custom LED tail lights '54 chevy truck

[Sweet Willy]

I use my truck almost daily and the original style tail lights are hard to see during the day. My wife was following one day and told my brake lights weren't working - but they were. Any suggestions of manufacturers re: LED vintage style tail lights?
Thanks

[mr48chev]

I haven't studied that any but if they aren't already painted white inside try painting the insides of your taillight housings bright white and using 2357 bulbs. I did that on my 71 after being stopped by a state patrolman and being told that my tail lights were too dim.

The white paint rather than black or silver inside the housing makes a huge difference though.

[oldman3]

Hey willy here's the link to Speedway, bunch of LED lights to choice from http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Search...led+taillights ...Jim

[whitedog76]

I was thumbing through my Classic Industries catalog.

They have on page 220 LED taillights for the 54-59 trucks.

Part number C10454.

They also have a replacement lens that screws into the stock bulb socket.

PArt number C10478, It's listed for 55-59, not for if it'll fit the 54/55s.

Chris

http://www.classicindustries.com/pro...ts/c10454.html

[mr48chev]

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/1955-1...ens,25189.html

[scooters52]

It sounds like you are wanting to maybe stick with the stock style taillights, I ran those for a little while but finally got fed up with them for the same reason you mentioned. I suppose you could say that I went to extremes, but here is what I ended up doing to resolve the problem and it worked great...

[_Ogre]

something a little different

[Sweet Willy]

Both those trucks are very cool. Thanks to everyone for their replies. I've seen plenty of LED lights on-line but I wanted to know if anyone has tried any of those and would you recommend them or not.
Mr. 48, that sounds very helpful and I'll do that no matter what bulb I use.

[mr48chev]

I'll suggest one thing that every one of us should do or have done and that is to have someone else drive our truck in both daylight and darkness while we follow them in another rig at varied distances and possibly angles to see what the folks behind us are seeing when they follow us.
Truck guys aren't too bad about it but the hot rod and custom car guys I run with ten to get carried away with small tail lights that don't show up well.

I followed this slick little high dollar street rod for about 30 miles as the third car behind him on a real windy mountain pass a couple of months ago and while I could often see the whole rear end of the car on a curve where every other car in the ten car line had it's brake lights showing I didn't once see the brake lights show up on it. Later while walking through the car show I went to the roadster showed up and you could faintly see the brake lights come on as he power parked his street rod in the flatheads only section of the show.

[dwcsr]

Not sure it this is helpful but a third light is a good idea here in Houston

[MIKEs50Chevy]

I put the LED bed roll lights in and wired them as turn and brake only, so they act as a third brake lights. I've gotten quite a few comments on them and one of my hot rod buddies who kept telling me during my build that I needed to be sure to put in a third brake light gave these his seal of approval.

[mr48chev]

Those Led lights in the holes of the bed sides would get some light up in the soccer moms line of vision when you hit the brakes or turn signals.

What you see on the posts is the reflectors lit up by the flash. My suspect taillights that use side marker lenses off something are below the tailgate and above the bumper.


All of that will change this time around.

[msaintg]

I used the OEM lights and found they were not bright at all. I made the mistake of wiring the center bulb for the running lights and the lower bulb for the brake/ turn lights. Swapping those wires and adding these cheap LEDs to the fixture helped a lot.

[S10Fan]

As stated by Mr48Chevy, paint the inside white. I'm running 4" round trailer lights (Walmart, under 14 bucks a pair) with the inside painted white. Folks ask me often what I did to make my tail lights so bright.

[IndyBowtie]

Here's what I did to mine...'39 Chevy car taillights, but LED. Insanely bright.

[CaliforniaDaddy]

Originally Posted by IndyBowtie

Here's what I did to mine...'39 Chevy car taillights, but LED. Insanely bright.

I like that look!

[S10Fan]

This shot shows the parking lights, it was darker than the picture would have you believe.

[mr48chev]

Those look good, I've been seriously thinking about that style of taillights for my truck for quite a while.

[BlueJeep]

Originally Posted by scooters52

It sounds like you are wanting to maybe stick with the stock style taillights, I ran those for a little while but finally got fed up with them for the same reason you mentioned. I suppose you could say that I went to extremes, but here is what I ended up doing to resolve the problem and it worked great...

Do you have more pictures of your rear bumper guard? I've been looking at those for mine but didn't know the application for a good fit.

[Rickysnickers]

Is there a write up on how to do this and where to get the lights?

Thank you.
rick

Originally Posted by MIKEs50Chevy

I put the LED bed roll lights in and wired them as turn and brake only, so they act as a third brake lights. I've gotten quite a few comments on them and one of my hot rod buddies who kept telling me during my build that I needed to be sure to put in a third brake light gave these his seal of approval.

[Old Crow]

Here's a set on Ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1947-1953-CH...5286fd&vxp=mtr

Pretty sure you can get 'em from LMC and others.