Does any know where we can get brighter front turn signal and running light bulbs. The bulbs that I got are M.E.S. screw type and only 2.2 watts. I have test installed my lights and with the head lights on it is very difficult to see the turn signals flashing. I am probably going to install side markers in the future but I would still like to have a brighter bulb.
Thanks,
Mike
There was a thread in the roadster forum on LED "bulbs" and Ben Lambiotte mentioned that they fit into the coupe housings. Supposed to be VERY bright.
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Coupe #307 - 5-link, SAI mod, Levy DA Koni's, Levy bumpsteer, 6-piston Wilwood's in front, 4-piston in rear, Forte/Wilwood pedal assy, hybrid 8.8/9" rear end, VPM front bar, VPM/own design variable rear bar, and lot of other little things so far........
"Did you use ANYTHING that came with the kit???"
- The Wife
"Ben Lambiotte mentioned that they fit into the coupe housings. Supposed to be VERY bright. "
That's because he didn't have to make them fit! He did find some really nice LED's and they do light up bright. The rears fit in the Lucas fixtures, the fronts took a little work but were worth it. He'll post, but it's pretty to easy to search for this stuff on here.
Fred
I like what Ben did on the back, we're going to do the same thing. For the front, we're going a slightly different direction. The regular bulbs are staying the same. We are going to augment with an LED strip that runs on the inside edge of the light area. The regular bulbs will work as balast for the LEDs.
Thanks to all,
I'll take a look at all the threads, sometimes I forget that there is a search tool. Sorry for not searching yesterday, I was a little frustrated with fitting the rear hatch frame (Trout I think I'll need your expert welding on that).
Hopefully I can find a screw type LED, which would be the best. I really like the low watt usage of the LEDs. My rear LED lights came out fairly nice (well at least to me). They are big and in your face when you hit the brakes.
Mike
OK, who is going to be the Guinea pig on these and report back? Looks like they are a lot cheaper than what Ben used, but how bright are they?
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Coupe #307 - 5-link, SAI mod, Levy DA Koni's, Levy bumpsteer, 6-piston Wilwood's in front, 4-piston in rear, Forte/Wilwood pedal assy, hybrid 8.8/9" rear end, VPM front bar, VPM/own design variable rear bar, and lot of other little things so far........
"Did you use ANYTHING that came with the kit???"
- The Wife
Location: Florida's Nature Coast (70 mile N of Tampa)
Posts: 1,461
Something to remember, that I just learned last month concerning this same subject, buy the SAME color bulb as the lens- eg: red LED for tailights and yellow LED for front turn signals.
Reason is that a white light produces all basic colors- the lens will filter out everything but the same color of the lens, thus a white 50W bulb/LED will NOT appear as bright as a 50W bulb/LED that is the same color as the lens! Makes sense to me.
I did change the front turn signals to the confuguration that someone here did- by cutting down the housing to fit into the round turn signal housing. Plus I cut a little off the top to raise the bulb upwards for more of a straight shot line of sight- not truly a straight shot, but it is better than those wimpy screw in fittings. In the future I will change the white push in bulbs to yellow color.
On the rear stop/turn lights I lined the inside of the housing with shiny reflective aluminum tape used to put together under carpet insulation- really makes it brighter. Again in the future a red bulb will be installed for even more brightness.
Check Superbrightleds.com, they will have a bulb that fits your needs. Just make sure that the rear tail lights are 1157 bulbs.
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-Joe
"Autoholism: An incurable addiction medicated daily with car porn."
"It's loud, smells like gasoline, and shakes, shudders, and bucks. It makes your arms tired and your feet hot. You nearly crash about once every ten minutes. It's so damn wonderful you can’t believe it." -Automobile Mag. Oct. '04
So...have we found a brighter replacement bulb that fits the screw in socket?
Yes. Go to the website I posted. You can buy screw in LED bulbs for the tail lights and turn signals, the number is 1157. With LEDs you have to get a specific flasher module that mimics a traditional flasher because LEDs don't have much resistance. I've been over this years ago with another forum member, rscocca [Bob], he bought the LEDs and flasher module and after a short installation, he could see them in the daylight. If you shoot him a PM, he can give you the details about what he had to do but it's pretty straight forward.
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-Joe
"Autoholism: An incurable addiction medicated daily with car porn."
"It's loud, smells like gasoline, and shakes, shudders, and bucks. It makes your arms tired and your feet hot. You nearly crash about once every ten minutes. It's so damn wonderful you can’t believe it." -Automobile Mag. Oct. '04
Those 1157's fit the taillights, but I think Chris is asking about the front turn signals.
I use the 1157's in the rear and they are a big improvement over the original bulbs. They even have two brightnesses like the original so that the running light is dimmer than the turn/stop light.
I'm still using the stock front bulbs, and they are not easy to see on bright days or with the headlights on.
The bigger problem with the front turn signals is how low they are placed in the headlight area. You can only see them from in front of the car. Someone recently showed a picture of a side repeater mounted above the hood latch. I think that's a good addition regardless of which bulb you go with.
Well you guys have me wondering now. I found that FFR put in two sets of rear red lights and no small front amber lights in my kit. Sort of wondering if it's even worth trying to swap them out with FFR. I bought the kit from the original owner, so FFR may not want to swap with me anyway.
For the front turn, I stayed with the 4 small ones but went with a yellow fog light and got it to work with the yellow 1157 bulbs for both the driving and blinker lights. they are wired so they are park light only on one filament and the other are full time blinkers. I know from the side it does not help at all but its the people in front of you that need to see you are turning across their path. The side ones would help too im sure but I decieded not to add any more.
For the rear I added a trailer light power supply so I have all 4 acting as brake and turn.
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Coupe is complete: 9APR13 9years to build
I know it's not the original look, but you Coupe guys need to think about ditching the stock front turn signals for a different idea. even tinny little LEDs in the front aren't going to be very visible. The coupe was designed as a race car, not a street car. Blinkers aren't needed on a race car and it shows, the tiny front blinkers are clearly an after thought. My solution for you guys would be to use the angle eye method for headlights, but to use yellow LEDs instead. This gives you blinkers as part of the headlight and you don't have to modify the body to have it. This also improves your headlights however it will cost you a little and you'll have to do some searching to find the right kit.
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-Joe
"Autoholism: An incurable addiction medicated daily with car porn."
"It's loud, smells like gasoline, and shakes, shudders, and bucks. It makes your arms tired and your feet hot. You nearly crash about once every ten minutes. It's so damn wonderful you can’t believe it." -Automobile Mag. Oct. '04
Jetsbaby: Is that the correct bulb for the screw in socket that the FFR light uses. If so that looks like the answer.
Grembler2: I also used the 3 into 2 trailer light converter. I tried the cheaper non-powered one but the lights were not very bright so I switched to the powered converter...now they are real bright.
It did create a problem with the front turn signal lights...the converter dropped the load on the turn signal circuit and with the puny front lights there isn't enough draw for the flasher work. If I put in an 1156 bulb (large single filament bulb) and it works fine. I found a LittleFuse electronic Flasher at O'Reilly's that is advertised to work with LEDs and can handle up to 25 amps. I bench tested it this evening with just one of the FFR front turn signal lights and it worked fine. Tomorrow I'll swap out the FFR flasher for the new one and see if I can check off one more item.
For those that are not familiar with the 3 to 2 trailer converter it is really cool. You connect the right, left and brake light wires (that's the 3) to the "IN" side of the box and the right and left (that's the 2) wires to the right and left side lights...one wire to both "high" filaments. Hit the brakes all four "high" lights go on. Use the turn indicator and the both "high" lights blink. Hit the brakes with the turn indicator on and two "highs" on one side stay on and two "highs" on the other side blink. The running lights go to all four of the "low" filaments.
Little British Car Co. has all kinds of light types and other parts for British Cars. A USA company that get their products from all sorts of suppliers including Moss Motors and sell at a discount.
Search their site and see what else they have or give them a call. I have bought many products from them before and have been pleased with their service. Once the owner saved me shipping by meeting me at the British Invasion, here in Vermont, with my order. He had called me and suggested it.
I went another route as in some jurisdictions side markers are required. I am using the headlamps with the built in turn signals. I then used side markers from a Ford Taurus to give me side markers which also double as turn signals and hazards.
Yes. It is also from the same Ford Taurus as the front.
I'm going to use the Taurus side makers on my Sypder too. I think the look cool and look like they belong on the Coupe/Spyder.
Paul
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FFR 4859GT 414W, Tremec TKO 5spd. IRS w/3.55 and Torsen diff. 13" dual-piston front & 12" rear disc brakes. 03 Cobra wheels, 275/40 & 315/35 tires. Possibly the only person in the world that is currently building a Spyder GT.
"A veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America', for an amount of 'up to and including my life.'"
There's also a company called Watson Street Works that sells much brighter bulbs for taillights. I've also used their amber beehive lights mounted in the grille opening, unobtrusive until you see them on. They are LED's and are really bright. I got them along with the third brakelight that has built in directionals. They are online so you can peruse their catalog.
Thanks Bill. I think my tail lights and rear turn signals are fine now with the "powered" 3 to 2 converter. The front turn signal is much brighter (but still small) with the "electronic" flasher. The original "thermal" flasher really made the turn signal lights very dim. I'll give the website a look for something to improve the front light issue.
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