LED bulbs for '37 LaSalle

[suchan]

Anyone use LED bulbs for '37 LaSalle tail lights? I've had more than one fellow driver tell me my tail lights are out when driving in the rare bright sun up here in Washington.They are working, but with the thick lenses and dim bulbs, they're hard to see. Supplier and stock# would be appreciated.

[39LaSalleDriver]

These are what I run in my 39 LaSalle, but you HAVE to order the RED ones as they show up better than plain white. Not sure about he 37s, but you also may have to modify or make a new reflector can as I did to fit the depth of the bulb. That worked better for me as I also wanted a two socket system rather than the single that was original.

https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/tail-brake-turn/1156-led-bulb-19-led-forward-firing-cluster-6v-and-24v-dc-car-classic-car-bulb/511/12710/

https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/tail-brake-turn/1157-led-bulb-dual-function-19-led-forward-firing-cluster-bay15d-retrofit-car-classic-car-bulbs/508/

[suchan]

I got the LED bulbs.
Tried to open the tail light, got the top off, but the lenses won't budge, and as hard as it is to find replacements, I didn't want to force them.
Ideas?

[harvey b]

Maybe pour some very hot water over them,it should help loosen them?,be careful,those lenses are very hard to replace. Harveyb

[Jim Govoni CLC 20546]

I have a 41, what about the flasher for the directional, any thoughts? I understand the old 6 volt pos. ground won't let the old flasher work with LED's.

[cadillac ken]

Not sure about the positive ground, but you will need to replace the flasher with an electronic one. They are available at the local auto parts stores.  I'm not sure it is voltage sensitive.

The old traditional flasher basically heats up and then breaks contact, cools and re-contacts.  The LED bulbs do not pull enough amperage to heat up the contacts and an electronic flasher is solid state.

FWIW, check your grounds to the tail lights.  Maybe run a separate wire to ground them to the frame. Has solved many a problem for me. 

[suchan]

Maybe pour some very hot water over them,it should help loosen them?,be careful,those lenses are very hard to replace. Harveyb

Maybe a hair dryer?

[Jamurray]

I mentioned this in an earlier thread, but it's worth repeating. I installed an S&M Electro-Tech controller on my '40 LaSalle. The '40s had turn signals, but they didn't self return. I was forever discovering I'd driven for miles with a turn signal still flashing. I was able to use the original switch. It's not a momentary, but it looks original, and it works like a champ. My only regret is not being able to figure out how to use the little red indicator in the original turn signal switch, but I'm young. I figured I'd get over it.

The product eliminates the flasher.

I have the clear bulbs, and I'm pleased with them. I never knew about red ones.

Ditto about care in removing the lenses. Replacements are hard to find.

Jack

[J. Gomez]

Maybe a hair dryer?

If the lens has a rubber seal at the base it may had harden in place with the lens. Vinegar would soften the rubber seal and should not damage the glass lens. Maybe others have other tricks.   

[J. Gomez]

I mentioned this in an earlier thread, but it's worth repeating. I installed an S&M Electro-Tech controller on my '40 LaSalle. The '40s had turn signals, but they didn't self return. I was forever discovering I'd driven for miles with a turn signal still flashing. I was able to use the original switch. It's not a momentary, but it looks original, and it works like a champ. My only regret is not being able to figure out how to use the little red indicator in the original turn signal switch, but I'm young. I figured I'd get over it.

The product eliminates the flasher.

I have the clear bulbs, and I'm pleased with them. I never knew about red ones.

Ditto about care in removing the lenses. Replacements are hard to find.

Jack

The older flasher has the “P” terminal that would connect to the pilot light at the turn signal switch. Since you have an electronic conversion it may not have the extra “P” connection.

If the rear turn signals light are not in the same path as the ones for the brake lights you could use a diode on both the RH and LH signal wires and connect them back to the pilot light at the switch. The diode would allow current to go in one direction and block it on the opposite side to light the lamp.

Since you have a positive ground you would need to reverse the diode polarity as you have ground from the flasher.

Good luck..!

[carlhungness]

       Regarding bright tail-lights for the '37 LaSalle I too am most interested so appreciate the post. At best I can't imagine any bulb being bright enough for safety in today's traffic given the location of the tail-lights.
      Wasn't there a post on someone re-popping a very similar tail-light lense on the forum in the past year using silicone molds. I have only one set of rear lenses and it makes me nervous to be around them
      Although it may sound funky I'm putting some thought into installing the smallest of LED's on the inside of the back window around (a part of ) the rubber molding that holds the glass in. They just may not be noticeable to the casual passer-by at rest if only a minute portion of the bulb protrudes past the rubber molding and garnish trim.
     I was able to install some turn signals on my Vincent Black Shadow motorcycle that even veteran riders can't find when the bike is at rest. There is a 'crash bar' that is a single stick of tubing that goes across the bike, just ahead of the front cylinder. I milled a quarter inch slot in it
and installed LED's, so your eye does not go toward the crash bar at all when you're looking for
turn signals, that are normally attached to the front forks, or handlebars. It's fun to ask a rider what he thinks of my turn signals and he says, "I don't see any mate," then I flick them on.
  I'm hoping to do the same kind of trick with the LaSalle coupe. Trick the eye.
   You can just see the bar at the right of this photo, capped with a hex cap. Look closely and you'll see  the row of LED's.