Advise please on LED Taillights

JonHarper · Aug 9, 2004

I'm looking to add LED taillights to a 65 here in the UK. There are 3 main versions that I've come accross.

1. Technostalgia. $100. 20 LEDs. 50 degree viewing angle. Need to mod car.
2. Vintage LED. $130. 96 LEDs. ? viewing angle. No mods required.
3. D2M Technologies. 150 LEDs. 20 degree viewing angle. No mods required.

I don't want to mod the car if possible so option 1 is out. I can't find anyone who is still selling option 2. Option 3 seems the best bet but I am worried about the viewing angle (20 degrees is the angle from straight on at which point the brightness has reduced to 1/2).

Can any LED owners out there comment on brightness from directly behind and at an angle (i.e. what a car following you round a bend would see). I'm sure there's other makes out there as well. Suggestions?

Jon

JonHarper · Aug 9, 2004

Option 1 is http://www.mustangsunlimited.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=LED1+01
Option 3 is from NPD, catalog number 13456-65K.

gp001 · Aug 9, 2004

I've read good things about this company and their LED tailights

http://www.safecode.net/mustangproject/LED_taillights.htm

Taylor · Aug 9, 2004

I have sequential taillights from Mustang Project They are much brighter.

All you do is change the flasher module under the dash and replace the bulbs with the LED modules. It's a 5 min install.

They have non-sequential versions as well. Can't tell you what the viewing angle is though.

MustangPaul · Aug 9, 2004

Taylor said:
I have sequential taillights from Mustang Project They are much brighter.

All you do is change the flasher module under the dash and replace the bulbs with the LED modules. It's a 5 min install.

They have non-sequential versions as well. Can't tell you what the viewing angle is though.

I was reading about these. Are they really that easy to install? How do they fit in the sockets? Trouble lining up leds with slots in lenses?

I finally found taillight bodies without those damn pigtail extensions so now my tail lights work all of the time. This was my next purchase. . .

Let us know!

Bonestock2k · Aug 10, 2004

I saw some of the above mentioned lights on display on a bright sunny day in Seattle a couple of weeks ago at a Mustang show. They appeared brighter than stock lights and very reasonable - under 100 bucks I thought. I wish I had gotten a card from the guy selling them but they were the same ones. Easy install too.

Route666 · Aug 10, 2004

Ok this may sound really silly, but I don't know, so I'll ask anyway.

How do classic indicators work in the first place? Do they just flash the brake lights or something because I can't see how plugging in a different flasher can do something to the brake circuit unless the two are the same in the first place.

ForceFed70 · Aug 10, 2004

Route666 said:
Ok this may sound really silly, but I don't know, so I'll ask anyway.

How do classic indicators work in the first place? Do they just flash the brake lights or something because I can't see how plugging in a different flasher can do something to the brake circuit unless the two are the same in the first place.

The flashers work on heat. While the light is on, heat builds up in the flasher and the flasher turns off the light. Once it cools down it turns the light back on. Like a self-resetting circuit breaker.

Problem is that LED's are much more efficient and use less power. Less power means less heat in the flasher module and that causes slow flashing or no flashing at all. To fix this problem you only need to swap out your "thermal" style flasher module for an "electronic" version.

Route666 · Aug 10, 2004

Thanks for that insight, but my question was even sillier than that. What I really wanted to know was are the brake lights used as the indicators as well? From what you just said I assume that is right, so you did kind of answer that one.

vobraman · Aug 11, 2004

taylor, did you get the extra module so that the emergency flashers also are sequential ? any problems with these lights ? Concerns or suggestions ?
thanks

ForceFed70 · Aug 11, 2004

Route666 said:
Thanks for that insight, but my question was even sillier than that. What I really wanted to know was are the brake lights used as the indicators as well? From what you just said I assume that is right, so you did kind of answer that one.

Yes, the brake lights are also used as indicator lights. If you pull out one of your bulbs, you'll see that it actually has 2 different filaments.

That light acts as a driving light, signal light, and a brake light all in one.

Banditlead · Aug 11, 2004

Whats the difference between Sequential and non-Sequential? Most of the pictures on that page won't load for me, so if there is a visual difference, I can't see it. Both pages have the same instructions and price, so I am kinda curious...

MustangPaul · Aug 11, 2004

sequential blink 1, 2, 3--like the cougar and shelby tail lights. Non sequential are just LED versions of what you have now.

FastLane68 · Aug 11, 2004

I always wanted sequential flashers but they're illegal in Calif. I did like the Shelby rear light panels though and I liked the way LED brake lights on newer Caddies. I bought about $200 (6 ovals) in oval LED brake lights found on tractor trailer rigs, wired them together and they look great!!! Also made a couple of containers to keep moisture away from the electronic circuit card. Another nice thing is I didn't have to cut out the rear sheet metal panel, something shelby light sockets required.

Route666 · Aug 12, 2004

Cool thanks Mr. Nitrous Eater, I think I've found a way around having to make the reverse lamp lenses orange (to use as indicators for DOT specs). A sequential brake light should be darned intuitive enough to not get a "Australians will be confused by a flashing red light" knockback.

Loup-garou · Aug 12, 2004

FastLane68 said:
I always wanted sequential flashers but they're illegal in Calif. I did like the Shelby rear light panels though and I liked the way LED brake lights on newer Caddies. I bought about $200 (6 ovals) in oval LED brake lights found on tractor trailer rigs, wired them together and they look great!!! Also made a couple of containers to keep moisture away from the electronic circuit card. Another nice thing is I didn't have to cut out the rear sheet metal panel, something shelby light sockets required.

That sounds like a great restomod idea. Do you have any pictures of that setup, or any source info for those LED parts? Years ago, Hot Rod magazine modded a '65 Fastback and used '67 Cougar or Shelby taillights - an LED version of that (especially with the sequential circuitry) would look sharp - especially if less sheetmetal mods are required.

FastLane68 · Aug 13, 2004

I'll email you the pics of my LED "Shelby" brake lights if you send me your email address. You can reach me at lminor@bestweb.net or lane.minor@sbcgloabl.net. I've never tried to post pictures in this forum.

JonHarper · Aug 15, 2004

Nitrous Eater,

Looking on MustangsUnlimited & NPD the only electronic flasher units listed are heavy duty ones for sequential lights. Is one of these units suitable for use with LEDs? Do I need to replace both the turn signal flasher & the emergency flasher units? Do they just plug in where the thermal ones did or do they need different wiring?

The sequential ones seem over priced ( 3 times the price of the normal one) - I would have thought that an electronic version would have been cheaper to produce.

Jon

vobraman · Aug 16, 2004

I ordered the sequentials from mustang project on Thurs. at my door on Sat. in the car on Sun. I bought the extra module for the emergency lights. The lights are very bright. They almost look like brake lights, when you have the park lights on. It makes the rear of the car look much better. In addition, the turn signals look great. Easy install, good instructions. If you want the emergency lights to sequence you have to get the additional module.

MustangPaul · Aug 16, 2004

vobraman said:
I ordered the sequentials from mustang project on Thurs. at my door on Sat. in the car on Sun. I bought the extra module for the emergency lights. The lights are very bright. They almost look like brake lights, when you have the park lights on. It makes the rear of the car look much better. In addition, the turn signals look great. Easy install, good instructions. If you want the emergency lights to sequence you have to get the additional module.

Where does the extra module go and what is the price?

Advise please on LED Taillights

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