More Brake Lights

[Got2Gnow]

Has anyone considered converting the back up lamps (on a '71 Swinger) to RED 1156 LED(s) and then do some re-wiring so the RED LED(s) illuminate with the brake pedal apply?

I think the wiring would be easy enough to do, but will the RED LED(s) look OK? I think I've heard RED LED(s) need a RED lens. Will the clear lens make the RED LED(s) pink?

The only down side is losing the back up lamps.

Thoughts?

 

[tedsweet]

no way will they look red

 

[67Dart273]

Here are my feelings "in general" on DIY lighting, and this most certainly includes "the required stuff" headlights, signals, tail and stop lights.

You might build yourself a system that 'looks cool.' It might even be "better" in some ways

BUT, if you get into ANY sort of crash, that involves lawyers and they find out that YOU modified YOUR car with non DOT "stuff" this just might create a fight that is difficult to defend.

I'm not sayin' you should or should not. But think it over carefully, OK?

 

[DartGTDan]

Here are my feelings "in general" on DIY lighting, and this most certainly includes "the required stuff" headlights, signals, tail and stop lights.

You might build yourself a system that 'looks cool.' It might even be "better" in some ways

BUT, if you get into ANY sort of crash, that involves lawyers and they find out that YOU modified YOUR car with non DOT "stuff" this just might create a fight that is difficult to defend.

I'm not sayin' you should or should not. But think it over carefully, OK?

Sounds like OP wants to add "3rd Brake Light" using the existing reverse/back-up sockets/lenses. I would make sure the use of these as brake lamps would be in addition to the existing original/stock brake lamps.

Would putting the 3rd brake light in the back window be a better idea?

 

[67Dart273]

I guess he was going to disable the originals. I do think that a third one is a good idea. If I could find an unobtrusive one for mine, I might consider it.

 

[TrailBeast]

I got two more tail/brake lenses and replaced the backups with those and wired them in with the original outer lights.
Then replaced all four with rear facing LED's with a credit card style plastic magnifier lens tacked inside the lenses for dispersion of the light via magnification.

Tail lights are the normal two outer lights, but brake use all four and turns use both on either side.
Amp usage with my brakes on and all four lights is about .5 amps total and each side signal uses about .25 amps.

Front marker/ signals are orange LED's and use about another .25 amps or less.

(That leaves a lot of amps for other things while effectively doubling my brake and signal lights in the back end)