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Image tells all. This explains why short profile 'bulbs' or LEDs are needed for the factory tachometer or clock.

Installed and operating. Turns on when lights (markers+) are turned on and box door is opened. Intentionally not painted black as reminder for prototype model. Image taken near end of 'civil' twilight.

Glove box lamp parts. 1 - Outer frame (flat piece) from a a cut-out bit of 1/10" plastic of an old computer or electronic widget. 2- Pipe is cut from 3/4" CPVC pipe. 3 - Switch is a normally closed (NC) push-button available for cheap on-line by the 10-pack. 4 - Wires are color matched parts from an old harness with coordinated barrel connectors from VintageConnections.com 5 - LED another online Amazon part. 6 - Socket is typical lamp socket from Datsun 510 instrument cluster panel which fits snugly into pipe. All assembled with hot glue. Paint as desired.

A sectioned Datsun thermistor, just in case you're curious as to how they are built.

White paint job for housing and metal support panel exposed.

Layout of disassembled cluster. Note variety of stainless screws used in rebuild. Also note the Testors 'needle orange fluorescent' paint used to freshen up visibility of stock needles.

Back side of refurbished circuit board and view of pod interior with full white paint coating. The range of quality for factory painting here is surprising. I've had some with barely any coat with much exposed black plastic and others that were fairly well done. The flat/semi-gloss paint aids greatly in overall brightness. The dimmer is truly needed for night driving but allows for readability during daylight. To get uniform color and performance, if tack or clock is used, it should be opened and have the interior painted to match.

Back side of rebuilt cluster on test bench. Note added integral lamp harness for factory clock or tachometer. Also note orange dots on lamp sockets with matching dots on PCB to aid in easy service for directional LEDs. Also note yellow tape on charge lamp. This used to indicate incandescent bulb used which is required for standard alternators to ensure adequate resistance to enable field coils to energize. The LED, being a diode, also does not allow bi-directional current flow, which is needed for correct charge state monitoring.