LED tail lights for my 1958 Eldorado Biarritz

[Bill Caddyshack]

These look too out of place and ugly. Going back to the original tali lights.

[N Kahn]

Safety first.

[Blade]

Bill - were you trying some complete after maket tail lights or just the LED replacement bulbs? I am still debating on the bulbs but looking at some vids on LED lights they just seem too 'modern' for an old Caddy.

[Bill Caddyshack]

Bill - were you trying some complete after market tail lights or just the LED replacement bulbs? I am still debating on the bulbs but looking at some vids on LED lights they just seem too 'modern' for an old Caddy.

Blade,

I found some 3" diameter red LED brake/tail lights. I mounted one in the opening. Had about 25-30 LEDs. Looked ugly. Same lights you see on buses and semis.

I have ordered LED bulbs that will fit in the original bulb sockets. Will see what they look like. Hopefully like the original bulbs, only brighter.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/261182612824?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

Let me also state that installing high wattage Halogen lights behind a plastic not designed for the heat is a bad idea.

The LED bulbs give off very little heat in comparison.

[R Schroeder]

Bill, what about the current draw on these bulbs.
When I went to a couple of sites that sold them , they said you might have to buy a in-line resister to get the turn signals to work, because the LED's didn't draw enough current.
Have you ran across this ?
Did your turn signals work with the one you had tried ?
Roy

[Blade]

Bill - let me know please how they work out for you. I am also all for the LEDs with their low consumption, low heat and long life however for an old car the standard bulbs might just look better, giving that old style look as they dim slower. It really is difficult to decide. 

Good point on the halogen bulbs!

Roy: I thought the resistors were already built into the bulbs. Especially important to know because most old cars use the same bulb for light, break light and turn signal.

[R Schroeder]

Tibor, that is just what I read at the sites. Also heard it from others.
It may flash, but fast, like when you have a burnt out bulb front or back. It makes the flasher flash faster. Don't want to say that ten times fast.....ha
Just curious. Wouldn't mind them in my car. I think brighter is safer, but that's just me.
Roy

[Classic]

Regarding flashers, you will probably need a variable load flasher if you change to LED's.  NAPA has 2:  GRO 44890 with 3 terminals and GRO 44891 with 2 terminals.  Both are 12 volt.  They might work for you.

[Bill Caddyshack]

As far as the resistor, I don't know, but saw some LEDs advertised as "error free". Apparently some of the later cars with computerized systems otherwise read errors with the LED bulbs unless these bulbs are "error free."

I have ordered several different bulbs with from 5 LEDs to 24. Not sure which will be best. These bulbs are coming from HK, so it may take a week or so.

Will let you all know when I get the bulbs and try them out.

[Blade]

I was going to look up what your tail lights look exactly and came across this - might want to tackle this project after the LEDs: 

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3891197/1958-cadillac-eldorado/

[Bill Caddyshack]

I was going to look up what your tail lights look exactly and came across this - might want to tackle this project after the LEDs: 

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3891197/1958-cadillac-eldorado/

I have seen this bastardization of a fine car, a 1958 Brougham.    It probably does have LED lights.    I would imagine that it also probably has the undercarriage LED lighting that shows it is floating on a blue cloud at night.    Perhaps the little "dingle berry" hanging balls when the top is up.     

Hope that I am not stepping on any toes,  Is this fine car yours?  <grin>

[Blade]

I'm totally with you, I would never have the heart to rip apart a rare car like that. If it was some completely destroyed junk yard find high production number I would not mind modifying some things but such a rare car should always stay as original as the day it rolled off the line. No matter how much you weld to it, cut from it, reshape, distort, customize, it will NEVER have the value of a true original. Maybe this person didn't know how rare that car was?

When I purchased my '59 I also had plans to change a few things around but when I realized how complete and original this car was (98% all numbers match) I immediately knew it would be a shame to change anything. Of course I will do some temporary conversions for safe driving (dual break lines, seat belts, LED lights?) but will restore and keep every single original part and will keep the option to quickly convert these back again.

[Blade]

Tibor, that is just what I read at the sites. Also heard it from others.
It may flash, but fast, like when you have a burnt out bulb front or back. It makes the flasher flash faster. Don't want to say that ten times fast.....ha
Just curious. Wouldn't mind them in my car. I think brighter is safer, but that's just me.
Roy

So Roy, have you experimented with some LEDs in yours yet?

[David King (kz78hy)]

I'm totally with you, I would never have the heart to rip apart a rare car like that. If it was some completely destroyed junk yard find high production number I would not mind modifying some things but such a rare car should always stay as original as the day it rolled off the line. No matter how much you weld to it, cut from it, reshape, distort, customize, it will NEVER have the value of a true original. Maybe this person didn't know how rare that car was?

When I purchased my '59 I also had plans to change a few things around but when I realized how complete and original this car was (98% all numbers match) I immediately knew it would be a shame to change anything. Of course I will do some temporary conversions for safe driving (dual break lines, seat belts, LED lights?) but will restore and keep every single original part and will keep the option to quickly convert these back again.

Unfortunately for the car, it was a very nice car to start with, in a uncommon color.  So the cost was high to acquire and then double or so to make a mess of it.  When money does not matter...strange things happen.

Worst custom example of a Brougham I have ever seen.

David

[R Schroeder]

No, I don't have LED's in mine.
I did happen to turn on Motor Week, and the guy, Pat Dawson ?, was talking about LED's.
I just caught the tail end of it. He said if your going to use them you will need the resistor with them.
The resistor is in the ground line. It is ceramic for the older cars, and aluminum for the newer cars. That was all I heard him say. Dont know the difference in them.
Take it from there. This is all new to me too.
Roy

[R Schroeder]

Bill, did you get your bulbs in yet ?
Roy

[52Cadillac]

Inquiring minds want to know.

[cadillacmike68]

That abomination was probably just a body dropped onto a custom chassis. The wheels are from a late 90s - early 2000s era DTS. I highly doubt it was a complete car, but it might have been.

This is basically what happens when you cross too much $$$ with absolutely no sense 

I'm totally with you, I would never have the heart to rip apart a rare car like that. If it was some completely destroyed junk yard find high production number I would not mind modifying some things but such a rare car should always stay as original as the day it rolled off the line. No matter how much you weld to it, cut from it, reshape, distort, customize, it will NEVER have the value of a true original. Maybe this person didn't know how rare that car was?

Originality is a much abused term and for better or worse it's his car to do with what he likes.  Do you want to keep the original 55 year old tires on your 58?  Fake marked new tires are not original, and non speed rated bias plies are not safe at interstate speeds for long trips. So you chose based on your requirements and preferences.

When I purchased my '59 I also had plans to change a few things around but when I realized how complete and original this car was (98% all numbers match) I immediately knew it would be a shame to change anything. Of course I will do some temporary conversions for safe driving (dual break lines, seat belts, LED lights?) but will restore and keep every single original part and will keep the option to quickly convert these back again. 

So Blade, what is the mathematical calculation that led you to a conclude that your car is 98% original?

Numbers matching is a billsh!t term as well. It's either the original item in or on the car or it isn't. Do you have all the original cast iron & aluminum main items that comprise your engine and transmission? Numbers matching is a bs game for chevy and ford owners to play with their corvettes, camaros and mustangs.

If I go by weight of original vs non-original items in my car, I could claim that my car is 99.5% original (or more, but I haven't done the calculation) because the paint weighs next to nothing compared to the sheet metal, and the pistons & camshaft similarly do not weigh much as compared to the weight of the engine and transmission. 

As to putting LEDs in a much older car, well, that's a personal preference. They do light up very quick and bright compared to incandescent bulbs (if you have enough of them), but boy do they cost a bunch to replace.

Me, I like the way the light seems to 'flow' out from the centrally located bulbs on the sides of the 68 when the lights are turned on or when the signal or brakes are activated. It would also be quite difficult to duplicate the functionality of that white reverse lamp at the bottom of the 67-68 housing. That is a cool transition to watch when the car is put in reverse on these years.

[Gene Beaird]

<SNIP>

As to putting LEDs in a much older car, well, that's a personal preference. They do light up very quick and bright compared to incandescent bulbs (if you have enough of them), but boy do they cost a bunch to replace.

Me, I like the way the light seems to 'flow' out from the centrally located bulbs on the sides of the 68 when the lights are turned on or when the signal or brakes are activated. It would also be quite difficult to duplicate the functionality of that white reverse lamp at the bottom of the 67-68 housing. That is a cool transition to watch when the car is put in reverse on these years.

I've actually been considering replacing incandescent bulbs with LED in the cars in our collection to reduce the heat exposure to the surrounding components.  I already have a couple of semi-melted light sockets on our '02 GMC (the DRL sockets, which at least one is usually burned out on all these trucks on the road) and have noticed a LOT of heat on the face of the stereo in a couple of our other cars when the lights are on.  I figure that replacing the bulbs with LED would reduce the amount of heat cycling the sockets and other components see, which I can only see as a good thing. 

Getting the color output is important to keeping the incandescent 'look', and some vendors like Super Brite LEDs do have some builbs with different shade output, but as you said, they are expensive.  While the lights _should_ last pretty much a lifetime, and will only become cheaper with time, replacing the interior lights in a 95 Impala SS, for instance is north of $100.  We have 10 cars to do, so the conversion will take a while.   

[Bill Caddyshack]

Bill, did you get your bulbs in yet ?
Roy

Roy, Still waiting for the damn things. Coming from Hong Kong. Will post as soon as I get them!