LED Dash Lights
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 248
Likes: 10
From: Schererville IN
LED Dash Lights
My car is a '65 327/365. I am planning to replace my dash wiring harness, and while i'm in there will replace the dash lights w/ LED's. I have read the numerous posts and articles on both topics.
I have read that the 3 lamps for the high beam indicator, ignition switch, and cigarette lighter are a different type than the rest of the dash lamps, and also the 2 for the parking brake alert and headlight alert.
I don't see any mention in any of the recent articles that discuss LED replacement lamps that anyone has used anything different for these 5 lamps. Has anyone replaced these lamps w/ LED's? and if so, what have you used?
Thanks in advance for your help!
I have read that the 3 lamps for the high beam indicator, ignition switch, and cigarette lighter are a different type than the rest of the dash lamps, and also the 2 for the parking brake alert and headlight alert.
I don't see any mention in any of the recent articles that discuss LED replacement lamps that anyone has used anything different for these 5 lamps. Has anyone replaced these lamps w/ LED's? and if so, what have you used?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Safety Car
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,678
Likes: 646
From: Indiana
2025 c3 ('68-'73) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C1 of the Year Winner - Modified
2023 C1 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2022 C1 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 C1 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2019 C1 of Year Finalist (performance mods)
2018 C1 of Year Finalist
I just installed LED's in our '57 and boy did it make a difference. The left bulb is a factory type, the 2nd is LED was the first one I tried and it brightened them up but the 3rd one of the far right really made the difference. I left the factory bulb in my bright indicator. I used the middle LED in my turn signals and the flat LED's in the gauges. The turn signal arrow went from pale Green to Bright White. The flat one would probably work fine in the signal arrows. I can finally read my gauges clearly at night.
Last edited by Geralds57; Sep 3, 2015 at 05:25 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 54,121
Likes: 9,435
From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2015 C2 of Year Finalist
your problem is not the light bulbs but the light filters in your cluster and the backing paint in the cluster. they both are filthy and not letting all the light though. if you ever had a chance to look at two cars side by side one with a restored cluster and one with a original cluster you will see the difference. your fancy widget light bulbs are just a band aid
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 8,935
Likes: 5,477
From: Richardson Texas
your problem is not the light bulbs but the light filters in your cluster and the backing paint in the cluster. they both are filthy and not letting all the light though. if you ever had a chance to look at two cars side by side one with a restored cluster and one with a original cluster you will see the difference. your fancy widget light bulbs are just a band aid
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 54,121
Likes: 9,435
From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2015 C2 of Year Finalist
Damn, Keith...you can sure get nasty from time to time. Do you know the OP's car personally?? From personal experience, I restored my dash cluster, installed new wiring harness and all new OEM bulbs...at night time they are still so dim as to be virtually useless. Had I known about the LED's availability when I did mine I would certainly have installed them. May make for a nice winter project.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 248
Likes: 10
From: Schererville IN
Now there you go dragging me right into that project creep everyone warns about! But I'm sure you are right about the condition of things behind the scenes. I will certainly clean that up while I have things apart.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 54,121
Likes: 9,435
From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2015 C2 of Year Finalist
You have to remove the cluster and take it completely apart to clean it right.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
the dust settles and the paint gets faded...
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 54,121
Likes: 9,435
From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2015 C2 of Year Finalist
and being 50 years old is not helping matters either
Pro
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 707
Likes: 45
From: Portland Oregon
I have read that the 3 lamps for the high beam indicator, ignition switch, and cigarette lighter are a different type than the rest of the dash lamps, and also the 2 for the parking brake alert and headlight alert.
Re the parking brake and headlight alert bulb I don't think you will find LED equivalents. These are a #257 bulb that has an internal blinker. Hard enough to find the incandescent versions
Randy
Re the parking brake and headlight alert bulb I don't think you will find LED equivalents. These are a #257 bulb that has an internal blinker. Hard enough to find the incandescent versions
Randy
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 248
Likes: 10
From: Schererville IN
I have read that the 3 lamps for the high beam indicator, ignition switch, and cigarette lighter are a different type than the rest of the dash lamps, and also the 2 for the parking brake alert and headlight alert.
Re the parking brake and headlight alert bulb I don't think you will find LED equivalents. These are a #257 bulb that has an internal blinker. Hard enough to find the incandescent versions
Randy
Re the parking brake and headlight alert bulb I don't think you will find LED equivalents. These are a #257 bulb that has an internal blinker. Hard enough to find the incandescent versions
Randy
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 54,121
Likes: 9,435
From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2015 C2 of Year Finalist
Only the parking brake light should flash. The headlight tel tel light should be soild. A 257 bulb takes a while to warm up before it flashes
Turn 12!
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 5,976
Likes: 506
From: The Beach
I just installed LED's in our '57 and boy did it make a difference. The left bulb is a factory type, the 2nd is LED was the first one I tried and it brightened them up but the 3rd one of the far right really made the difference. I left the factory bulb in my bright indicator. I used the middle LED in my turn signals and the flat LED's in the gauges. The turn signal arrow went from pale Green to Bright White. The flat one would probably work fine in the signal arrows. I can finally read my gauges clearly at night.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,678
Likes: 646
From: Indiana
2025 c3 ('68-'73) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C1 of the Year Winner - Modified
2023 C1 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2022 C1 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 C1 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2019 C1 of Year Finalist (performance mods)
2018 C1 of Year Finalist
I believe they are 1815 bayonet style bulbs.
Pro
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 707
Likes: 45
From: Portland Oregon
Also owners manual lamp data says #257 for both parking brake and headlight warning
Randy
Pro
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 707
Likes: 45
From: Portland Oregon
1445 is bulb for high beam,ign switch, and cigarette lighter
1816 is for instrument panel
257 is for parking brake and headlamp warning
Randy
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 248
Likes: 10
From: Schererville IN
It is same for my car. I know what the incandescent versions are. I'm going to use the warm white LED's from superbright led's to replace the 1816's, and was wondering if there is an LED equivalent for the 1445 and 257. Didn't realize 257 flashes. Superbright website says same lamp for 1816 and 1445. I'll stick w/ 257 for parking brake/ headlight warning. Thanks
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 58,061
Likes: 7,146
Army
I've had my '63 cluster apart twice and cleaned everything thoroughly; even so I would describe the dash lights, even at full brightness, as a dull glow....very marginal.
I would consider those flat LEDs for at least the gauge lights....
I would consider those flat LEDs for at least the gauge lights....
Safety Car
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,678
Likes: 646
From: Indiana
2025 c3 ('68-'73) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C1 of the Year Winner - Modified
2023 C1 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2022 C1 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 C1 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2019 C1 of Year Finalist (performance mods)
2018 C1 of Year Finalist
You won't be disappointed with the flat LED's. I'm very pleased with them.