Here's the latest mod to the HHR. Custom guage lighting! I liked the way the newer VW's are lit so I did the same!

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e273/en0onmai/KMBCarshow1026.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e273/en0onmai/KMBCarshow1025.jpg

And here's a recent shot from a Car Show in Oracle AZ..

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e273/en0onmai/KMBCarshow1003.jpg

I removed the headlight covers for a custom retro fit we'll be starting as soon as my ballasts come in. Enjoy! :D

I like the look, but what was involved to achieve it ??

Guages look great nice job. :thumb:

I like the look, but what was involved to achieve it ??

I haven't done it to my HHR yet but I would assume the same as any other vehicle. Change the incandescent bulbs that come from the factory to LEDs in your choice of colors. It's on my to do list when I get some time. Awesome job enOoNmAI. :beer:

Looks good :thumb: Now I have to remember what they look like to begin with :red:

i love what you did with you guages is there a how to on that i would love to do it to mine.

just by changing the bulb, that changes the color of the dic?

nice job man! Have you ever thought about changing the lights on your rear plates so they are white (just like the new lexus) instead of boring yellow?

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r68/bibi89_02/P1000083.jpg

Remember...

Showing white light to the rear is illegle in most states. Plate lights are exempt IF they are below a certain luminance.

Actually the HHR lights in everything are LED's to begin with. Tiny little square LEDs that are about as big as --> o <-- that. We swapped them with some colored LED's to make the vibrant blue/red on the gauges. The DIC is a different beast all together. It took some creative thinking but we found out a way to make the gauges ANY color we want without doing all this work. Now my stereo and HVAC controls are all matched to the gauges. Soon as I get the write-up done I will have a how-to up!

you da man!

thanks for sharing this. looks great. i can't wait for the How To.

Jason.....any write up on this yet?

Sweet looking dash color!!! :thumb:

Jason.....any write up on this yet?

Thanks for resurrecting this VERY interesting thread that I somehow missed the first time around...I am interested in a how to, as that look is SWEET!:thumb: :bow:

nice job man! Have you ever thought about changing the lights on your rear plates so they are white (just like the new lexus) instead of boring yellow?

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r68/bibi89_02/P1000083.jpg

I thought I was the only person interested in this mod, this was one of the first things I did to my HHR, actually the first thing I have been doing to my rides for years...I use the hyper white bulbs, and they give off the look of a 'HID' headlight bulb. I bought mine at Pep Boys.:thumb:

:thumb: BUMP:thumb:

i'm still waiting for the 'how-to' on this one...;)

probably won't attempt a how to on this until i get the courage to take my intrument cluster out again. Only a couple pictures came out from the 25-30 or so that I took. Sorry! :(

My license plate lights are LEDs now by the way. Have been for a while. All interior lighting is done using blue LED's as well. I can snap a few pics this weekend of interior and license plate lights. The look of LED's in a bright white instead of bluish hyper white is a welcome change from the monotony of standard "yellow" bulbs.

i had to rub it in sorry :)

http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/1/7/8/8/gauges.jpg

crappy phone pic but you get the idea, this is my favorite mod so far

Ok,I'll play along.....I was messing around with my spare cluster and.....

http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/1/7/8/8/gauges2.jpg


I didn't do anything with the needles yet, still experimenting...

probably won't attempt a how to on this until i get the courage to take my intrument cluster out again. Only a couple pictures came out from the 25-30 or so that I took. Sorry! :(

My license plate lights are LEDs now by the way. Have been for a while. All interior lighting is done using blue LED's as well. I can snap a few pics this weekend of interior and license plate lights. The look of LED's in a bright white instead of bluish hyper white is a welcome change from the monotony of standard "yellow" bulbs.

where did you get the whit led bulbs for the license plate?

eBay... the license plate bulbs are just 194's. You can find all kinds of LEDs there. I think I paid like $0.99 for them! :D


Looks killer guys! Nice work!

eBay... the license plate bulbs are just 194's. You can find all kinds of LEDs there. I think I paid like $0.99 for them! :D


Looks killer guys! Nice work!

do you remember which one exactly you got or who you got them from? and do u have pics of them on your car? i jus wanna see if they are really white?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280153128441&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:Watchlink:middle:us

Are these it?

Interior LEDs are BLUE.. and I mean BLUE BLUE.. License plate lights are white.. check my "updated pics" thread for images...

Blue waterfall.......I also did the steering wheel buttons but they don't photo so well....you have to look very careful at the last pic....Regards..


MAD PROPS to Jason for this mod......

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k199/RUDEINC/100_1795.jpg




http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k199/RUDEINC/100_1799.jpg




http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k199/RUDEINC/100_1791.jpg

Looks great! :twothumbs Why does your radio display differ so much from mine? Is yours the base stereo or the 6 disc one? It looks different than my Pioneer single disc mp3...

Looks great! :twothumbs Why does your radio display differ so much from mine? Is yours the base stereo or the 6 disc one? It looks different than my Pioneer single disc mp3...

I have just the standard base, most generic radio GM offered...lol

Blue waterfall.......I also did the steering wheel buttons but they don't photo so well....you have to look very careful at the last pic....Regards..


MAD PROPS to Jason for this mod......

I hope you don't mind but I edited your photos so everyone can see the buttons a little clearer.

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/7486/1001799vf4.jpg

http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/663/1001791pj7.jpg

Looks great! Now there's one more thing I'll be looking at doing if I ever get my HHR.

def. the best mod ive done as far as looks go, i love driving at night now...... no more "old man mint green" lol

When you said "old man mint green," it got me thinking about what it would look like in actual "green." :lol: That would be SICK!!! :D

Or red... That would be cool, too.

Come you guys who did this mod...share on how it is done!




Goose

I can see how you did the LEDs, but how did you change the VF displays on the DIC and radio?

I just got done doing the drivers door lock and mirror adjustment buttons....What a pain in the ass, but it looks awesome.....only one left to do is the passenger door lock switch and this mod is DONE!!!!

I just got done doing the drivers door lock and mirror adjustment buttons....What a pain in the ass, but it looks awesome.....only one left to do is the passenger door lock switch and this mod is DONE!!!!

i cant figure out how to get the damndoor lock switches apart to see the light source. grrrrrrrrr.......... did you change the bulb in the mirror control or use the "previous" technique?

oh and your not done yet mister dont you still have green on your direction display on your mirror:nuts:

i cant figure out how to get the damndoor lock switches apart to see the light source. grrrrrrrrr.......... did you change the bulb in the mirror control or use the "previous" technique?

oh and your not done yet mister dont you still have green on your direction display on your mirror:nuts:

Yeah, I know about that mirror display, I was debating on tearing it all apart. When I converted to that mirror it came with LED's already in the map lights so I'm debating on changing them out or the other method...I actually did the other method, and it worked pretty good, and was easier than changing LED's. So we will see what it looks like when I tear the mirror apart...lol


As for the lock switch.....

Once you get the doorlock out of the door the first thing you have to do is gently "pry" off the the lock button. They are on pretty good and it feels like it's going to snap, but just go in from the side with a small screwdriver and pry up and it will pop off. Once that is done remove the white piece of backing material on the switch, don't touch it too much and you can put it right back when you are done. Now there are 3 white tabs holding the "guts" in (2 small 1 large) gently push down on the large one and the "guts" should slide right out. There is a 3mm LED (unlike the surface mounts) covered with a blue bulb cover in there so you can either swap out the LED or use the "other method" and viola!

Yeah, I know about that mirror display, I was debating on tearing it all apart. When I converted to that mirror it came with LED's already in the map lights so I'm debating on changing them out or the other method...I actually did the other method, and it worked pretty good, and was easier than changing LED's. So we will see what it looks like when I tear the mirror apart...lol


As for the lock switch.....

Once you get the doorlock out of the door the first thing you have to do is gently "pry" off the the lock button. They are on pretty good and it feels like it's going to snap, but just go in from the side with a small screwdriver and pry up and it will pop off. Once that is done remove the white piece of backing material on the switch, don't touch it too much and you can put it right back when you are done. Now there are 3 white tabs holding the "guts" in (2 small 1 large) gently push down on the large one and the "guts" should slide right out. There is a 3mm LED (unlike the surface mounts) covered with a blue bulb cover in there so you can either swap out the LED or use the "other method" and viola!



is it the same size led bulb that goes in the hole that lights up the window switch?

is it the same size led bulb that goes in the hole that lights up the window switch?

window switch?

Redone with red needles....

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k199/RUDEINC/100_1810.jpg

I think Crowbar is meaning the light in the roof that lights up the window switches.

I think Crowbar is meaning the light in the roof that lights up the window switches.

:thumb: yup

:thumb: yup

no, it's smaller.....the "jesus" light is a 5mm I believe, the one in the switch is a 3mm...