[64speed]

I am starting fresh with all new wiring harnesses. I have heard that you run into all kinds of problems when you mix and match led and incandescent bulbs in a system but if you start out fresh and use nothing but led bulbs do you need to do anything special but install the appropriate flasher?

[P@blo]

My Honda has a bright dash so much so I keep it turned right down to nothing at night. Thinking about my second gens I contemplated going LED but I would just want to turn them right down anyhow and dimming LED is another obstacle.

Bright lights on the dash are counter productive actually and would probably need to get HID headlights to offset. If you go that route the roads will be full of cars that blind drivers as they go by in the opposite direction. Who would want a world like that where no one can drive a lick but can see 6 miles ahead at night?

There's something very cool about the old incandescent bulbs and makes our cars unique to their time. Kind of opposite to putting a back-up cam or Chip Foose wheels on a classic Pontiac.

[XLR8STEVE]

You can mix them. You just need the appropriate flasher module. I have a couple cars with LED rears and 1157 front bulbs. Flashers are cheap. The older style flash module needs more amperage to work properly so couldn't use that with the LED change.

Check out Easy Performance if you are looking for LED modules for rears they make some cool stuff and will even do custom configs.

[JLMounce]

Have LED headlights and incandescent tails and blinkers. I don't have any issues with the mixed system since the lights on the flasher cans are still draw the correct current the system wants.

If you decide to change out the tail lights and blinkers to LED, then yes you need to get the correct flasher for that type of setup.

the LED headlights were one of the best investments I made. Before that I didn't typically drive the car at night simply because the sealed beam halogens sucked so terribly.

[Formulajones]

I've switched a few cars over to led tail and turn signals. As well as some of the interior lights. Just required an electronic flasher. One thing I noticed on the chevelle with a sniper on it, while monitoring voltage driving at night, the led change improved the voltage by .3-.4 when the led bulbs were put in. Voltage at night idling went from 12.7 to 13.0-13.1

Best thing I did for lighting on the cars we daily drive, especially for my wife's car as she drives in the dark frequently, was installing led headlights. The way I see it is every new car on the road today, which is about everyone, is running with led's so about every car out there is blinding. May as well join the club. One thing they can't say anymore is they didn't see me coming

[1968GTO421]

Out of curiosity, how do LED headlights compare with Halogen headlights (that replace a sealed beam (T3) headlight). Thanks.

[Formulajones]

Originally Posted by 1968GTO421

Out of curiosity, how do LED headlights compare with Halogen headlights (that replace a sealed beam (T3) headlight). Thanks.

WOW It's night and day difference.

Both cars I did LED headlights in ran the Halogen headlights in them. They just don't compare to a good LED.

Makes me want to (and I eventually will) install LED headlights in all the cars here.

My wife was the biggest beneficiary. She hates driving at night, and at our age, even new Halogen sealed beams just don't seem to do the job anymore. Once I put LED's in her car she hasn't complained about night driving since.

[Formulajones]

You don't have to spend a huge fortune either.

I used stock appearing glass 7" bulbs for the classic cars that accept a typical socket style light bulb (either halogen or LED) They also make the smaller diameter for the 4 headlight systems too.

Then I pick the LED bulbs I like to run and it plugs into the stock harness.

Different quality bulbs make a huge difference. Lots of experimentation and I finally found a set I like that actually project the beam out in front of the car, and on the high beams you could land a friggin air plane with them

[1968GTO421]

^ Sounds great. I need to get on the stick and put in a relay for my headlights so I can do the chage over. Do you have a preferred vendor to get your led changeover parts and bulbs? Thanks.

[JLMounce]

FWIW, with a true LED bulb, you don't need to do a relay. The current draw is so much less than the sealed beam halogens, that the factory wiring and connectors work well.

I have Dapper Lighting headlights in my 69 bird and for the most part they are plug and play. I say for the most part because there are some fitment issues that relate to how the structure of the 1969 Firebird's nose is done that creates some fitment issue with a true projector lens and bulb.

They accept the factory sockets however and mount in the factory buckets with factory trim rings.

In regards to the difference, it's literally night and day. To give you some comparison, my 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee has projector based halogens. They are good, safe lights that is typical on modern cars. My Firebird with the Dapper LED's blows my Jeep's lighting out of the water. ESPECIALLY the high beams.

Nice thing about Dapper as well is the option for OE fluted glass. If you don't add any type of halo system, you get 90% of a factory sealed beam look, but 100% of modern lighting convenience.

[Formulajones]

After buying a few LED's I found these Lightening Dark H4 9003 hi/low beams to actually project a light way out front as well as enough to the sides to see the ditches. Some of the cheaper LED's just don't project light well at all so be careful what you shop for.

https://www.amazon.com/LIGHTENING-DA...6019641&sr=8-5


Then I just buy the conversion housings that they screw into here

https://www.amazon.com/IPCW-CWC-7006...%2C272&sr=8-40


So for less than $100 I have LED headlights that look stock. I've done 3 cars this way so far and extremely happy with all 3. The camaro has been done the longest, for about a year. Driven every day (in the dark in the morning) and they are still working flawless.

[1968GTO421]

Thank you FJ for this info, Great to know I don't have to do relays. I'll be looking into this as my old T3's just do not do it.
Appreciate it.

[Formulajones]

You're welcome.

Yep plug and play deal. Those little LED's come with a short extension harness for your original lighting to plug into.

[67GTONUT]

Just want to piggy back on this conversation....

For my 4 Headlight system...... Do I just get 4 of these?

https://www.amazon.com/IPCW-CWC-7003...00NZUQ56&psc=1

And then I can install what bulbs I want into them?

[Formulajones]

Originally Posted by 67GTONUT

Just want to piggy back on this conversation....

For my 4 Headlight system...... Do I just get 4 of these?

https://www.amazon.com/IPCW-CWC-7003...00NZUQ56&psc=1

And then I can install what bulbs I want into them?

Yep. Install which ever LED bulbs you want.

That's the smaller version for the 4 headlight system. Same stuff dad bought for his 4 headlight system on the GTO when he did the conversion.

Only catch is, at the time he did his, the 2 prong for the high beams (inside lights) wasn't available at the time with the vendor I listed above. The supplier told him to just use the high/low 3 prong for the inside set, and just cut off the center prong.
So he did, and it works fine.

That was last summer, they may have the 2 prong high beams in stock now, or possibly another vendor.

That 4 headlight system is brutal when the high beams are on LOL

[67GTONUT]

Originally Posted by Formulajones

Yep. Install which ever LED bulbs you want.

That's the smaller version for the 4 headlight system. Same stuff dad bought for his 4 headlight system on the GTO when he did the conversion.

Only catch is, at the time he did his, the 2 prong for the high beams (inside lights) wasn't available at the time with the vendor I listed above. The supplier told him to just use the high/low 3 prong for the inside set, and just cut off the center prong.
So he did, and it works fine.

That was last summer, they may have the 2 prong high beams in stock now, or possibly another vendor.

That 4 headlight system is brutal when the high beams are on LOL

Thank you...... Definitely going to look into this...... once my TKX is in..... plan on driving it much more....

[67GTONUT]

Went down the LED wormhole...... and utter frustration....

Bought 4 of these for the tail lights

https://www.superbrightleds.com/more...35&scc_id=1428

Installed them...... wont blinks....... Crap, I thought if I left the front ones incadecent they would blink..... oh well....

So I bought an electronic flasher....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/CF12ANL-01-...72.m2749.l2649


Nope...... no better....

Anyone want a set of LED Brake Light bulbs....... lol ???

I figured this would be an easy mod...... nothing is ever easy for me it seems....

[Formulajones]

I like to use the electronic flashers from Napa, they work great with LED's.

On the LED bulbs, I prefer to use these that have a projector style lens.

I also found that buying the color of the light you want works best. Red for tail lights etc.... Because just buying white LED's tends to be so bright that it turns a red lens pinkish. I've just never been all that happy with white LED's behind colored lenses.

https://www.amazon.com/AUTOGINE-Extr...77825745&psc=1

[grivera]

Originally Posted by 67GTONUT

Just want to piggy back on this conversation....

For my 4 Headlight system...... Do I just get 4 of these?

https://www.amazon.com/IPCW-CWC-7003...00NZUQ56&psc=1

And then I can install what bulbs I want into them?

Reviving old thread - when I click on Amazon link it says 5 3/4” headlights. Is that correct for the 4 headlight system for my 69 bird? IPCW CWC-7003 5-3/4" Plain Round Conversion Headlight with H4 Bulb - 1 Piece https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NZUQ56...BWXDKSD3HMYSP6

What are recommended LED bulbs that ain’t junk and no relay?

[Formulajones]

Originally Posted by grivera

Reviving old thread - when I click on Amazon link it says 5 3/4” headlights. Is that correct for the 4 headlight system for my 69 bird? IPCW CWC-7003 5-3/4" Plain Round Conversion Headlight with H4 Bulb - 1 Piece https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NZUQ56...BWXDKSD3HMYSP6

What are recommended LED bulbs that ain’t junk and no relay?

Those look like the size for the 4 headlight system because the single headlights are 7"

For the LED bulbs I like the Lightening Dark brand. I tried about 4 different brands that really didn't project light very well. I wasn't happy until I tried the Lightening Dark, they actually project a beam. No relays required, they do have built in fans as most of the good ones do.
I linked to one version of them in post 11