87 Corvette

Maybe I'm missing something, so if anyone can add a little light, my thanks.
(If the moderators feels this is a stupid post, please delete, Thanks)

Firstly,
To all the guys guys on this Forum, my THANKS!!! for YEARS of awesome information that I've been able to use to affordably run my Vet.
I'm a retired Army Veteran so anything to keep costs down has been really appreciated. This site has more than done that for me.

I bought an 1987 Vet in 2011, and one dash bulb was burned out.
Following a lot of reading, my options were either change out the complete bulb type assembly (including remove the dash) or just find original bulbs.
Turns out 882's were not common, but after a lot of calls I found a light bulb place w a few in stock that were made by GE still in the boxes.
Replaced the one bulb, everything works fine.
Decided, if the original 882's are really hard to find, I should buy some spares, so bought 4 more in 2012 thinking I'd need them at some point and never find them again, allowing me to replace all 4 at one time.

Fast forward to 2018, I let this vet go, but forgot about the bulbs as I never burned anymore out after the first one was replaced.
Found them a few months back, listed them on the WTS site here, but did not hear anything back from anyone. (Was looking for $30 plus postage for the 4 bulbs or any offers)

I'm OK w re-purposing the bulbs (can use them on a train layout) but thought as these are NOS 882's and I thought, hard to find, and easy to replace there would be some interest from someone else who had a C4 and needed bulbs before I re-used them.

Politely asking, did I miss something, or maybe was the price to high for original 882 bulbs???
Or has the stuff from China finally replaced Original American Made products?

Seriously, I'm OK w using them, but thought as my Corvette was all original parts, (all the vet guys I've ever met seem to be of the same opinion) these would have gone to better use than a toy train set light stand. (Was not enough C4s locally to find a buyer).

Thanks again

stabac

I replaced one 1985 a few years ago. Right at the moment I don't recall what the number bulb was but I also don't recall any problem finding it... probably E-Bay.
Now, IMHO........I have never been to a "Concourse Type" judging and certainly don't expect to ever enter one. I consider my car to be all original, even though it has some reproduced after market parts, however IF I were to ever enter a true judging competition(NOT) I'll be damned if I would let some judge tear my dash apart to check if my bulbs were NOS or not. When I pull the switch and the dash lights up that's close enough to original condition to suit me

87 Corvette

Thanks Stabac, Hadn't really thought of it that way. In light of the high cost of the original bulbs, it makes sense. Thanks

Joe C

halogen 882's are so "old school" technology. at a minimum, upgrade to xenon's - far cheaper, burn cooler, and probably 10X the life. when you install new bulbs, you'll see what those hot little 882's are doing to your display's circuit cards. GM started installing xenon's with the C5's - again, cooler and last longer. some folks are upgrading to the latest and greatest, LED's at an additional cost, and most likely LED's will exceed the life of the car. I upgraded my 85's to xenon's some 15-20 years ago - didn't notice any difference in brightness, color temp, or anything. no issues to date -

mako41

Yep 882 halogens are dated, give off to much heat and burnt many of the C4 mounting sockets/boards they were mounted in! (Pre '89 C4 builds)

Xenon bulbs which GM started putting into '89 C4 clusters in '89 are the way to go.
You can read all about cluster backlighting bubs here;
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ent-guide.html

Cheap replacement Xenon bulbs here;
https://www.lightbulbsdirect.com/XenonWedge/X5WW12V
https://www.lightbulbs.com/product/eiko-49025

stabac

Use a piece of heat shrinkable tube to insert the bulb so as not to get "greasy" finger prints on bulb, creates a hot spot