Quick Update
Ok I got a regulator circuit built and tested....gunna have to wait for the ones I ordered through work. "why would Supa waste his time with a regulator circuit?" Automotive electrical systems have voltages that are continuously fluctuating 11-15v with the ocassional spikes. LEDs don't like to go over their rated current (most are 20-30mA) and when I calculate the required resistance I use 13.7v as my input, so when the system only puts out 12.4v the current drops and light output drops as well, but the LEDs will last a lil longer. Now the current regulator circuit I'm working on will output a consistant 30ma(or whatever I set it to) with a fluctuating input from 12-20v, higher spike protection with some protection diodes.
I've been testing the different colors in the different gauges, it looks like amber works in the yellow 944 gauges, but red works better. The UV/blacklight LEDs work in the VW/914 gauges like I guessed they would. I already installed a resistered set of blue LEDs in the 914, looks good. There is a noticable difference in brightness between 6000 mcd and 10,000 mcd.
I also solved the socket problem for the VW/914 gauges, so now its a easy modification to the stock sockets, plus they are cheap on
www.pelicanparts.com, I think they are around a dollar each.
On my bike I hooked up some UV LEDs for liscense plate light and the do make the plate glow very bright but it's a purplish color which is illegal, so I'm going to put in a push button switch that will turn the UV LEDs off and turn on white LEDs while riding. (doesn't make it go faster but girlies will dig it). I'm still a few days off from having some pics developed. Zen if you want I'll pic up some sockets from either pick-n-pull or Bug-O-Rama and you let me know what color LEDs you want and I'll see about having a set for you when you come to NorCal in a couple of weeks.
Nick