do LED taillights look too "streetroddish"?

I did just that on my daily driver 71 GMC after being stopped a couple of times for my tail lights "not" being bright enough. Yes they do stop you and give you tickets for tail lights that are not bright enough in this state on a regular basis.

The white inside the housing was a huge difference and the 2357 bulbs really show up.

I'll say this for all of you guys who are bitching and whining about not wanting "non traditional" lights or saying brighter lights aren't right be they led or something else. Have someone else drive your car and follow it down the road both on the highway and in traffic, both in the day time and at night to see what other people are seeing. That may scare the crap out of you in some cases when you actually see for yourself how damned hard your tail and stop lights are to see by others behind you. Don't knock what others are doing to make their car a bit safer unless you know exactly what people are seeing when they are behind you.

 

And Radials, and Electronic F.I., and passive restraints systems, etc., etc. Now it's not a traditional pre '64 rod any more.

 

Almost every major rod trot/car show has at least one story about someone getting rear ended either pulling into or leaving the event. Quite often by another participant at the event.

 

this thread has nothing to do with any of that, it's about making your taillights bright enough so people don't turn your car into a traditional pile of scrap metal. you can put these things inside of a traditional lens

 

Bottom Line: DO WHAT YOU WANT..ITS YOUR CAR...

 

What about all the '87 and older Chevy trucks on the road? I counted 17 one day in my relatively small town. I have two myself. I don't see them smashed from behind on every corner.

 

Polio is traditional. Don't be stupid and however you do it, make sure peopel can see you at night.

 

So, you agree in principle, and yet you box yourself in with limitations. You want to pay tribute to the builds of the 50's and 60's, but refuse to acknowledge the spirit of the builders and the ingenuity that helped create such great cars and trucks?

With all due respect, there are ways to honor the traditional look, while taking advantage of modern technology. LED's (if done properly) are just one example.

 

^ I did take advantage of modern technology...
Ive got a 55 engine, 54 front brakes, and a 53 rear end all stuffed under my 12v 50 chevy.

17k miles in i bit over 2 years.
Daily driver.

 

That is a little different. The taillight on those are about 4 times the size of a deuce taillight. They are also thin transparent red plastic not a dark red glass lens. they let about 90% of the light from the bulb through to be seen. The glass lenses block 40-50% of the light IMO. also generally up a lot higher than the taillights on a hot rod.

When you get right down to brass tacks then most of our cars should be running a 6V electrical system since that was what was available & used back then right? how many people on here have their hot rods converted to 12V?

Apples & oranges comparison between a hot rod & a old chevy truck.

 

I doubt traditional hot rodders were ever this critcal of each others' builds. They respected the individuality of the cars and applauded each others efforts. They certainly didn't get hung up on such minor details.

Half the guys bitchin' about traditional this and traditional that are running disc brakes and radial tires. Nothing traditional about either of those, yet they are being used. Guys want to enjoy their cars and they want to be safe doing it. Get over it.

 

I thought the led look was all wrong until I got rearended sitting at a stop sign and a 4 wheel drive pickup truck rearended me. No drivers license no insurance. now I have led tail lights and I dont care who dont like it

 

Im running trailer led lights. In this area its function over looks .

 

Great advice, thanks. Ill try this on the weekend

 

I'm gonna try this on my Buick, but only one side at a time and compare the difference.

 

LED's look wonderful as they glint off your gold chains as you're loading or unloading the car from the trailer!

 

LED's do look like crap, thats a given, They are brighter, we are stuck with the brighter one if we want to be safe, fact is, we are a smart bunch of MF's, if this is all we have to make it brighter out back its a sad situation, a lot of us can build a car from a heap of crap and a bit of moly, my question to you is, if we can build a car, why can't we build a freakin light system for the back of our rides so Dipsy Daisy isnt rear ending us? Without trying to PO the OP, if he could ask what the kool alternative is we would be better off, LED's dont look street roddish, they just look like crap on any thing, I dont even like the look on a trailer, but that is the best use for them as they really do their job there.
Show me the light.

 

Those would not be on non-traditional radials would they?

 

I may be grouped in as a "street rodder", but this ia about small taillights being seen in the bright sunlight.
I have the 2357 bulbs, tried white paint, then alum foil, and not reflective material. I do have plastic lens. But these light are hard to see in the bright sun. I added a third brakelight and may go to the led just so I can be seen. (I try to use hand signals too.)
My wife has followed me and she says she can't see them. I believe she was looking for them, other people will not!

 

Comparing radials to LEDS is ridiculous, but your point is taken......
And im willing to keeeep playing.

Some things get a pa55 around here, and some things dont.
Like mustang IIs, they are not traditional, but if you are gonna custom/slam that car, its the best way....
Pulling the radial card around here is the equivalent of pointing out spelling errors on an internet forum.

LEDS should not get a pass. This is lame.......



No matter what.
Especially when there are other ways to fix the problem, other then just ordering it out of a speeeeedway catalog.

I mean shit, the FNG OP figured it out 15 minutes after opening this thread......

 

Not really. The HAMB police are quick to jump all over anyone they feel is being non-traditional, yet when other non-traditional items are mentioned that they happen to be using, they (ie. YOU) want to shrug it off as ridiculous. You can't have it both ways. If you are going to bitch about it, you should be living it 100%.

The only thing ridiculous is the hypocrisy when it comes to this issue. Guys love to play internet judge and jury. It's easy to do sitting behind the computer. It's another to practice what you preach. According to you, this is the HAMB. It's traditional. Really? Then ditch the seatbelts and radial tires. You can't make excuses for when you want to cross the line. Either your 100% in or you are not. If your not, you shouldn't be bitchin' about it.

 

Please explain ..... " Pulling out the radial card around here ........... etc.

 

There is about 10%-15% of the people on the hamb that are really running true 100% traditional,so dont hold your breath while waiting to see the people who are "living it 100%".

 

Pulling the radial card is a last ditch effort, like pointing out spelling errors at your point slowly falls beneath the waves.....

And thanks for using my entire post in your quote, not just hacking it up to fit your needs like #141.
The point i was making is that certian stuff gets a pa55.... LEDS shouldnt.
Thats, like, just, my, opinion, man.

 

Sorry, but he's right about the radials. Maybe worse than LEDs.

 

I agree 100% ,no passes !!!

 

Well,that photo makes a pretty persuasive argument
Has anyone taken into account that there are drivers who will rearend you anyhoo,whether it be in broad daylight,in the rain or in the dark and even if you fitted a fricken' red air-raid searchlight in back?
Paul

 

So first Mustang II's are a no no and now they are ok because it's the 'only' way to slam your ride?(or maybe as one poster pointed out Ryan has it)
Led's won't even be seen unless your driving up the guys arse so who gives a shit?
Mustangs II's for better ride and handling (safer) Led's cos it's his car and he wants to.

 

Why is comparing radials to LED's ridiculous? Really, why so? Is it OK to be non-traditional in some areas of a build but not others? If so then safety should be one of those approved deviations from traditional.

"Especially when there are other ways to fix the problem," could just as easily purchased bias plies rather than the radials. What were you looking for with the radials ride quality, performance, or increased safety?

I look at it like this, while the LED's may not be traditional, I had people tell me more than a couple of times that my tail lights were not working. These were all in bright day light hours. At that time I was running standard bulbs on 12V with the reflectors painted bright white.

I don't particullarly like the looks of the LED's either but they look a lot better than the rear bumper in the back seat. This is my daily and with about 90% of the traffic around Dallas seeming to be mega-SUV's I want everything possible to get their attention. That is why I wired mine with the rapid flash option as well.

If I was going to be real traditional then my 48 Plymouth would have the single brake light in the middle of the trunk lid. with the fender lights being nothing but tail lights.

 

Some of you folks are funny...................