LED Taillights that work!!

[Mike Del]

Photos of Stealth Sidemarker Blinkers, off and on.

[spd4me]

Like my parents use to say, "children are to be seen and not heard". I like both. Got the light fixtures from Mike Del and the light bulbs from bikerhighway.com and here's what I did. First opened up the back of fia tail light so I can get most of led bulb to show through, then opened up hole in body and put all back together. Pics may not tell real story but there's probably 3 to 4 times more light. Took about 2 hrs to do one side.
bob

[RJacobsen]

Bob , that looks great but how do you get your car to hang on the wall like that?

[spd4me]

I wrap that green hose around the rear end and hang on a big hook. I forgot to rotate pics, sorry.
bob

[Mike Del]

Nice work on the use of my LED adapters Bob. The adapters align the bulbs and reflect any stray light into the opening, so you don't have to go to all that trouble of opening the lens back and body. The difference is already amazing. What Bob did is above and beyond the call of duty. Kudos, Bob!

[Mike Del]

Here's a sneek peak view of my stealth sidemarker blinker. It's a 3/8" x 3/8" x 1 1/2" clear tube that contains 5 LEDs. Very discreet, yet very noticeable when lit.

[JeepSnake]

Mike, just got my passenger side LED installed, and WOW!!! (Now, just to find some more nuts so I have enough to put the driver side together.)

Guys, everyone has been talking about how bright the LED's are, but there are two additional benefits that Mike and I discussed at Homecoming.

1) LED's are cool. Temperature-wise, that is. If you take long trips in your FIA car and have to utilize the fenderwell space for packing, you've probably wondered about that hot, exposed incandescent bulb. I always worried about something shifting and getting against the bulb where it could melt, smolder, or worse. Not so with Mike's conversion. First, the LED runs cool. Second, Mike's conversion adapter encloses the entire assembly in aluminum so that it's protected from your trunk contents.

2) LED's have a faster reaction time. They light up instantly. The incandescent bulb has to first heat the filament to the point of radiance; only then do you see light. This may seem like splitting hairs, but in an e-stop situation, every millisecond of extra warning time you can give the vehicle behind you counts. With one LED installed and one incandescent still in place, the time lag on the plain bulb was dramatically evident. My trained observers (Mom, Dad, Sandy, and Jake the dog) all noted that the LED lit up ahead of the old bulb without me telling them to watch for it.

This is absolutely, positively one of the best mods I can think of for an FIA car.

[Mike Del]

Zach,
Thanks for the kind words. I'm very pleased that you like the results of the LED adapters. The difference is truly amazing. I usually include extra nuts for the install. They are 5mm nuts. If you have trouble getting them, I'll be happy to mail you some. I believe, as you do also, that the conversion to the new 48LED bulbs with these adapters is a major safety addition for anyone using rectangular 289 style taillights. It was a pleasure talking to you at the homecoming.

Mike

[JeepSnake]

No problem getting the nuts, Mike. My mistake was thinking that I might actually have four 5 mm nuts somewhere in our 10 Maxwell House cans full of screws, washers, nuts, etc.! Picked up a couple of packs at Home Depot yesterday, and we're good to go!

FYI - on a side note, I read yesterday where Cadillac is about to introduce the first pure LED headlights into the States. They're manufactured by Hella.

[Naumoff]

Photos of Stealth Sidemarker Blinkers, off and on.

Cool Mike.

I was thinking of doing some under-Glo lighting myself.

Just kidding. That is a neat ideal.

[Slither]

Replacement 1156 and 1157 right-angle LED lights are available to simplify the process (sorry Mike, it was a good fix!). See the link below for one source:

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b...x30.htm#photos

I am thinking along the lines of what Mike did, only using two separate bulbs to eliminate the adapter.

[Mike Del]

Attention Slither, Hi Paul!

I know you haven't tried those 90 degree bulbs. Don't comment about things you haven't tried. You may mislead people.

A tip for builders and owners:

Do not take advise from "Cobra owners" that do not own a Cobra or only owned one for a few months. At this point I've owned a Unique Cobra since 1992 and have driven well over 80,000 miles in both of the cars that I built.

Personally, I don't care if you use my adapter or come up with your own solution. My adapter is only for the rectangular lights. The bulbs that I recommend are by far the best and not sold by me.

Benefits of using LED tail lights:
1. They energize immediately and at full power.
2. Low power consumption.
3. Cool operation, no hot halogen in your trunk.
4. Your pressure operated brake light switch will energize the bulbs sooner, because as soon as the contacts in the switch start to touch the bulbs will fully illuminate due to the low amperage required.
5. Your brake light switch will last longer, because it isn't subjected to the high current flow that the conventional bulbs draw.
6. Yor brake light switch will appear to work with lower pressure because of #4 above.

GO LED, but use the right bulb and make sure you illuminate the exact center of the lens. LED bulbs are directional. Don't eliminate the reflector portion of the lens. It's required and could save your life. Be safe. Enjoy the ride. Have fun.

[Slither]

Attention Slither, Hi Paul!

I know you haven't tried those 90 degree bulbs. Don't comment about things you haven't tried. You may mislead people.

A tip for builders and owners:

Do not take advise from "Cobra owners" that do not own a Cobra or only owned one for a few months. At this point I've owned a Unique Cobra since 1992 and have driven well over 80,000 miles in both of the cars that I built.

Personally, I don't care if you use my adapter or come up with your own solution. My adapter is only for the rectangular lights. The bulbs that I recommend are by far the best and not sold by me.

Benefits of using LED tail lights:
1. They energize immediately and at full power.
2. Low power consumption.
3. Cool operation, no hot halogen in your trunk.
4. Your pressure operated brake light switch will energize the bulbs sooner, because as soon as the contacts in the switch start to touch the bulbs will fully illuminate due to the low amperage required.
5. Your brake light switch will last longer, because it isn't subjected to the high current flow that the conventional bulbs draw.
6. Yor brake light switch will appear to work with lower pressure because of #4 above.

GO LED, but use the right bulb and make sure you illuminate the exact center of the lens. LED bulbs are directional. Don't eliminate the reflector portion of the lens. It's required and could save your life. Be safe. Enjoy the ride. Have fun.

uhhhh, Mike... those lights I pointed out are LED lights.

And, though I'm not sure how you "know" being that we're half a country apart, no I haven't tried them. That is, in fact, why I didn't comment on them. I didn't advise anyone; that is to say I gave no advice. I merely pointed out, with acknowledgement of the good work you do, that LED replacement lights are being manufactured in the right-angle form-factor, allowing for an easy swap... nothing misleading about that! It is up to the user to determine usefulness, functionality, effectiveness, safety, etc. for their car.

As I mentioned, I like what you did. The adapter I was talking about potentially eliminating is the trailer wiring diode pack needed to change from dual light systems to single tail lights... I'll need to see how it shakes out in concept, function, and testing before I can be sure it will work. But hey, that is part of the fun of these cars.

Hope your day is on the up-swing!

[Mike Del]

HA,HA,HA....

The point is that not all LED bulbs are equal. Don't just replace a bulb with an LED to achieve a similar net output. I was cranky when I made that that response. I missed lunch. My apologies Paul.

[Naumoff]

You should be driving fast enough so that no one is that close to you. I guess that's what you have to worry about with a smallblock.

[Slither]

The point is that not all LED bulbs are equal.

Yes, the dispersion pattern/viewing angle and light output/luminosity are very important... good point. They can vary very much. Check the specs before you decide.

I guess that's what you have to worry about with a smallblock.

No... it's the blue-lights that we have to worry about!

[TurnpikeBoy]

You should be driving fast enough so that no one is that close to you. I guess that's what you have to worry about with a smallblock.

Usually that's true. 'Specially when that follower is official.

Big blocks, of course never are concerned with such an issue.....'course, they're usually down for the count for one reason or another and, thereby, immune to such events

[Naumoff]

Usually that's true. 'Specially when that follower is official.

Big blocks, of course never are concerned with such an issue.....'course, they're usually down for the count for one reason or another and, thereby, immune to such events

Show pieces?

[TurnpikeBoy]

Show pieces?

Undoubtedly the best use

[Slither]

Here is another take on it...

http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/showthread.php?t=105854