 1895.

17177 is the wagner number for the brighter bulb, you'll have to turn the dash light brightness down. Good luck

actually im experiencing the exact problem on my 69, what do i need to remove to get at the dash light, and how do i remove it :)

(adjusts his halo)....i hooked my side marker lights back up this weekend and miraculously now my dash lights are brighter. perhaps they were dim because the circuit wasn't complete. or it could be in my head but i'm not straining to see the fancy bouncy speedo anymore.

brad...there are quite a few lights down there, you can either remove the instrument panel or sit yourself upside down in the seat and have a blast..wouldn't advise jumping in blind and start pulling without seeing what is what. been there, done that. if you have a mirror, might make the adventure a bit easier but, as i recall, removing the IP altogether isn't too difficult and you may just learn a thing or two when you're in there...i sure did

actually im experiencing the exact problem on my 69, what do i need to remove to get at the dash light, and how do i remove it :)
Well first you remove the seats :D

69 dash light sockets are prone to come apart when you try to pull them out of the cluster, letting the bulb fall down inside the cluster.

You need to try to get a knife blade under the metal part of the socket and pry it out.

http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/data/500/dlapart2.jpg

http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/data/500/wiremess.jpg

LOL, I thought I was the only one with the bouncing speedo.
My lights on the 66 are very dim also. Could it be that most of these cars have never had the bulbs changed because of what it takes to do it? On mine all I see is spaghetti under there.

I would double ck your ground as said, I would get a wire with a couple alligator clips and hook one side to a good known ground (battery) and touch the other end to the back of the cluster, there cheap to make and comes in handy. I made one thats about 20' long which works good for tail lamp problems

LOL, I thought I was the only one with the bouncing speedo.
My lights on the 66 are very dim also. Could it be that most of these cars have never had the bulbs changed because of what it takes to do it? On mine all I see is spaghetti under there.

I think you can get at the lights for the speedo from the top with your dash pad removed. You should see them looking down thru the windshield. Just be careful. The "idiot lights" are another issue...

those pictures make the job look way too intimidating for me

those pictures make the job look way too intimidating for me

just another day in paradise, brad....call it an adventure in chevelleland. you'll definitely become one with your car after that experience