[mrm331]

Part Sources:
__________

Rings: 89-97 “Mazda Miata MX5 MX-5 Chrome Dial Gauge Rings” from “the-tuning-shop-team” (eBay) - $39.99+$11.99 S/H


Big red warning lights: “Changeable Red LED Indicator Pilot Light 9V-12V” from “hongkongsuperseller” (eBay) – 6 for $4.99


Shift, Beam and turn signal indicators: “Dash Warning/Indicator Lights” from “jess1scruff” (eBay U.K.) - 4 for $8.81 (tell her what colors you need in your order)


Charge and Brake lights (bulbs removed and housings cut down): I’ve looked back though my records and can’t find where I got these…sorry


Yellow status lights: “LED Chrome Dash Warning Light 12v *Amber*” from “jess1scruff” (eBay U.K.) – 4 for $10.42


Paint: HomeDepot, tractor supply


Lettering: Woodland Scenes Dry transfers-Hobbytown


Plastic: Styrene sheet –Hobbytown


Plexiglas: found on eBay, can’t find where I got it though

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Tips:
I found most of the lights by searching for “pilot lights” or “indicator lights” on eBay. There are many other styles other than the ones I chose including the taller, jeweled “fender amp” style that KG uses. Another option is to simply go down to the local radio shack and pick up metal LED holders. The four amber lights could have been purchased that way if I had known. The only down side of this is that you would have to make a lenses for them of some type, which could be as simple as cutting off the head of a cheap LED and gluing it in.

-Jason

 

[mrm331]

Last part of the build:

Before installing it I wanted to run a bench test to make sure I had my LED’s in correctly and to make sure the light didn’t leak anywhere. Here it is on my dining room table:

What this showed me was that the back lighting was leaking into the indicators which is why they are all lit above. I used some thin strips of electrical tape to block the light from the edges of the plexiglas which seems to have worked:

Here it is installed in the car. I need to get a better camera than my smart phone:

Installed from driver’s seat:

Close-up, lights off:

Close-up, lights on:

Hope everyone enjoyed this. Compared to the price of buying one the work involved in making it yourself is not that hard. If I were to have just made one to go over the original lights it would have been about 40% easier and less time consuming. I may make one up for my Dad’s Miata like that now that I have the template.

At some point I’ll cover the process of adding the LED lighting in another thread in the electronics section.

Thanks for following along,

-Jason

 

[mrm331]

do you have a template you could put up? Or a scan, and I'll make a template for people to download :3

Also, link to the rings please!
nvm, found them!

Great job!

I'm not sure I could scan the template I made in. I could try to make one though.

-Jason

 

[mrm331]

Outstanding!!! I'm blown away.

Wow, coming from someone with your level of DIY that's a big complement. Thanks!

-Jason

 

[Tinners]

For the brake and charge lights, how hard was it to cut down the housing/remove the bulbs to use the stock bulbs?

Awesome diy, and I've been looking for suitable lights for a while now, so big thanks there.

 

[mk1matt]

looks sick man! love seeing some neat and well done diy's

 

[na mean]

make me one!

 

[cbaylis77]

A work of art.

 

[mrm331]

For the brake and charge lights, how hard was it to cut down the housing/remove the bulbs to use the stock bulbs?

Awesome diy, and I've been looking for suitable lights for a while now, so big thanks there.

It took no more than a few seconds with a hack saw to make them work. That said, I'm not eaxactly thrilled with the way they look. The light output is a little pathetic looking. It may look better if I swap out the stock bulbs for LEDs.

I wish I could find the eBay vender I got them from. I picked up a lot of the parts for it over a year ago so it's not even in my eBay history anymore.

-Jason

 

[thetech]

Looks great, nice craftsmanship!

 

[smac]

Excellent work, pretty much the same method I used to make mine.

I'm having the same problem with my heat and charge lights as I used the same housings, will probably swap to the housings KG Works use as these seem to work much better.

Edit: Link to ebay seller if its any use. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310102516474

The housings can be completly dissambled to remove the bulb/wireing, the housing can also be split so it doesnt take up as much space, leaving just the top part

 

[mrm331]

For those looking for the warning lights to do this themselves, the biggest problem that I found was that the lights that kg uses are led bases which have no lense. If you use them as I did on the amber lights it's no big deal but they need to be wired in. You can find the metal bases at radio shack but using them without an led would look kind of bad.
I was again thinking about my past experience building model trains and remembered that there are several manufactures who make tiny lenses for the headlights and marker lights of super detailed model train engines. They are mostly clear but could be easily tinted using model paint or even just used with a colored bulb. Here's a link to a list of them:

http://www.walthers.com/exec/search?manu=516&split=30

I may go this route if I decide to make one that can simply be bolted over the stock lights and gauges without having to be wired. If any one wants to try on there own that may be a good place to start.

-Jason

 

[mrm331]

Excellent work, pretty much the same method I used to make mine.

I'm having the same problem with my heat and charge lights as I used the same housings, will probably swap to the housings KG Works use as these seem to work much better.

Edit: Link to ebay seller if its any use. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310102516474

The housings can be completly dissambled to remove the bulb/wireing, the housing can also be split so it doesnt take up as much space, leaving just the top part

I initially picked up a bunch of those but thought they looked too bulky for what I was trying to go after. If anyone wants some let me know.

-Jason

 

[mrm331]

Excellent work, pretty much the same method I used to make mine.

I'm having the same problem with my heat and charge lights as I used the same housings, will probably swap to the housings KG Works use as these seem to work much better.

Edit: Link to ebay seller if its any use. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310102516474

The housings can be completly dissambled to remove the bulb/wireing, the housing can also be split so it doesnt take up as much space, leaving just the top part

Yours was the write up that actually got me going on this. Your idea to use one sheet of clear material was a very good one. Thanks for setting me in the right direction.

-Jason

 

[smac]

I initially picked up a bunch of those but thought they looked too bulky for what I was trying to go after. If anyone wants some let me know.

-Jason

You realise you can split the housings so you end up with just the top part like I've done for the indicators in the pic below?

 

[mrm331]

You realise you can split the housings so you end up with just the top part like I've done for the indicators in the pic below?

Yup, they still didn't suit my tastes. I also wanted to be able to put some type of little arrow on the turn signals which I couldn't do with those.

-Jason

 

[wannafbody]

Incredible, I'd never have the patience to try it.

 

[mx5 2nr]

I am extremely impressed, seriously awesome job!

Massive thumbs up man!

 

[vindi49]

Nice job, and a really good write up too... I have a couple of speedos in the garage as well...

Russell.

 

[ProjectLowCash]

Fantastic job! I might have to hit up some local junk yards just to do this!