dash bulbs

[rev ken]

I have replaced my dash bulbs with new original bulbs and also tried led bulbs.  The dash lights are so dim I can't see them at all at nights. The speedometer has regular clear bulbs and it is very easy to see at night.

[Gunslinger]

I have to assume you have the instrument light switch at the brightest setting.  You might also need a new instrument light resistor which is mounted under the drivers side of the dash.  

Studebaker chose the red lighting for a couple of reasons...it's softer than white lighting to begin with and thus less distracting in low light.  It affects night vision less than white lighting...that's why aircraft have red instrument lights and submarines use red lighting prior to surfacing to help with night vision.  The biggest reason Studebaker chose red lighting was Egbert Sherwood, the company President was a pilot and the engineers thought it would be very aircraft to appeal to him.  That the safety aspect was a positive advertising point was secondary.  

 

[rev ken]

I talked to Dan Booth and he said I had the wrong "original" bulbs.  He sent me a bulb kit

from his stock and now I have bright dash lights.  The first ones I had were round and didn't

go into the gauge far enough to reach the prizms that distribute the light.  The one Dan sent

me are longer.