LED's in ahstray

[86GmLsCoupe]

I was in my friends 91' Mark VII and noticed her ahstrays lit up. When I looked at the door ashtrays in my 86' Grand Marquis I noticed they have the same slits and semi-clear plastic inserts that would allow me to put some sort of light in the armrest base next to the plastic insert to illuminate the ashtray. Because the location is somewhat small, the heat given off by incandescents, and the draw off adding more lights I wanted to try using LED's. Unfortantely I have no wiring or LED experience at all. Anyone have any ideas as to how I should go about this. My plan is to have one LED for each of the three ashtrays (1 rear driver's armrest, 2 passenger armrest) and I would like to use white LEDS's. Thanks

1986 Grand Marquis LS coupe [/url] http://photos.yahoo.com/leo76830

[85crownHPP]

ooo goodey -

if your lighters have the clear plastic ring around them that should or could light up, hopefully you will have the socket for the bulbs to go in too. Might even have wiring in there too.
Pull the panel out of the armrest and see if you could get a 194 bulb in there.
if so, Id use an inverted lense side emitting LED bulb replacement (ebay)


Even if you dont have a bulb socket, you can always pull one from the junkyard to use. If there is no wiring, you can run your own and tap into the dash ashtray light.
Im not too familiar with the door panel ashtray assemblies so I cant reccoment how/where to put one in. from scratch

[86GmLsCoupe]

My ashtray assemblies don't have a the ring around a lighter and there's no extra bulb socket in the door. The pics below show the Lincoln version of the armrest bezel. The ahstray setup seems identical to a Mercury. While I'm not sure whether the ashtrays in the Lincoln Town Car light up, I do remember seeing that style ashtray (drop in) light In a Mark VII? My guess is FoMoCo produced that ashtray for numerous applications. The ashtrays pictured below as well as mine have a slit on the side with a clear plastic insert to allow light through. I would probably pull power from the unused analog clock bulb socket (so it doesn't drain other components, turns on with headlights, and dims). Sound like decent plan? Can the LED's be wired directly to the socket? Thanks

1986 Grand Marquis LS coupe [/url] http://photos.yahoo.com/leo76830

[85crownHPP]

hhmm... I cant really see where the clear plastic piece is, but there should be some room under there to put a socket. If the bulbs will be behind the plastic, Id use the 5-led 194 bulbs and point it right at the lense-like piece. Or, a side-emitting single LED bulb might work if you have to oirent the bulb with its side to the lense. Space restrictions might determin how the bulb has to sit.
Although, last time i went to the junkyard I harvested some 90 degree sockets from a random car, so it will depend what you have to work with. good luck!
You definitly can wire right into the clock light, dont worry about overloading if you use LEDs, they use much less power that regular bulbs.

[86GmLsCoupe]

Thanks for advice, I'm planning to head to the yards sometime soon to pick up some 194 sockets. There is a decent amount of room in the armrest pad to work something out. As for that plastic insert, I think you can see it best in the farthest right pic (only spot where light comes through in the ashatry) but they are pretty small and sorda tough to see.

1986 Grand Marquis LS coupe [/url] http://photos.yahoo.com/leo76830

[85crownHPP]

ah yes Id point a 5-led bulb right at it. Heck, even one of the old rounded single LED bulbs might work, since they would focus right on that sqaure. Id get white ones, they are brighter than colored ones, and Im not sure how well the LED light will make it through the lense to illuminate the ashtray. Maybe you could take the lense out? Then ashes may get through it... unless you empty them religiously.

[Paul_]

Are your ashtray/window/power lock panels wood toned? If so, what models got those? Was it only on the two doors?

[gadget73]

The Lincoln ash trays don't have a plastic window. Mine have just a slit in the side, and a 194 bulb clips to the side. Its one of those with the metal hood and one small hole in the hood to shine sideways into the lighter socket. None of mine work, all the bulbs have long since fried from the hoodie.

[86GmLsCoupe]

The armrest bezels in my car are the brushed aluminum ones, I don't believe they ever had woodgrain ones. It sounds like i'll be heading to the yard to find the those 194 sockets with the clips like gadget73 has, and put in the 5 led bulbs that 85crownHPP suggested. The plastic inserts for the slits in the ashtrays due tend to pop of as some of mine have in the past. I do think they are the same ones that are in Town Cars and many other Ford/Lincoln/Mercury vehicles. Why design a special one for each car when you can just make a standard one. Also I think the clear part has to be there to let light through, why else? The Mercury's just weren't luxury enough to get the extra light popped in behind the ahstray. Like I said before, definitely pulling the power from the unused 194 socket (for analog clock) hanging out behind my digital clock so the ahtray lights go on with the headlights and can be dimmed. Thanks again for advice, will get some pics up and let you know how it goes.

1986 Grand Marquis LS coupe [/url] http://photos.yahoo.com/leo76830

[86GmLsCoupe]

Got the parts from the Towncar at the yard today. I needed the three cigarette lighter sockets (slightly different from Grand Marquis ones). The sockets have slots that the bulb cover clips into (Grand Marquis socket slots are higher up and bulb won't clip in). The wires were run from the unused analog clock light to each door. Only problem I am having now the bezel won't go in because the bulb is hitting one of the armrest supports. Working on cutting and filing out some of the support for clearance. Update and pics to come.

1986 Grand Marquis LS coupe [/url] http://photos.yahoo.com/leo76830