European turn signals

[Cooperman]

One or two of you may remember my small lighting problem...

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,46374.msg509103.html#msg509103

Since then (was it REALLY two years ago...?) I've had some good advice from a friend who imported a '69 Super Bee.
He suggested the use of high intensity amber LED bulbs. They're not cheap, but they will actually emit AMBER light through a RED lens!
I had to see it to believe it, but it's completely changed my need to add reverse lamps fitted with amber bulbs for rear turn signals.

It's not super clear in this pic, but it's really a vivid difference in person. Just thought I'd share my revelation with you all. Cheers!

[440]

Good info, up until recently here in Aus we had to have amber indicators as well.

[Nacho-RT74]

as far I know if you register the car as an HISTORIC CAR you wouldn't need top change from original setup

[Cooperman]

Doesn't apply in the UK I'm afraid Nacho. If it was first used after December 1965, it needs amber turn signals front and rear (white front, red rear prior to that date.)  I will be running '70 taillamps for the in-built reflector - another requirement...

It is also necessary to have 3 point belts after that magic date. A real shame as my '68 car only came with lap belts. 

[doctor4766]

Doesn't apply in the UK I'm afraid Nacho. If it was first used after December 1965, it needs amber turn signals front and rear (white front, red rear prior to that date.)  I will be running '70 taillamps for the in-built reflector - another requirement...

It is also necessary to have 3 point belts after that magic date. A real shame as my '68 car only came with lap belts. 

I'm pretty sure I still have a pair of '69 tail lights that have had amber sections grafted into them.
If the leds dont work out for you give me a shout.

[ChargerST]

Which LEDs did you end up with? Have the same problem. For now I used small LED strips under the rear bumper but would rather change to built in turn signals.

[Nacho-RT74]

well, I know in Spain is on that way

[Cooperman]

Which LEDs did you end up with? Have the same problem. For now I used small LED strips under the rear bumper but would rather change to built in turn signals.

Hey ST, these are the bulbs I used - they're on eBay.co.uk:



http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220709286243&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT



There are amber LED bulbs on eBay.com, but i couldn't find the same ones. According to my buddy, there are brighter units with fewer elements - maybe these would work even better?



http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2x-1156-BA15S-24SMD-5050-LED-SIGNAL-TURN-LIGHTs-AMBER-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem3366cc4e92QQitemZ220767997586QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

[Cooperman]

well, I know in Spain is on that way

So much for the European Union eh, Nacho? The UK does its own thing when it comes to classic/antique/historic vehicles.
It would make perfect sense to allow an imported historic vehicle to function as it left the factory. Not so in the UK.


My Charger left the factory with lapbelts, so it has no threaded mounts in the roof frame. My lighting problem was small potatoes compared to the fabrication and welding I'm set to carry out to achieve a shoulder belt mounting point... 

Anyone have a photo of the upper seat belt mounting point? Please... 

[Nacho-RT74]

You know what I owuld use to fit turning signals ? yellow led strips below bumper, to fit between bumper and valence gap! will be allmost unnoticeable and easy to wire up.

all you need is link directly the tail lights to brake pedal, and rear turning signals ( dark brown and green ) to each stripe on each side

I know I made a diagram about that somewhere. I think I posted on to an Spanish board about american classic cars

[Nacho-RT74]

forgot, I made based on 70s and lates system but I can make a new diagram earlied based...

need to a make a deeper analisis, since 70s are easier... earliers are a little bit harder since on earliers you can press brakes with hazzards and rears will light on, bypassing hazzards on rear... on 70s you press brakes and hazzards keeps flashing

[Nacho-RT74]

ok first step... to isolate turnings and hazzards from brake... REMOVE white wires from turning switch and hazzard switch plugs, and jump those to dark green and dark brown going to rear body harness ( remove these from those cavities and use those to insert the white wires )... since the white wire is already spliced in two ( one to turning and the other to hazzard ), you can use one of the wires to feed dark brown and the other one to feed the dark green:

( on this way to are keeping unmodified the rear harness to this function )

White wire original cavities locations on plugs will remain EMPTY

[Nacho-RT74]

THEN MAKE YOUR OWN NEW HARNESS, running to rear and feed what will be your new turning/hazzard lights ( whichever way you choose, but I vote new lights not using your actual ones ) from the dark green and brown removed wires from plug to each of the sides. can't rmemeber which color is each side but I'f I'm right green is left and brown is right

[Nacho-RT74]

some stripes like these, amber/yellow, attached somewhere below the bumper ( maybe to the rar valence upper lip/edge ) with tiny brackets and using the same reverse light grommets to leave the wires from trunk to outside the car

http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/205357261/Waterproof_Car_LED_Stripes.html

Thats just my idea at least

[Cooperman]

Thanks Nacho - I appreciate your info. Your knowledge is a great asset to this site.  
I'm using a Painless Mopar kit that has the option for combined or seperate brake and turn signals. Hazzards are wired depending on the option taken.

[Cooperman]

some stripes like this, amber/yellow, attached somewhere below the bumper with tiny brackets and using the same reverse light grommets to leave the wires from trunk to outside the car

http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/205357261/Waterproof_Car_LED_Stripes.html

Thats just my idea at least

Those are nice and discreet, but I'm going to use the amber bulb behind the red lens. It's the most 'factory appearance' option I've seen yet, while still satisfying the guys in charge at the test station. The only time it will be obvious that it is not standard will be when I hit the brake...

[doctor4766]

Cooperman my '69 has factory threaded holes for a shoulder belt. Yours should too.
It's set a little further back than desireable but with a drop link, works none the less.

[Nacho-RT74]

I'm using a Painless Mopar kit that has the option for combined or seperate brake and turn signals. Hazzards are wired depending on the option taken.

nice!

[Cooperman]

Cooperman my '69 has factory threaded holes for a shoulder belt. Yours should too.
It's set a little further back than desireable but with a drop link, works none the less.

Thanks Doctor! Mine just seems to have a hole in approximately the right location, but without a threaded plate. Or did you mean further back?

[doctor4766]

Hmm that's about the location of mine.
You'd think they would have built them all the same and put the thread in regardless of whether shoulder belts were ordered.
Could be a build date thing?

[Cooperman]

Strange, eh? I intend making a rectangular cut above the hole just below the roof brace, then weld a threaded plate inside the channel. I could just enlarge the hole by a few millimeters - big enough for a a 7/16" nut, weld said nut to a piece of 1/4" plate two inches square, and weld it over the hole. Either way would work.



Can't be any less strong than a factory set-up... Can it? 

[440]

Interesting brake set up, are you using a dual filament bulb for the inner most globe in the tail light housing? Originally these were single filament and wouldn't light up with the brake lights (park only)... The higher wattage of a dual filament globe would melt the lens I think as it is closer then the others...  

My car doesn't have side markers so fingers crossed the inspectors don't pick up on it 

[Cooperman]

I have it set so I can run the turn signal in any of the three positions. (outer/centre/inner) Maybe if the innermost section is vulnerable to bulb heat damage I should run the LED-equipped turn signal lamp there. (brake/brake/turn) 

Does anyone have any experience of a 21w bulb melting the housing on the inner lamp? I'd like to run it as it is at the moment if possible. (brake/turn/brake)

I'm going to run parking lamps in all three housings - dual filament bulbs on the brake, and additional '501' style bulb holder on the turn signal housing. That's why I need to decide now!

We don't need to run side markers in the UK on a car that old. Hope you get away with it over there! 

[tan top]

One or two of you may remember my small lighting problem...

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,46374.msg509103.html#msg509103

Since then (was it REALLY two years ago...?) I've had some good advice from a friend who imported a '69 Super Bee.
He suggested the use of high intensity amber LED bulbs. They're not cheap, but they will actually emit AMBER light through a RED lens!
I had to see it to believe it, but it's completely changed my need to add reverse lamps fitted with amber bulbs for rear turn signals.

It's not super clear in this pic, but it's really a vivid difference in person. Just thought I'd share my revelation with you all. Cheers!

looks good !