308 Handbrake Lever Bulb LED solution

Hello together,

I shipped all parcels of the recent, paid orders today. Will send an individual message with tracking ID to each of you this evening.

(barkingdog; sent you PM)

Best Regards
Martin

 

Thank you, Martin. My little green bulb arrived this week and it fit beautifully. Works like a charm!

Jeff

 

Hi Jeff,

thanks for letting me know. I'm glad you like it. And nine days from Germany to the US is the new German Post/USPS record.

Best Regards
Martin

 

Hi Martin,
I got mine as well last week. I think in even less than nine days. Beats the shipping time of when I sent something to you, I think was more than nine weeks. I guess you never know what you are going to get with the post office.

I haven't put it in yet as the car hasn't been out, but perhaps I'll take a minute today to pop it in.

Thanks,
Brian

 

Hi Brian,
it was only six weeks, when you shipped something to me

Best
Martin

 

Martin, your LED handbrake light is very nice and it will probably last forever. It's not that it makes any difference, but I noticed that the regular bulb I had before seems brighter. Have you or anyone else noticed this? Thanks.

 

Hi Mike,
I discussed this in the beginning of this thread. I aimed for brightness, which provides some orientation on the center console but doesn't distract while driving in the dark. Since some complained about the original bulb being much too brigiht, I decided to dim the LEDs with some special green bulb paint.

Best Regards
Martin

 

Hello together,

because one FChat buddy, after he had purchased my green handbrake lever LED bulb, wanted a white one for the GTB glove box as well I decided to make one for my own need too. Since space is almost as cramped as in the handbrake lever, there's no off-the-shelf LED replacement.
If anyone of you 308 GTB-owners (GTS doesn't have it) would be interested, let me know and I would make a few more.
For this purpose I use warm-white SMD-LEDs. These resemble the original light much better, than the former blueish white LEDs.

Best Regards
Martin

 

You've made me very curious....I don't remember having a glovebox in my GTB.....I'll go down to the garage later and check it out, but I really don't think I have one.

 

Hi Peter,

not the ususal glovebox in the dashboard. What I am talking about is the box with the hinged cover behind the handbrake. Only on GTBs. I assume, that on the GTS this was not possible because that space is needed for the targa top storage.

Best
Martin
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ohhhhh....that one....and now I'm STILL curious....I had no idea there was a light! lol
I'll have a look and get back to you.

 

Peter,
either the bulb is missing or dead or there's a ground problem (easy to fix) with the low-tech switch. It's a tiny, hardly visible button near the hinge.

Best
Marrin

 

Me!

Please...

 

Hi Martin. I have your handbrake light installed......awesome! Yes, I would like a few of the glovebox ones if you make them. Count me in (4).

 

Thanks Martin, it arrived safely but not fitted it yet.


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Hello together,

just a quick note and explanation for silence. Being too busy I found no time last week to proceed on the topic.
But I will get back shortly to all who have contacted me so far.

Best Regards
Martin

 

Hello together,

first of all. Sorry to those who are interested in the white LED bulbs, for this delay of around four weeks. I was quite busy with my job and my LED parts supplier ran into some problems, which caused delay too.

But today I made all the ordered bulbs and contacted you via PM.
Needless to say. Again I made a few more. Mainly green ones for the handbrake and white ones for the glove box.

Best Regards from Germany
Martin

 

Hi Martin

Managed to fit the glove box LED and it's great thank you. Exactly the correct colour light, can't tell it's LED.

Mine runs all the time the lights are turned on, not just when the glove box is open, so well worth fitting it.

Thanks again
Alex


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I finally looked.....yes please, I'd like a couple for the glove box.

 

Martin, PM replied

 

Just installed Martin's Green LED. From the pics I'd seen, I couldn't tell if the result was going to be Too Bright, Too Dim, or Just Right. (For the price, I thought any of those 3 would be perfectly acceptable.)

Happy to say I find the brightness Just Right. The green color looks very nice too.

Tip 1: If you have problems installing it (because you can't quite see what's you're doing), a small mirror is great. Just lay it on the console, and you'll be able to see what's going on.

Tip 2: Careful with that tiny screw that connects the "lamp housing" to the brake handle. If it slips out of the screwdriver, it may bounce down the console and magically land in a AC/Heat lever slot and fall into the abyss of the Center Console.

Tip 3: The light still works without the screw.

Tip 4: Don't be lazy. Make a mental note to take the console out (on some other day of your life), find the screw, and complete the install properly.

Thanks Martin, great job on this neat little gadget.

 

Thanks John for this.
Regarding Tip1 let me add: Kneeling outside the car leaning against the driver's seat while the lever is engaged as far as possible is much better than trying to perform this job while sitting inside the car.
Regarding Tip2 a large towel covering all crevices also helps.
Regarding Tip3: Ground would be a matter of luck

Best Regards
Martin

 

That one goes beyond my humor and into "freaking important" - thanks for mentioning that.

After a quick cocktail, I thought "to heck with it" and went back into the garage. 10 mins later I had the screw back in it's proper place and everything reassembled.

(One would be amused by the "interesting custom wiring" I found once I took the control panel off the console. But that's for another thread.)

 

HI Martin. I just found this thread (awesome Idea, I am changing my entire 78-308 to LED) and was hoping they were still available.
I couldnt PM so LMK via this thread or Email Im in for 2
Rgds
Joe

 

I don't drive my 308 much at night for some reason. I guess because it's a fun sunny day car but last weekend I was in it after dark. I looked down and saw that green glow and thought what a great little service Martin is providing us.

It's the little things sometimes.