do LED taillights look too "streetroddish"?

Not many.

 

WTF??? its not like we are talkin about underbody neon lighting,its about safety and being seen,and like here in Tucson when its so damn bright during the day LEDs might be the answer,I see it as keeping the vibe of the era and being able to enjoy it,but then again I LIKE A/C in a car too!! its 107 today and Humid (monsoons)......this is funnier than the resto guys that bitch about the wrong type of paint used to restore a car..........JMFO

 

I have them on my 32 pickup and don't give a Hairy Rat's Arse who don't like them,,

I'm not crazy about them but I have been rearend on more than one occasion in a hot rod because my brake lights were not bright enough,,besides,,I can't see them from behind the steering wheel. HRP

 

Dude, I'm a newbie so maybe my opinion doesn't carry much weight but I gotta agree with ya here.

I'll tell you what I like about street rodding/hot rodding (Hell....I thought the two terms were synonymous until recently): Freedom

There's nobody standing over you to make sure you got the right numbers-matching engine in your numbers matching car and it's got the acurate factory f-ed up door jam because that's how they built it back then. F-that. I'm over that sh-t.

I won't tell you how to build your car if you do the same for me. And at the same time I also won't give a damn how you build it if you return the favor. (My way....just like Burger King)

So OP...if you want to put led bulbs in your ride you just go on ahead...I'll give you a pat on the back for going your own way.

 

amen!

 

Never liked milk it and get a shot either, but if you didn't you would go blind and die.

 

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if they were moved further back onto the housing, you wouldn't have the red dots, also like i suggested earlier, cut a piece of that clear diffuser for ceiling lights, to fit between the LEDS and the lens, this will kill the dot effect of the individual LEDS , but won't block the light output

 

SBC with dim taillights??? What'd it have, a converted starter? To 6 volt??

Saw that advertized in HRM in '56. A 'suggestion' when transplant SBC into early Ford.

Bass-ackwards, if ya ask me.

 

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Cocktail hour in Chi-Town...

 

So, after 8 pages maybe we have begun to dance around the issue.

I don't think this thread was about "are LED lights any good?". Any more than whether radial tires, alternators, vinyl-coated wire or any other modern replacement item is "OK".

I believe the original question was whether use of LED lights imparted a "streetroddish" look. This is clear: just read the thread title.

I respectfully submit that they do, just like a ball-milled billet aluminum part does.

That doesn't mean that this is a good thing or a bad thing. That is up to each individual (that wonderful freedom thing).

 

I hope my wifey aint running any taillights tonight ! WOOT WOOT !

 

yes.

 

Never did a Naval stint in the PI or Guam did you? Clap Clap Clap!

 

No closest I came was a west pac cruise,only got off once for about 12 hours.........in phillipines

 

I agree there's something to be said for saftey, and there are ways to put them behind the lense so they aren't overly tacky...

That said I don't use them, I got ultra bright 1157's from my local rod shop and run them in all my old cars. Make sure the grounds are good and the buckets are painted white or with reflective paint and they'll be plenty bright.

 

if ya gotta ask others what is cool, what aint, forget it man !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ITS LIKE TAKING A FLYING FUCK AT A ROLLING DONUGHT

 

Ps

we run led's in our road trucks because you never have to change them. They burn forever. Dot cops are a real hassle, especially with this new csa 2010 crap points system for nov's

 

Safety and Traditional can be like Apples and Oranges - so what? If you don't feel safe without running LED's, then run LED's. The safety concern doesn't make them look less streetroddish, they just look streetroddish - simple as that.

 

The difference was huge when I did it on my 71 truck. That was the day after I got pulled over by the Washington State Patrol for my tail lights being too dim. The bright white paint alone helps more than you can believe.

 

heeeeyyyyyyyyoooooooooooo!!

Oh yeah LEDS are ugly! If you are worried about people not seeing your lights when you stop pump the breaks. If they cant see flashing lights they wont see leds either!

 

Thanks for clearing it up. Olongapo city and Subic bay 1966 to 1968. Anyone not there will not understand. I'll just sit back and crack another San Miguel and watch. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

 

I made my own taillights on the '50 Burb, with LEDs in '39 Chevy housings and chrome inserts. I like them, my wife likes them, they're very bright and safe. I don't care if anyone else likes them or not.

 

Teenage girls texting can't see small brake dim lights,,,I make them bright as possible,,,
I guess because I have LED tail/brake lights that makes me less of a traditional Hot Rodder to some of you guys.

Build your car the way you want and don't worry about what others think! HRP

 

I agree that the LED's look a little to street. But love the idea of putting them behind original glass lenses.

 

It seems to work well. I don't know anybody who's tried it on a rod personally, but a number of guys I know run LEDs in the original housings on their early Jeeps,which had those tiny little round taillamps.

As far as it looking too 'streetrodish'? Well, kind of depends on the style of taillamp. But just running an LED in place of a bulb in a stock housing, I doubt anyone will even know until they notice how bright it is.

 

Exactly Chuck. When it's not lit how would you even know?

 

you really cant tell I had them in my 39 pontiac (same lite as 39 chevy) and the only time I could tell was if I took a pic it kinda came out, but with the glass lens you couldnt tell in person.......

 

Yes

 

I have 4 poncho tail lights on mine, of course they are repops they only made so many 50 ponchos, and they have a nice reflector in side, I have a 12volt system and the 1157's and they are plenty bright, maybe you guys should try to put some mirror glass in there or something a bit of spray chrome?