Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
All the fun, hassle and risk for a fraction of the price with a replica Speedster!
Livin' Large........sorta.
75% are RED?
My neighbor across the street has a Ferarri and it's definitely RED! I don't know what year it is or what model, but there is no mistaking when he fires that baby up. His car ownership has reached an apogee. Since I've lived here, he has had an MGA, a Mercedes roadster, a Corvette and now this. What's left? Maybe a Lambo?
A close friend has had many different years and models. As you guys know,
I have worked on many. My friend calculated that it costs about $50.00 a mile
to own one of these babies.
Back to our 4 cyl.machines, what is the difference between a.6 ohm coil compared
to a 1.5 ohm? Is one better than the other?
Another example, the same guy who owned all those Ferrari's, had a 67 365 GTB.
It needed a head gasket,when they tried to get the head off, the studs broke.
they had to be drilled out of the case. It cost $85.000 to fix. another friend has
a 72 Daytona. it needed 2nd gear. That cost $30,000. It makes our Speedsters
look like a great bang for the buck.
Well back in 1976 I had to buy a fuel pump for my 59 356A, it was $55 Canadian when a GM pump was $5.95 today the pump is .... drum roll $382 USA ...VW fuel pump is $32 today. That is why a glass car is more attractive. 
Thanks for the ohm calculator. Another electrical question, I had a brainstorm
thinking of using led bulbs on my 356 to brighten up the blinkers and tail lights.
The bulbs won't blink. Do I need to add some resistance to the circuit?
ashcreek posted:Thanks for the ohm calculator. Another electrical question, I had a brainstorm
thinking of using led bulbs on my 356 to brighten up the blinkers and tail lights.
The bulbs won't blink. Do I need to add some resistance to the circuit?
You will need a led flasher unit to get the turn signals and or hazard lights to work. Leds will not flash with a stock flasher unit...
I used this unit in my '55 Chevy when I converted the rear lights to LED units:
http://www.classicchevy.com/ch...asher-1955-1957.html
I'm pretty sure this led flasher would work just as well in a VW wiring loom as it does in a Chevy wiring loom. Once I installed it the turn signals and hazard lights flashed as they should. I'm no electrical guru but I think most flashers are pretty generic.
One other thing that can be done is to rattle can paint the inside of the tail light housing in 'chrome silver'(like a flashlight housing has), this really brightens up the reflection even using stock 1157 bulbs and works really well using LEDS. I had previously done this to the Chevy before going to led lighting...mine were considerably brighter than a friends '55 who also had done the conversion yet had not painted the inside of his housing.
I forgot to mention these bulbs are for the 356 which is 6 volt
"You will need a led flasher unit to get the turn signals and or hazard lights to work. Leds will not flash with a stock flasher unit..."
Not in all cases. I switched to LED taillights in my car and had no problems. The fronts are still incandescent, however.
Lane Anderson posted:"You will need a led flasher unit to get the turn signals and or hazard lights to work. Leds will not flash with a stock flasher unit..."
Not in all cases. I switched to LED taillights in my car and had no problems. The fronts are still incandescent, however.
Lane are you sure you do not already have an LED flasher? They work with incandescent lights as well as LEDs. I've gone with LED tail lights in both my Chevy and my F-100 and needed an LED flasher in both cases. Ecklers, a aftermarket tri-five, supplier even states in it's LED replacement kits instructions you need a LED flasher for them to work.
Maybe the difference between German and American manufacturing???? but everyone I know who has gone to LED Tail light replacement uses a LED capable flasher unit, even my buddy Mike the VW nut in his cars use one.
Dunno. Carey?
Look under the dash find your flasher if it is LED it will/should say so right on the body of the unit.
I also replaced my 1156 & 1157 tail/brake light bulbs with LED without needing to switch flasher. Works fine. Got these at Pep Boys $17/pair.
Attachments
Images (1)
Lane, IIRC the LEDs we used in your car had a ballast resistor so the standard flasher relay still sees the proper load.
I switched to LEDs several years later. I still have the regular incandescent bulbs somewhere.
Which begs the question, is there a source for the LEDs with built-in ballast resistors?
I'd swap out the flasher in my IM.
But I also have an all original 65 Plymouth. I'd like to swap the tail/brake/signal bulbs. But would like to keep the rest of the electrical system original.
Hi Guys, I'm sure it's all covered but my experience......I had normal incandescent bulbs but wanted to have longer lived LED's. Brake and side lights work with a straight replacement. Flashers need either resistors with the normal flasher unit or replace the flasher unit for an LED specification unit (which works with normal bulbs too) I now don't have to access those (my units) rubber rim retaining side flashers. They are very delicate and I damage the glass retaining rubber bits every time I touch them. LED's take almost nothing in power (little load on the wiring - unless you use resistors, then it's the same) Long life and should they blow, I can replace on the side of the road with a normal bulb.
Where are you guys getting these bulbs and flashers?
Also, I can't remember if I sent pics of my Cab with my Speedster seats sticking
out of it.
Hi Ashcreek. Sorry for the delay but have been working away. I got most of my LED bulbs from ebay (China and very cheap) My relay I got some while ago from Holland (I'm in the UK) but I'm sure guys in the USA have mentioned them before.
Mitch, you know so much about pot holes and manhole covers!
Merry Christmas
Anthony posted:...Mitch, you know so much about pot holes and manhole covers!...
I still can't understand why they don't make sumps from steel and manhole covers from aluminum.
Steel sump- too heavy!
Steel manhole covers- I'm guessing they want them to be heavy?