LED Changeover - 1970 to 1972 Skylark & GS

Discussion in 'Sparky's corner' started by knucklebusted, Jan 16, 2018.

  1. knucklebusted

    knucklebusted Well-Known Member

    I've put festoon LED lamps in the sail panels and LED bulbs in the floor board courtesy lights. These are pictures of one new LED on the driver side and the old incandescent on the passenger side. Much whiter and brighter. These old eyes might actually find something if I drop it now.

    20180217_160809.jpg
    20180217_160751.jpg
     
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  2. knucklebusted

    knucklebusted Well-Known Member

    Most recent update. I now have an LED flasher and put some red LED 1157 in the tail lights. I only bought two to experiment with so I got creative. The LED is much faster to react. I left a standard bulb in the outside to get a redneck sequential effect. LOL

    I also tried my amber 1157 LEDs up front again with the new flasher. Good as turn, good as marker but together there is almost no discernible difference so not acceptable.

    This is one LED inside and one standard incandescent on the outside.
    20180513_094422.jpg

    This is both LEDs on inside, standard outside.
    20180513_100854.jpg

    Here's a link to the videos of the lights. First one is the rear LED inner and incandescent outer for poor man's sequential. Parking lights off.


    Same test with parking lights on.


    Flasher test rear with both sides inner LED and outer incandescent.
     
    68 Skylark cust likes this.
  3. knucklebusted

    knucklebusted Well-Known Member

    This is my front parking/turn/flasher test.

    LED amber 1157 driver side comparison to standard passenger side.


    LED amber 1157 drivers side comparison to standard passenger with parking lights on and emergency flashers on. Oddly enough, I can see it better in the video than I did view it in person. Is that odd? Camera tricks?


    LED amber 1157 that is hardly noticeable.
     
  4. Brett Slater

    Brett Slater Super Moderator Staff Member

    This looks great!

    Which bulbs did you use again? I gotta do this soon!
     
  5. knucklebusted

    knucklebusted Well-Known Member

    These are the festoon dome lights.
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FLGOMRY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    These are the courtesy, trunk, license plate and under hood lights. You can also use these as backup lights.
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071V2DBWP/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    I did have one of the Sirius red 194 LED bulbs fail in the rear side marker light position. Had some spares but I'm going to try to warranty it to see how that goes. 1 of 10 is not too bad at just over $1 each.
     
  6. '72 Skylark Custom 4bbl

    '72 Skylark Custom 4bbl Well-Known Member

    Hey Greg I've started to a bit of this swap as well.

    Got the Sylvania 1156's for the back-up lights.

    Sylvania 211's for festoons.

    3 from Superbrightled.com for licence plate light & courtesy lights. Just ordered the 10 pack from Amazon that you linked to for 194's & such replacement.

    Have you replaced any of your dash lights with the LED's yet? If so how did they look?

    Which flasher did you use for the signals & hazards? I've seen online that the CEC Industries EF32RL may work not sure if it will though.

    Thanks,

    Kyle
     
  7. knucklebusted

    knucklebusted Well-Known Member

    I bought this one from Amazon. It definitely works but I'm also going to try one of the electromechanicals from Advance Auto to see if they work. My hazard flasher is a bit fast so I want to see if it will be better with one locally.

    Definitely works:
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GIU9M0Y/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    Testing to see if it works tomorrow:
    https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p...utm_campaign=confirmation&utm_content=general
     
  8. bostoncat68

    bostoncat68 Platinum Level Contributor

    Greg -- I would greatly appreciate if you would create a list of what you have purchased (bulb type and brand) and what you are happy/unhappy with. I'm sure there are a pile of folks that would like to learn from your experience and experiments. It would be awesome to have it in one post.
     
  9. knucklebusted

    knucklebusted Well-Known Member

    I'm still in process. I'll do that when I'm done. After all, no use having a list of candidates, better to have a list of winners.
     
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  10. Brett Slater

    Brett Slater Super Moderator Staff Member

    Upgraded some bulbs today.

    20180518_135549.jpg 20180518_135452.jpg
     
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  11. knucklebusted

    knucklebusted Well-Known Member

    Makes a huge difference, doesn't it!
     
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  12. Brett Slater

    Brett Slater Super Moderator Staff Member

  13. Briz

    Briz Founders Club Member

    I like it!
     
  14. Brett Slater

    Brett Slater Super Moderator Staff Member

    I think I might attempt the dash next. Although, I'm apprehensive to pull it apart in fear that I might break something.

    These bulbs were easy - the gauge cluster is a whole different animal.
     
  15. Briz

    Briz Founders Club Member

    Im sort of sorry I did the LED in the cluster. The factory bulbs were 40+ yrs old and still working. Its only been a few years and some of the LED's have either quit or now blink like a strobe. Its sort of annoying and a real PITA to tear the dash apart again to fix 2 or 3 bulbs.
     
  16. knucklebusted

    knucklebusted Well-Known Member

    I haven't touched the dash bulbs. I'm afraid they would be way too bright. I suspect the dimmer is what causes them to strobe. LEDs, unless specifically built for dimming will not like voltage under their optimum.

    I'm thinking of trying an amber one in the dash lights to see if it is more subtle than a full on bright white.
     
  17. Briz

    Briz Founders Club Member

    I put them in in F250 as well as the daughters Accord. Much easier to get the cluster out than the old Buick. Had to replace 2 in the ford just before the last trip I took to NC.They seem to work with the dimmer just fine. Also installed a bunch into my old pinball machine. Really lights up the back board IMG_20140412_193223.jpg
     
  18. knucklebusted

    knucklebusted Well-Known Member

  19. knucklebusted

    knucklebusted Well-Known Member

    OK, I'm going to post here and then update the first post to point back to this one. If I start getting a lot of failures, I'll update again.

    Here's what I have tested and works for me personally in a 1970 Buick GS with all stock wiring.

    Red rear brake/turn signals/parking lights (2 verified options):
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/2X-1157-Pr...Light-Bulbs-/232052773073?hash=item36076c50d1
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MY4T4BU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    Amber front turn/parking lights:
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071FB824J/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    Flasher (two verified options):

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GIU9M0Y/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/novita-heavy-duty-flasher-el12/5081289-P

    Dome lights/rear sail panel courtesy:
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FLGOMRY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    Courtesy/backup/license plate/under hood/trunk lights:
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071V2DBWP/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    Side markers - rear red:

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07453HBQV/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    Side markers - front amber:
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0186P1MWU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


    Here's front turn signal/parking lights that DID NOT WORK for both:
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/2X-1157-56...Light-Bulbs-/371686094797?hash=item568a37b7cd


    I have used these 194 equivalent LEDs in other cars and they are great. They may work in the dash bulbs but I have not tried them yet:
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0186P1MUW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074PPQ6V6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
     
    Last edited: May 21, 2018
  20. Brett Slater

    Brett Slater Super Moderator Staff Member

    Excellent!

    Let me know if you want me to change the title so it's a bit more indicative of what you've done here.

    Thanks again!
     

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