LED Taillights
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 312
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas / Scotland
LED Taillights
I've been talking to stingraynut and he raised an interesting point in that he didn't realize that LED lamps are so relatively cheap these days. Given the sheer aggravation in changing bulbs on the C4 you might want to consider changing them to LED bulbs. I used www.superbrightleds.com and chose the 1157-R30 Red LED bulb
Super Red 30-LED 12VDC replacement bulb
15mm Dual Contact Bayonet Base
With 30 Narrow Viewing Angle LEDS
Price is $8.99 each (there are cheaper ones with less LEDs)
As they then never need changing it's probably a worthwhile mod and not as expensive as they used to be.
Super Red 30-LED 12VDC replacement bulb
15mm Dual Contact Bayonet Base
With 30 Narrow Viewing Angle LEDS
Price is $8.99 each (there are cheaper ones with less LEDs)
As they then never need changing it's probably a worthwhile mod and not as expensive as they used to be.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 222
Likes: 0
From: Pearl Harbor Hi
Good lookin out bro. The dang LED kits in the vette cataloges are WAY too expensive, expecially being that LED's are so cheap. I'm gonna do some measuring and see if I can't rig something up so the larger LED plates they sell for trucks might work in the existing housing.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
From: Dublin OH
http://www.superbrightleds.com/1157.htm says ...
"For best results the LED color should be the same as the lens color. A red lens will filter out all but the red portion of the light so if the light is all red, none or very little light will be blocked by the lens"
John
"For best results the LED color should be the same as the lens color. A red lens will filter out all but the red portion of the light so if the light is all red, none or very little light will be blocked by the lens"
John
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
From: Greenwood Indiana
SteveC4, can you give us some information about replacing these bulbs (i.e. time that it took you, equipment needed, over-all rating this project as something easy to do or a pain in the a*s but worth it in the end)
Thanks.
Thanks.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 195
Likes: 0
From: San Bernardino & Orange County CA
Good timing - I have lights to replace. The superbrightleds.com site shows these two items:
1157-R30 ma=38/167 intensity=5000 viewing angle=16 degree
1157-R30 RA ma=40/120 intensity=5000 viewing angle=35 degree
Are these plug & play or are there mods needed? I remember one of the Vette Stores having a "kit" which makes me wonder if other parts are needed.
Thanks!
1157-R30 ma=38/167 intensity=5000 viewing angle=16 degree
1157-R30 RA ma=40/120 intensity=5000 viewing angle=35 degree
Are these plug & play or are there mods needed? I remember one of the Vette Stores having a "kit" which makes me wonder if other parts are needed.
Thanks!
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Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 5,866
Likes: 60
From: Hellinois
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Modified
Just take your old bulb out and put the new LED bulb in,,, done! HOWEVER, the LED bulbs I got from the same place were just a tiny bit smaller diameter at the metal base and was giving contact problems. I took an old piece of 16 ga. wire and pulled some insulation off of it and then split it in half lengthwise. I slipped the insulation in alongside the bulb which tightened everything up and they are great. No more reaching in through the license opening to change bulbs for me.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 13,717
Likes: 5
From: RI
Originally Posted by 2nd2SEX
Where did you purchase these? They look good 
Bought them a while back, I know it was either ecklers or mid america. I'm leaning towards mid. I'll look it up when I get home and look at my receipts.
Chris
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 6,470
Likes: 2
From: levittown pa. usa Even a bad day with my `Vette, is better than a good day at work
St. Jude Donor '10
Originally Posted by kittmaster
These are mine
Chris
Chris
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 14,604
Likes: 3
From: Glendale, AZ
just wanted to give my 2 cents!
i put LED bulbs in my truck (red LED for tail/brake/turnsignal)
they are pretty bright when on as a tail light, but when i stepped on the brake pedal, i didn't see much difference - that scared me, especially since i know how people drive in AZ! so i took them out and put the regular incandescent bulbs back in it.
now if it's simply a 1157 replacement LED "bulb" then i may not recommend it - however, i like the one on kittmaster's car - but those don't look like simple bulb replacements!
i put LED bulbs in my truck (red LED for tail/brake/turnsignal)
they are pretty bright when on as a tail light, but when i stepped on the brake pedal, i didn't see much difference - that scared me, especially since i know how people drive in AZ! so i took them out and put the regular incandescent bulbs back in it.
now if it's simply a 1157 replacement LED "bulb" then i may not recommend it - however, i like the one on kittmaster's car - but those don't look like simple bulb replacements!