Swapping to LED lights

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Swapping to LED lights

Postby 75Monz » Wed Nov 07, 2018 12:47 pm

What I want to do on my 75 Monza tc is change all the bulbs that I can over to LED. Has anyone done any research on what LED bulbs will direct install in marker lights, signals, brake and backup? I am going to try and retro an LED kit into the dome light similar to what I got for one of my square body trucks. Want to do instrument lights too, just not sure if certain ones like the turn indicators and warning lights could be done without adding certain size of resistor for circuits. I found a handy little resistor calculator here http://led.linear1.org/1led.wiz , just need to know the supply voltage, diode forward voltage and diode forward current for a resistor rating.
Also want to change my headlights over to something brighter too. Has anyone done any of this to their cars with info and results?
Thanks, Jeremy
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Re: Swapping to LED lights

Postby 79MonzaSpyder » Wed Nov 07, 2018 3:38 pm

Jeremy, i have done my 79 Chev pick up mostly all to LED. I bought it all off eBay. I used the same lights for the exterior marker and all the dash and turn signal lights and did not need to add any resistors. I DO USE a Solid State Flasher I needed to years ago because I haul a cam,per and pull a trailer and that caused excessive bulb resistance and so I switched to a Solid State flasher which makes the LED bulbs work fine in my Truck. I did not find a set of 1157 style LED's that I thought were bright enough so I used 2057's on the rear, plenty bright but you have to watch the heat, they are hotter than 1157's. Anyway I can get you the info on the bulbs I used to the cluster made it really nice and bright, WAY better than stock pic attached of illuminated cluster.
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Re: Swapping to LED lights

Postby 75Monz » Wed Nov 07, 2018 4:43 pm

That looks sweet! Damn it, now I'm going to have to do that to my C10 and my K20's...stock lighting is so poor I end up turning the dome light on to see the heater panel most of the time, lol.
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Re: Swapping to LED lights

Postby 75Monz » Wed Nov 07, 2018 4:47 pm

Had to do a double take for a sec on the speedo till I noticed it's Canadian...brain auto-labeld it MPH, started contemplating what was under the hood of your square, lol.
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Re: Swapping to LED lights

Postby 79MonzaSpyder » Thu Nov 08, 2018 2:14 am

Ya that would be some sweet ride if I needed 160 mph speedo.
Ya I switched to LED because I could read half the gauges at night. You switch from looking out the front window and down to that dim cluster and my eyes had to adjust to the dim light. It was always terrible. Soooo much nicer with the LED's. I bought extra bulbs so I know I have a pack still unopened. I will look and see what info is on the packaging. I saved the seller I bought them off of eBay. It will get that for you too because they were quite reasonable and I put them in about 18 months ago and have had no issues with them at all. That said I don't drive it a lot, too thirsty and with gas sitting here at $6.00/USG taking one round trip to work and back is about a $30 deal.
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Re: Swapping to LED lights

Postby 79MonzaSpyder » Thu Nov 08, 2018 4:51 am

Jeremy, This is the seller bought off of eBay from yitamotor as I saved him in case I wanted more. I put the link to the ones I bought. These are long but fit in my dash fine and just fit in the side marker lights. I chose them because they were super white and had modules on the top and sides so it casts the light better. I also bought some that were flat and cast the light straight up or out depending on how you look at it but no modules on the sides and they worked fine but were not nearly as bright and tended to focus the light in one direction which I found did not illuminate the cluster as well.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/10x-T10-20-SMD ... rk:18:pf:0
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2018 Toyota Camry XSE V6
79 Chevrolet 3/4 ton Pickup Fully Restored with matching 78 11' Camper
80 Monza 2+2, Cloned into a 79 Monza Spyder V8 4 Speed (Current Project)
80 Monza Spyder V6 Auto (parts car, sadly)
80 Honda CB750K Fully Restored with Custom Full Dress
80 Honda CM400A 10,000 Orig. Miles Full Dress
75 Honda XL250 Fully Restored (first vehicle I ever owned)
73 Honda SL125 off roader
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Re: Swapping to LED lights

Postby 79MonzaSpyder » Thu Nov 08, 2018 10:16 am

Forgot to mention that the eBay link I posted for the bulbs is out of Kent, Washington, I know that's not exactly around the corner fron Colville but it is in the same State.LOL, good luck converting it all over I think you will find it's greatly improved. Something along the lines of how GM should have made it in the first place.
The Fleet
2018 Toyota Camry XSE V6
79 Chevrolet 3/4 ton Pickup Fully Restored with matching 78 11' Camper
80 Monza 2+2, Cloned into a 79 Monza Spyder V8 4 Speed (Current Project)
80 Monza Spyder V6 Auto (parts car, sadly)
80 Honda CB750K Fully Restored with Custom Full Dress
80 Honda CM400A 10,000 Orig. Miles Full Dress
75 Honda XL250 Fully Restored (first vehicle I ever owned)
73 Honda SL125 off roader
72 Honda Motorsport 250 (XL250) off roader
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Re: Swapping to LED lights

Postby 75Monz » Thu Nov 08, 2018 11:29 am

Thanks 79MonzaSpyder, just ordered a pack of 10...ended up $8.11 USD with tax, cheaper than buying the old style bulbs here in 2 packs! Once I get all the info and bulbs swapped, I'll put all the info together in a what goes where DIY post with some pictures.
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Re: Swapping to LED lights

Postby 79MonzaSpyder » Thu Nov 08, 2018 5:17 pm

Jeremy, keep me posted on how it turns out, I think you will be quite happy with them.
The Fleet
2018 Toyota Camry XSE V6
79 Chevrolet 3/4 ton Pickup Fully Restored with matching 78 11' Camper
80 Monza 2+2, Cloned into a 79 Monza Spyder V8 4 Speed (Current Project)
80 Monza Spyder V6 Auto (parts car, sadly)
80 Honda CB750K Fully Restored with Custom Full Dress
80 Honda CM400A 10,000 Orig. Miles Full Dress
75 Honda XL250 Fully Restored (first vehicle I ever owned)
73 Honda SL125 off roader
72 Honda Motorsport 250 (XL250) off roader
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Re: Swapping to LED lights

Postby 79MonzaSpyder » Fri Dec 14, 2018 3:25 am

How did you make out with the lights Jeremy?
The Fleet
2018 Toyota Camry XSE V6
79 Chevrolet 3/4 ton Pickup Fully Restored with matching 78 11' Camper
80 Monza 2+2, Cloned into a 79 Monza Spyder V8 4 Speed (Current Project)
80 Monza Spyder V6 Auto (parts car, sadly)
80 Honda CB750K Fully Restored with Custom Full Dress
80 Honda CM400A 10,000 Orig. Miles Full Dress
75 Honda XL250 Fully Restored (first vehicle I ever owned)
73 Honda SL125 off roader
72 Honda Motorsport 250 (XL250) off roader
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Re: Swapping to LED lights

Postby classic_cruiser » Wed Dec 19, 2018 8:20 am

On this subject, has anyone tried any of the new LED headlights that are supposed to be able to replace H4656 and H4651 bulbs? Not sure how these would look on an H-body, and I really wonder if they would fit without any modification to the existing bulb backing plates...
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Re: Swapping to LED lights

Postby 75Monz » Wed Dec 19, 2018 9:37 am

Got sidetracked this month with Winter, a trip to Florida and end of the year projects at work, so not able to get to it till next month unless I get a lot of snow...then Monza is buried till spring, lol.
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Re: Swapping to LED lights

Postby gerbsinmd » Fri Dec 28, 2018 3:16 pm

I just updated to the LED lights in the dash that are listed above, and LOVE them! I ordered 2 packs and have been replacing all kinds of lights with these. I have replaced the ones in my 2011 impala that light up the foot wells and they light it up so much better. These are a great find! I will probably order more can continue to swap them out whenever I can on all my vehicles.
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