The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Adding New Headlights with Amber Led's

I am in the process of doing this with my 39 Chevy 2 door sedan .. I have been reading up on all this and there is a lot to absorb about what needs to be installed for the LED lighting along with the regular tail lights with the double filliment bulbs ..flashers and Hazard .

I really am asking if anyone has done with the about the same set up as I am doing .. if so ,, tell me what you did and what flasher you use in doing so .. Resisters are important and one can either install them or use the ones with the flasher..

I will stop now and listen ,, unless you have questions

First of all, if your going the LED route why not go the whole way. One of the weak point of these trucks is the emenic (dim) tail lights. If you change to LED’s front and rear, your will need a new turn signal can built for LED lighting. If you keep your old resistance filament tail bulbs then the original can will work. You can use a resistor but that’s extra money and wiring and some guys don’t know how to install them. In other words...it ain’t worth it.

My car has all new wiring ,, I have installed a 7 wire signal 900 switch onto the steeing column,, My plan is to install 7 inch sealbeams with the amber led's within the head lights... I think all I need is a flasher that has the resister in it and that should do it.. as for parking amber lights I was thinking of running a extra wire to the lights and just use a toggle switch to turn them on and off..

I can change out my tail lights to Led later as from what i have read ,,they will work along with the led up front and thru the Flasher ..

If I would of bought a 8 wire turn signal switch I would not have to wire the parking lights up by them selves??

thx for the reply,,, any more thoughts on this ?

I believe a better solution for the parking lights would be the inline zener diode setup that vendors like Watson’s Streetwork and others sell. They turn the amber lights into both parking lights and turn signals. One is required per side.
As for running a LED flasher can with resistive tail light. I am not sure that would work as too much current could be passed through the can and either burn up the can or the lights would blink two fast. Others might have a better feel for this issue than I.

I think I will change my rear brake lights to LED and then that should take care of what flasher would make all 4 corners work,, agree?

I only need one wire going to each Led and then ground it to the car body ,,right?

I will check out yuour suggestion of Watsons Streetwork thx

What's the problem with just replacing the incandescent bulbs with LED's? They have LED in red, clear, amber, 1156, 1157 etc. off the shelf.

Victor thx for your advice ,,,, I have all 12 volt system whole car


I wrote this in my post above and agree with you...(I think I will change my rear brake lights to LED and then that should take care of what flasher would make all 4 corners work,, agree?)

One can read a lot of articules about how to wire in turn signals ,, I read one that said if I use this peticular flasher I can keep my regular brake lights..

it really hard to find the proof of what works,, when I do i will share it with all

I appreciate all replies , all helps

idaho, On your headlamps are you planning to use relays. I'd hope so. The intent is to reduce current thru your headlamp switch. With relays all your headlamp switch
switches is the current to operate the relays. Search on "headlamp relays"

LED bulbs don't draw enough current to make the old style flashers work (bi-metal strip that heats up because of the current running through it). On my 58 2-ton, I replaced all of the bulbs with LED except the bulbs in the turn signals on top of the front fenders. Those bulbs draw enough current to make the old flasher work fine. I did not want LEDs up there because the front lens is amber and rear lens is red. LED bulbs need to be the same color as the lens they are behind or they are not very bright (I believe it is the narrow color spectrum of light they put out).