Indicators

The multi-LED bulb

At the Loomies run a couple of weeks ago David T pointed out that my front indicators weren’t working, a closer inspection revealed they were working but so dim that they didn’t show up in the sunshine. Something needed to be done.

The new single LED lamp units

The problem stems from my own fussiness. I wanted a late ‘50s look for the car (without getting obsessive about it), so fitted the Lucas style indicators, then I found some clear Lucas “488” lenses on Ebay & bought them, these are the flat jobs rather than the pointy ones & are clear, so match the headlights in both shape & colour.

But all was not well! The Lucas 488 bulb holders are different – deeper so the bulb fits behind the flat lens. I didn’t have the bulb holders so the bulbs didn’t fit. I found some small globe bulbs in orange – but they weren’t dark enough orange, Mr MoT man said. So I bought the small LED bulbs which as I said weren’t bright enough.

External earth in a wheel bay? It WILL corrode.

So now I’ve bought another pair of 3w LED lamps like the Day Running Lights & the reverse lights, except these light up orange. I took the indicators off the car, which as an additional benefit meant the external earth which had caused problems got binned, took out the already rusty steel bulb holders & made four aluminium discs, two accurately fitted the bulb holders, the other two “less so”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I cut the rubber boot off the back of the bulb holder, sikaflexed the rougher discs to the inside of the body & used the thread on the back of the lamp to hold the two discs & the rubber lens holder together.

 

 Wired it up & Bob’s-your-uncle. Reliable modern LED indicators inside 1950’s looking lamps.