So as you can see I purchased an original cmc build that has a lot of Patina, In replacement of old parts you can see some damage to the tail light I’m about to replace with new Lenses, before I swap I want to confirm they are the correct bulbs so I don’t run into the same issues ..my assumption is they were to high watt OR bulb was incorrect and to large heating up the lenses thank you !!
( the picture it the right Lense over the left as I had already closed it up with the new one lol )
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Switch to LED taillights. Much brighter and much cooler at the same time. There are direct replacement for the bulbs you have or you can replace the whole assembly.
@Lane Anderson posted:Switch to LED taillights. Much brighter and much cooler at the same time. There are direct replacement for the bulbs you have or you can replace the whole assembly.
I attempted this on my 1952 truck but they required an adapter to eliminate the flickering. Would you have the part numbers for the replacement bulbs ( I already purchased new lenses' so I don't want so spend more money on the entire kit )
Chris
Chris,
In order to keep from melting the lenses on my car, I am using 1157 mini bulbs which are typically used on Harleys. I can not really tell any difference in the brightness between the mini and the regular 1157 bulbs. The minis are rated at 8/23 watts.
https://www.denniskirk.com/dra...TEAQYBCABEgL-afD_BwE
As Lane mentioned above, the LED replacements are a good choice and the newer designs do not require any changes to your wiring. Just make sure they will fit inside your lenses.
James
@James posted:Chris,I can not really tell any difference in the brightness between the mini and the regular 1157 bulbs. The minis are rated at 8/23 watts.
James
I don’t have any documentation in front of me but I assume that fixture takes a single filament bulb (indicator) and a double filament bulb (tail/brake). I wonder if it’s not wired incorrectly so the 23 watt brake light filament is on the always on (with the light switch) 8 watt tail light circuit.
(I’m assuming they take the ever present 1156/1157 combo. Or the nickel-coated Euro equivalent)
This is what Stoddards lists. It doesn’t give the voltage in the dual filament bulbs.
@Lane Anderson posted:Switch to LED taillights. Much brighter and much cooler at the same time. There are direct replacement for the bulbs you have or you can replace the whole assembly.
I did my last conversion years ago, so it may a challenge to find the part numbers I used. However, Carey Hines (@chines1) put all LED lights in my Coupe, so I am sure he can provide some more recent information.
So I'm willing to bet you have the "Euro" red/amber lenses. These require switching the bulbs so that you have 2 function red and single function amber, placing the dual element 1157 bulb too close to the lens and melting the red side.
Most of these lights use an 1157 for the dual element and a 67 for the single. You can buy these in low wattage variants, or you can buy LED replacements. I just buy them from SuperBrightLEDs.com
There are MANY manufacturers of aftermarket 356 taillights, so I would certainly verify what bulbs you have first.
@chines1 posted:So I'm willing to bet you have the "Euro" red/amber lenses. These require switching the bulbs so that you have 2 function red and single function amber, placing the dual element 1157 bulb too close to the lens and melting the red side.
Most of these lights use an 1157 for the dual element and a 67 for the single. You can buy these in low wattage variants, or you can buy LED replacements. I just buy them from SuperBrightLEDs.com
There are MANY manufacturers of aftermarket 356 taillights, so I would certainly verify what bulbs you have first.
Oddly enough i thought all my lights were working properly ,today i noticed my brake lights don’t go on when pressing the brake with the car off. They turn on with lights on and the turn signals work , I’m hoping its just the incorrect blubs installed.
Could be a bad pressure switch in the master cylinder. that's a fairly common issue and a quick fix.
buy 2...... those switches were constantly failing on my ride
Pull both wires off the brake switch and hold them together. If the brake lights go on, you have a bad switch, if they do not then you have a blown fuse or other wiring issue. These brake switches are prone to failure. So much so that we install 2 of them in the master cylinder form the start. When one goers bad just switch over to the next and plan replacement of the bad one when you can.
@chines1 posted:Pull both wires off the brake switch and hold them together. If the brake lights go on, you have a bad switch, if they do not then you have a blown fuse or other wiring issue. These brake switches are prone to failure. So much so that we install 2 of them in the master cylinder form the start. When one goers bad just switch over to the next and plan replacement of the bad one when you can.
Exactly what I did on mine. It is not a matter of if, it's a matter of when the switches fail.
@chines1 posted:Pull both wires off the brake switch and hold them together. If the brake lights go on, you have a bad switch, if they do not then you have a blown fuse or other wiring issue. These brake switches are prone to failure. So much so that we install 2 of them in the master cylinder form the start. When one goers bad just switch over to the next and plan replacement of the bad one when you can.
This is excellent information, thank you for sharing. I haven't had the car on jack stands yet, I don't see in the switch in cabin where the brake peddle is so I'm assuming its under the floor pannel!
@356_2cool2slow posted:This is excellent information, thank you for sharing. I haven't had the car on jack stands yet, I don't see in the switch in cabin where the brake peddle is so I'm assuming its under the floor pannel!
directly on the master cylinder, same as a VW Beetle
Jack the car up and remove the left front wheel. You'll be looking right at it.
And don’t cheap out on the switch. Most of the issues people have with them are on Chinese knockoffs. Get a good Brazilian or Mexican one.
