LED tails? (Update: LED reverse lights installed!)

[Shawn D.]

You should use red LEDs for red lenses. A colored lens is a filter, which eliminates the majority of all other colors. So, you're wasting the majority of the light output by using white LEDs behind a red lens. Red LEDs will (mostly) not be filtered, providing near-full output.

[Gustav129]

What happens on many of the older cars, the white bulbs appear white at night. Lens thickness and lens fade has alot to do with it.

I'll stick with my original plan and match led's with lenses.

[trevmmeister]

Got some of the exact white LEDs as the OP coming in the mail.

Next week I'll be ordering six reds and two ambers. Gonna rock the whole shebang.

[e28Sean]

Got some of the exact white LEDs as the OP coming in the mail.

Next week I'll be ordering six reds and two ambers. Gonna rock the whole shebang.

Excellent. Just an FYI... I am not running them in the brake lamp position, as per an earlier post of mine. YMMV.
As well, I'm running white ones in the running lamp, reverse, and turn signal positions, and have no issues w/ "white bleed" or "fade" using the white LEDs in the colored lamps. Just my .02

[trevmmeister]

I gotcha. I figured, while a lens is still a lens, I didnt want to take the risk so I just found a few appropriately colored ones. I figure itll just make the red REALLY red and the amber REALLY amber.

[Gustav129]

Got some of the exact white LEDs as the OP coming in the mail.

Next week I'll be ordering six reds and two ambers. Gonna rock the whole shebang.

Excellent. Just an FYI... I am not running them in the brake lamp position, as per an earlier post of mine. YMMV.
As well, I'm running white ones in the running lamp, reverse, and turn signal positions, and have no issues w/ "white bleed" or "fade" using the white LEDs in the colored lamps. Just my .02

I have read the thread a few times. I don't see why you are not running LED's in Brake lights.

[e28Sean]

I have read the thread a few times. I don't see why you are not running LED's in Brake lights.

I apologize... I thought i'd posted it. I wasn't pleased with the performance of these particular LEDs in the brake positions. I'm not sure if it was due to the smaller light segment or what, but, although they were brighter, the light coverage was not as good as with an incandescent bulb.

[Gustav129]

So I bought two pair of white LED, Pilot brand from Walmart. No biggie.

-Both in Running and Brake positions, the white "bulbs" do wash out some. They look Pumpkin Orange instead of red at night. In the running positions, they ended up brighter than the Brake lights with incandescent bulbs, and the same brightness with LED's for brakes (like mentioned before, light didn't fill whole lens).

In Turn Signal positions, the white look great, but I nee to replace the flasher relay to use them.

The other pair are in the reverse position, but only one side works. That's a different issue.

Interesting setup how to wire lights..... what I may do.is rewire the running lights to the fog positions, and rewire the driving lights to be second brake lights.

Also, I notice the housings are black on the insides. On the old Scouts, the inside of light housings were white, and it was very popular to spray paint the housings chrome silver to reflect more light. Also, with the CRX's (I have a real set of EDM headlights on one), people bake the housings to soften glue and split them open, then paint the insides half black to make them look like EDM/JDM headlights. They also do it to tint the insides of tail lights.
Has anybody opened thier housings and paint the.insides silver before?

[Shawn D.]

Also, I notice the housings are black on the insides. On the old Scouts, the inside of light housings were white, and it was very popular to spray paint the housings chrome silver to reflect more light. Also, with the CRX's (I have a real set of EDM headlights on one), people bake the housings to soften glue and split them open, then paint the insides half black to make them look like EDM/JDM headlights. They also do it to tint the insides of tail lights.
Has anybody opened thier housings and paint the.insides silver before?

They are originally plated with reflective metal. Repeated soaking in water or high humidity removes the plating (you can often see the water line), so your lights have had leaks before. These housings are melted together, so you can't do it the CRX way.

[Gustav129]

Also, I notice the housings are black on the insides. On the old Scouts, the inside of light housings were white, and it was very popular to spray paint the housings chrome silver to reflect more light. Also, with the CRX's (I have a real set of EDM headlights on one), people bake the housings to soften glue and split them open, then paint the insides half black to make them look like EDM/JDM headlights. They also do it to tint the insides of tail lights.
Has anybody opened thier housings and paint the.insides silver before?

They are originally plated with reflective metal. Repeated soaking in water or high humidity removes the plating (you can often see the water line), so your lights have had leaks before. These housings are melted together, so you can't do it the CRX way.

Thank you for the info. I wanted to make sure before I gave it a try.

I will go back to.the original plan of red LED's.

BTW, I notice you are from Alpharetta. I grew up in Roswell in the Crabapple area. Maybe I will bump into.you someday. Perhaps the Mitty?

[psbirch]

FWIW, here's what these bulbs look like in the center tail light spot compared to OEM:

Completely off topic, but that is the best license plate ever, cek!

[trevmmeister]

Would it be lame if I bought a custom plate with E28_1 on it?

On topic, my lights got here today, and its dark out so I will post a pic in a bit.

Btw, Shawn I didnt know you were that close, a good 45-60 min drive depending if traffic in the city is good. Or would you take the perimeter to alpharetta... been a while since ive driven to the city. Had job training in alpharetta, about a year ago.

[Shawn D.]

Btw, Shawn I didnt know you were that close, a good 45-60 min drive depending if traffic in the city is good. Or would you take the perimeter to alpharetta... been a while since ive driven to the city. Had job training in alpharetta, about a year ago.

Newnan to Alpharetta? Stay away from 285 -- you'd be traveling on the more-congested side both going and returning. Go through the city and get up earlier than you expect. You can always eat breakfast up here and catch up on your reading if you get up this way early.

[trevmmeister]

We should see if anyone else is close to us and do a meet and greet one day and start a convoy. By nature, I would have to roll my windows down and blast http://youtu.be/EnJEeHND_lQ on my speakers.

Seems like it would be a fun time

Also, now that I think more back on it, I remember coming back home every day with one of my buddies who was getting hired with me. I remember a good 2 hour drive in rush hour traffic on the perimeter. Took the city on the first day, but I didnt do too well on the drive, and I know 285 better as ive driven it much more. Its more scenic, too, when youre only going 25 mph.

If you ever come down this way, make sure to stop by the Discount Tire in Peachtree City, hopefully ill be working, and ill do an R&B. Ill take good care of her

[trevmmeister]

The picture makes them look more blue than they are.

[Shawn D.]

BTW, I notice you are from Alpharetta. I grew up in Roswell in the Crabapple area. Maybe I will bump into.you someday. Perhaps the Mitty?

I'll be there.

[KrautnotRice]

We should see if anyone else is close to us and do a meet and greet one day and start a convoy. By nature, I would have to roll my windows down and blast http://youtu.be/EnJEeHND_lQ on my speakers.

I'm in (southwest) South Carolina. We could caravan part of the way to Vintage? But I'll be playing this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax68rWI4Tuk
While laughing about this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EPURKWo2vU

Also, I've been waiting patiently for someone to post pics of their LED tail lights installed. Wondering how it looks once all 3 spots on each tail light are lit up. Like one fat stripe, the whole lower section of the assembly in all red.

[trevmmeister]

We should see if anyone else is close to us and do a meet and greet one day and start a convoy. By nature, I would have to roll my windows down and blast http://youtu.be/EnJEeHND_lQ on my speakers.

I'm in (southwest) South Carolina. We could caravan part of the way to Vintage? But I'll be playing this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax68rWI4Tuk
While laughing about this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EPURKWo2vU

Also, I've been waiting patiently for someone to post pics of their LED tail lights installed. Wondering how it looks once all 3 spots on each tail light are lit up. Like on fat stripe, the whole lower section of the assembly in all red.

We will figure out all who is close and plan something up.

In a couple days I will be ordering the rest of the LEDs for then full setup.

[5timesturbo]

Hey, I wanna see the rear with ALL LEDs.
I live in Atlanta too!!

I REALLY wanna know are there any LED options for the interior lights?????
Please let me know

[tig]

Hey, I wanna see the rear with ALL LEDs.
I live in Atlanta too!!

I REALLY wanna know are there any LED options for the interior lights?????
Please let me know

These: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009YOR96Q

Very bright, very white; very cold. Each kit will replace two bulbs; you need two kits for the interior lights. I currently have one of these and one of the originals in each side. Looks silly. They don't fit very well because of the wires.

These are on the way: http://www.ebay.com/itm/301515037801

They should fit better. Will likely also be just as obnoxiously bright and white.

[Shawn D.]

Wondering how it looks once all 3 spots on each tail light are lit up. Like one fat stripe, the whole lower section of the assembly in all red.

Mine does not look like one fat stripe, and it'd be hard to make it so. The brake sections are a different brightness and the lens configuration is different. Maybe when it's not 20F outside I'll do some pics.

[KrautnotRice]

Gotcha, thanks for the info. Looking forward to the pics AND warmer weather haha

[trevmmeister]

Found a pack of ten red LEDs for $15. Too good to be true? Maybe but I will see how they are when they get here. Will update.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281516210484

Also ordered some turn signals: http://www.ebay.com/itm/191385649831?it ... m=&vxp=mtr

[tig]

These: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009YOR96Q

Very bright, very white; very cold. Each kit will replace two bulbs; you need two kits for the interior lights. I currently have one of these and one of the originals in each side. Looks silly. They don't fit very well because of the wires.

These are on the way: http://www.ebay.com/itm/301515037801

They should fit better. Will likely also be just as obnoxiously bright and white.

These arrived today:


http://www.ebay.com/itm/301515037801

Brighter than stock, but such a cold, cold, white light. I'll keep em in the car for a while and see if I get used to them.

[trevmmeister]

I have that same set coming in the mail right now, so thanks for those pics. I also dont know if I will keep them, but all the same I will see how I like them after theyve been installed for a month or two.