Building a morris minor and want to have very visible, very bright tail lights -- both running and brake. Anyone have any experience with anything that could work? I like the stock look, and anything close would be great. but i'm also open to other ideas. Originally, I was going to french in some yamaha r1 taillights (even bought two of them) but have changed my mind and think I want something more like stock. Here is a picture that kind of shows the location and size. I'm not interested in one of those led replacement bulbs - i want something purpose-built to be bright. I'm expecting it to be led, but doesn't have to be. but led's, from what I understand, are very directional so I can't get a nice unit that is supposed to be mounted on a vertical surface and mount it on my angled rear fender and have it work well. (correct??)
Red LEDs (NOT white!) behind the red lens with a white reflector will give you the brightest light. In my '59 I did this with great results. Make your own adding as many LEDs as you like. Several rows or any other configuration you like. Add a 3rd brake in the window too. My '59 Ford has a circle of 20 ultra-bright 170Deg red leds and a LED style 1157 in the center. This gave me good visability from the side and rear. Don't forget the use an electronic flasher too!
i'm not opposed to an led bulb, but i've never heard of any of them working great. some work good, a lot don't work at all, but I want (and maybe it's impossible) something that is amazingly visible (taillights) and incredibly bright (brake). I've read that led's behind regular lenses don't work well, so it seems that a purpose-built unit is the best bet, but i was hoping people here might have some first-hand experience that would give me some good options. Very interested in how you made yours ragtop -- pics? instructions? how did you accomplish the duties of tail and brake??
There are all kinds of extra-bright taillight bulbs on the market. 1157 are not the only option. I put a set into a girlfriend's MGB years ago and when you drove behind her it was like having red traffic lights blasted in your eyes every time she hit the brakes. They were regular bulbs, NOT LED, so they were bright as hell from every angle.
Googling "bright tail lights" found me this quick link: http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/electric/et107.htm It's coincidence that he also has an MG. I'm pretty sure the 2357 is what we put in my gal's car 20 years ago. The taillights were "normal" and the brake lights were extremely bright and impossible to ignore or not see.
very interesting -- i will definitely look into that. I searched but there are so many thousands of options, I wanted to hear from guys who have used some of these things, or built their own. Thanks for the link -- that might just do the trick and be easy. unlike everything else on this project.
Check out Rodworx: http://www.rodworx.com/ They have a huge line of LED tail light lenses. Their LED's are actually built into the lens not just bulbs that don't do ****. You may find something that will suit your needs. I've got them and they work great!
I've been putting portions of CD's (vinyl) shiny side behind the brightest bulbs I could get as reflectors. Needed to ream out the hole in the CD to go over the socket, used a cheap tool for removing broken sprinkle pipes, the sharp edges work same as a reamer. If you're careful aviation snips work for t******* to shape of inside the light housing, then a few bumps on a belt sander and once inside the housing it's out of sight.
Careful not to melt your lenses (if they are plastic) with extra bright incandescent bulbs. Brighter = hotter.
Go to the local auto body shop and ask for some of the busted tail lighg/headlight ***emblies. Cut the reflectors out of them and place them behind the bulb. On my 62 Rambler they made the tail lights visible in daylight. LOL Best of all they are free. You don't need a perfect fit for the reflector, almost anything will greatly improve the brightness. Nick
In my ford I painted the housings WHITE not silver,and used 2357 bulbs,they are a direct replacment for 1157s. It works good'. For a 3rd brake light I used a licence plate frame with a led lights built in. good luck
Once I am able to I'll get a pic and write up some details to go with it. Probably later 2day or 2morrow. LEDs are much brighter than incandecents and run cooler with less draw too. You have to get the correct type LEDs. Not all LEDs are equal! Viewing angles to lumens (output) are all a consideration. The key is RED LEDs behind RED lenses with WHITE backgrounds! Polish or silver only serves to bounce the light waves around instead of enhancing it.
Ron Francis.com has what they call "Bright Bulbs". They worked pretty good in my '34.Don't use with plastic lenses tho.
I run 2357's in my 71 GMC with the inside of the housings painted bright white. That combination made the tail lights that I got pulled over by the WSP for being too dim bright enough that if the truck is in line of sight people can see them. White inside the housing, not silver or black is one big key. If you travel the long highways it doesn't take long to tell that led lights work when you start watching the back end of semis with them and can pick them up if the truck is in line of sight.
So are you saying that with the 2357's the brake lights are brighter but the tail lights are too dim?
I've seen Ron Lambert's lights on display at several shows. The display will damn-near blind you. It really is like "turn your head and look the other way" kinda bright. I don't know what kind of LED he is using but they are some seriously bright mf'ers. I'd be willing to bet that you won't find any brighter. Looks like he can handle a custom order too. JH
True. "Bright Bulbs" work VERY well, especially in a white housing. I'm using them in '39 lites on my '31 and my buddy is running them in his '36.
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