Yeah, I know LED's are not traditional but living in NYC I want to make sure the guy behind me knows I'm stopping. I build an LED cluster for my 6v 1930 Coupe using some cheap LED utility lights from Harbor Freight, a broken light bulb, some wire and a little bondo. They plug into the stock light socket and are very bright. I picked up two of these and took them apart noting the polarity of the wires on the board. Unlike incandescent light bulbs, LED care about the direction if the current. A little prodding with a multimeter and I figured out how to bypass the switch and I noted the polarity on the board. Next I carefully broke a lightbulb and soldered two wires to the remaining incandescent filament posts. Since my car is positive ground I soldered the lead that connects to the body to the positive LED side and the tip to the negative side. Then I wrapped the base with some tape and poured bondo in. When hard this will protect the wires and give me something solid to twist into the socket. Now this worked on my 6v system. It should also work on 12v but I think you would need a resistor. Here are some photos. The last shows the regular bulb on the left and the LED on the right. Hopefully someone will find this helpful. ~ Carl
Good idea , you should be able to fit that little board into a lot of different housings. There should still be a limiting resistor on that board somewhere, otherwise the LED's may have an internal resistor. If you try putting an LED straight across a DC power source, they will glow very bright for a second , then they will let the smoke out and die.
There is a resistor on the board and I left it in place. I also trimmed the board on the bandsaw and it fits into the stock housing. I should post a daylight pic. It looks totally stock and is reversible.
Great idea, as much as I am anti Led lights, yesterday I was following a traditional hot rod and in not very bright sunlight, ( autumn here ), I couldn’t see the lights coming on. Couldn’t help thinking that led lights would be easier to see.
I know LED's aren't traditional , until you're rear ended in your hot rod. I was on my way to WMSRRU in my Stude in 2000 . I had to make a sudden stop due to the a**hole in front of me. The girl behind me didn't, because she was late for work. Nowadays I'm paranoid, I can't have brake signals that are bright enough. Did you ever see one of those stop signs with the blinking LED lights? If I could figure out how to hide one them and make it to jump out when I hit the brakes .Hmm? Bill
Jeeze Bill, that sucks! And it's exactly what I hope to avoid. It pains me to put electronics in the car, but I can live with it if it helps protect my car and, more important, my kids when they are in it with me. Again, I'm not advocation the use of LEDs but I like that they are small and very bright. If not your "popup sign", perhaps some well hidden blinking LEDs somewhere. They even sell them in self-adhesive strips. I don't want a third light, but if I change my mind I was thinking a thin strip of LED's along a thin strip of plexiglass that can be suction-cupped inside the bottom of the rear window. If attached to a plug it could be removed in seconds when not driving in the city. ...just a thought. ~ Carl
Looks to be impressively bright! I've had good results with replacement LED bulbs which are fairly inexpensive and fit in seconds, so I wonder how the costs and performance compares? With the replacement bulbs the original lenses are used, as i expect they are in this solution, which is vastly preferable to the aftermarket replacement complete lite units which are so horribly obviously LED, even when not lit. Getting rear ended in an old car doesn't bear thinking about. Chris
If you put higher power headlights in you rod then whats the big deal about putting brighter lights where they are more important, on the rear? I am all for more safety. The days are long gone when you could casually drive down the road without watching for some texting kid behind you not noticing you are stopping. I put a strip of brake light LEDs in the back window of my coupe because the old 1948 Chevy tailights could barely be seen at night, much less in the day time.
Thanks. One more thing, What was the stock bulb number in your 30? I assume it was a regular taillight.brake/ light bulb, correct?
I just buy them from the source, https://www.superbrightleds.com/, web site has all the sockets styles one would need and the prices are good. I love DIY, but I also love plug and play.
Seat belts, lights that can actually be seen, radial tires, etc, are safety improvements that are not "traditional", but after spending a lot of time & money in building a car, I like to drive my cars a lot and intend to take every possible advantage I can to prevent someone from rear ending me. Though they're not something I would ordinarily talk about because they aren't "traditional", I'm pretty sure if these items were available when I was first into hot rods back in the early-60's, I would have used them then.
I don't know the number, but it is a standard single filament bayonet bulb. In fact I saved the original 6v (tossed it in my on-board tool bag) and I sacrificed a 12v bulb from my "pile of parts". One note about breaking the bulb, place it in an old sock or something and give it a light tap with a ball-pean. ~ Carl
I am all for being seen/safe as well but currently have regular bulbs in my rear taillights. I will be changing them over to the 1157 style from Super brights when I get a chance. I also do not like the look of third brake lights, but am going to take a spare model A tail light I have, fill it with LEDs, mount it to a magnetic based stalk, and then I can pull it out from the rumble seat area and stick it on the tulip panel of my roadster when I am traveling, then just pop it back in the trunk when I am parked. Hopefully it will save my car from being ruined by some mush mind texting and driving!!
I embrace period correct and/or traditional on my old car and truck but when it comes to safety, I too use LED brake light bulbs which so far has helped backing off some of the bumper riders in my neck of the woods.
Non-traditional but may increase safety. These are intended for third brake light. For incandescent bulb: http://metraonline.com/files/products/INSTRUCTIONS_IBBLF.pdf For LED light: http://metraonline.com/files/products/INSTRUCTIONS_IBLEDBLF.pdf When brake is applied, it flashes rapidly a few times, then slower a few times, then solid.
Is there any perameters we should look at with the listing of "lm's", since I see them as low as 90 and a high of 5000 to keep our turn signals functioning normal with a standard flasher. If so should the front and rear be the same using LEDs on all 4 corners... Superbrightleds show many bulbs....Thanks.
I understand building stuff instead of buying it and practice it regularly, but for the time and money spent on this little light, I think I'd have to purchase the bulbs already made.Didn't look for 6 volt, but they must be available. https://www.ebay.com/itm/20x-Super-...LZY3xH4:sc:USPSFirstClass!95618!US!-1&vxp=mtr The Hokey Ass Message Board
Sorry, I really don't know. I haven't looked into LED turn signals but I know there some special considerations. First, Fabber, where is the fun in that? In truth I have led bulbs in an off-topic car and they are fine. But instead of just replacing the bulb I wanted a flat array that covers the whole lens to see if there was a difference. And yeah there is a big difference. Try comparing one of your flashlights to your LED brake lights and you'll see what I mean. And remember in NYC one needs all the help they can get.
On my roadster I have a louvered deck lid, and on the highest row of louvers the exterior surface is close to horizontal due to rake in the whole car. I removed the screwed on inner cover that was made when deck was louvered, rigged up a mount bar and fastened the 7red leds I bought into the bulge of the louvers, wired it up and reinstalled the cover. You don't notice the leds when not illuminated, but press the brake and the whole ass of the car is lit up.
Just placed an order with superbrightled. I would recommend ordering on line, good website. It was a long arduous 15 min. ordeal over the phone. Guess we'll see what arrives.
Hi Carl, I can't see your pictures. There is just a blue box with an red X on it for each picture. Sam
So I may have missed it but what did you do for brake lights? The Led's only have one brightness, and I assume you are using them for running lights. You did say single filament bulb you soldered the LED to.
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