Model A LED tail light conversion kits

I'd like to change my Mod A tail lights to LEDs for safety reasons, i.e. to keep the stupid cell phone users from plowing into my rear end. I know there are complete LED tail lights available but was hoping for a kit that could be installed and save a few bucks. Any help would be appreciated.

Paul

 

SURE you have Model A taillamps? Model A lamps have 2 separate bulbs the lower small one is taillamp/license lamp, the upper large one is the stop lamp.

Ford used the 33-36 Passenger lamp on pickups from 33-the early 50s then went to the shield lamp I believe. These have only one bulb.

Try painting the inside of the housing gloss white, scrubbing the lens inside and out, and using 2357 bulbs. These 2357 bulbs give you a much brighter stop/turn function, lots brighter.

 

LED's are not for Hot Rods....that more for them fancy ass street rods.

 

I see they sell a basic LED replacement for the 2357 type bulbs, don't know how well they work but they look like they'd fit most places those bulbs will.

 

they work quite well..but not for a blinker..dont build heat to feed back to the relay or something like that..but for running and brake light they do ok..got one in my harley..they are not as affected by vibration and last longer..

but an entire LED tail light on an A?...man...what ever its your ride

 

C9 did the kick-assinest tech post on improvement with regular bulbs, including both ammeter and light meter readings. A search is in order.

 

Yea, I guess someone rear ending you because they can't see your brake lights is "traditional".

 

2357 bulbs in a white-painted housing with clean lenses guarantee you will not be prosecuted if you have to kill some sack of crap who rearends you when you are stopping. Keep your foot on the brake at rest for more insurance of good visibility.

Belive me, it is effective, and although not the "traditional" 1157s, might fool some.

 

www.uapac.com Try them. You might call them and ask about A's. I did not see them for my 33, but when I called they had them. IMO they offer the best bang for your buck. I have them on two cars. I drive mine and folks today are used to bright brake lights and don't give a hoot what you call your rod. Joe

 

This is posted on the local Model A Ford Club's site.
http://www.freewebs.com/modela/LEDs For Antique Cars.doc

 

The led plug-in bulbs don't really work well because they are directional. The besr approach is use the brighter bulbs with a good reflector behins them.

Mark

 

I'm running the LED lenses on my '29 CCPU. I did notice that they fit repro A tail light housings, but had to be tweeked to fit an original housing.

"LED's are not for Hot Rods....that more for them fancy ass street rods".

Don't be hard on this guy, maybe his mommy won't let him out after dark.

 

we stock both 6v and 12v lense replacement with built in LED. No rewiring required. They have a bulb socket that simply plugs in to your existing housings and they also have a white LED for the tag light. I have Model A , 32 and 33-36 and also just got in 49-50 Ford.

 

as Marks914 said, be careful how you set up LED's as they are very directional, and if you get the angle wrong, they won't be clearly seen from behind you.

I know it's not 'traditional/ but I put a rear window brake light assembly from a late model Daewoo inside my back window on the parcel shelf as a 'head high' brake light. Even on my 70's car, which had decent sized tail and brake lights, I found people slamming on the brakes behind me at the last minute simply because they've become used to seeing a brake light at window level, and 'didn't see' the lights on my lowered sedan boot area. You can't see the light through the tinted rear glass, but when I hit the brakes you sure can, and that's when it counts!

Cheers, Glen.

 

Seems like you need to go to a special flasher or add a resistor or some other trick to make the conversion bulbs work right. Heck, an extra 1157 in a hidden spot in the circuit would probably do it.

I figure the truck guys use them for a reason, and they are brighter going down the highway at night, I added some extra lights to my DD and they're okay, but if I find the same lights as LEDs cheap I'll grab some and swap them in.

 

Two points.

1. Everyone under a certain age is trained to only see the 3rd brake light.

2. LED's have no place on a traditional hot rod, which is what this board is all about.

Seek ways to make real lights work better, clean 'em out, paint the inside white, put 2 bulbs in if you can...

 

I belive in being "Traditional" also, but when it comes to someone seeing my rod at night, I have done everything said about making the ass of your car seen at night. I have lived the "because the people behind you did not see your low to the ground tailights"getting hit in the ass at night is no fun as the first thing they say is that you "the hot rodder had no brake lights" and guess what they don't work when they have been smashed, and the cop, well guess who he belives? and it is not you. I put "LED" in the back of the wifes '41 PU and it's the best thing I did, everybody that follows us say they can see the back of the truck, and now know when we are stopping, and yes I going to the swap this weekend and looking for some to put on the back of my T, and yes Im a "Traditional Hot Rodder"

 

I have to wonder if some of the stupid replies to this post belong to dewds who don't have cars on the streets so they can afford to be "tradionalists". It's not night that worries me boys, it's the daytime I'm concerned about. And when another rodder following me tells me my lights aren't very bright, I listen. You garage queens can keep your bulbs, I want something better if available.

Thanks for all the positive and helpful posts from the intelligent side of the HAMB.

 

If you don't like the LED'S we sell a halogen tail light conversion that makes you tail light twice as brite and still looks traditional. We have sold 1,000's of these over the last 15 and the work great.

http://www.julianos.com/taillight_kit.html

 

I replaced my bulbs with higher candlepower.
MUCH higher.

I have 32 candlepower for running lites and 50 candlepower for stop.

To give you an idea...32/50 is the low/high beam for the headlite on my Harley.

Aint nobody gonna claim they didnt see me!

A bonus--I have been running these bulbs on my 35 Ford truck too for more than 7 years, about 70,000 miles and NONE have ever burned out!
I use an LED bar in the back window for third brake lite. My car looks traditional until I hit the brake!

 

Regarding the directional problem and nothing else.....

Good LED retrofits feature an inner lens that you're not going to get by putting LEDs in a stock lens. This inner lens looks like the inside of a taillight lens, all cubic-cut faceted. But it's clear. When the LEDs hit, this intermediate lens will diffract enough light to make outermost red lens illuminate like it should.

 

Some safety features are a must for the back . I get behind rods with the little slit tail lite and just wonder on how long it will be before contact . I too was searching for something brighter when researching the Model A tail lite . Believe me when one of my cars are done you will see tail and brake during the day even . I also like a traditional look .

 

Stupid hey? I drive mine in traffic and I did some thing about the 38's I have. I installed 12v dichroic lamps with their reflectors for the brake and a separate park size lamp for the tail. Looks 100% stock and the brake punches out the candlepower.

I get asked "How'd you get those brake lights so bright?"

Well there ya go.

 

I have heard you need a special flasher for these. I have what they call y2k special led lights (frenched in) in my 51 hudson. I do not have a special flasher for them yet.

 

Sad fact is that if someone isn't paying attention, talking on their cell phone or whatever, it doesn't matter how bright your taillights are.