do LED taillights look too "streetroddish"?

I am going to use 37 ford tail lights on my 34 ford truck. Speedway has a version that is LED. I want the lights to be bright, but still traditional. I have never seen these in person, and was wondering if any of you guys have, and what do you think? Thanks.

 

Yes, they look too streetroddish to me.

 

If you're running 12Volt your lights are bright enough.

 

No No stay away.....

 

They look to street. Use halegon bulbs behind glass lens.
Butch

 

They look great on a Trailer or a Big Rig....oh and traffic lights!!!!!

 

Use the standard taillights and put LED bulbs inside. Will be bright and last forever, but won't look like a bad 80's custom.

 

I installed the Speedway '39 Ford LED's on my Track T and they were pretty much invisible during the day. I converted them to regular bulbs and they are fine now.

 

Thanks, I'm convinced. I'll stay away from them.

 

I live in the boonies with no street lighting of any kind, so when it is dark it is really dark. I have used JamStrait LED bulbs in a couple of hot rods, in original tail light assemblies. I painted the tail light cans/housings white inside for more reflectivity - vast improvement and they do not look much different - they just look as bright as if I had my foot on the brake with the old bulb type brake light. The complete LED replacement units where the LEDs and the lenses are one assembly look really Pep Boys - sucky, cheap and tacky...

Use original or repro tail light buckets (Vintique makes good repros) and put JamStrait LED 1157 replacement bulbs in them. Do not forget to replace your turn signal flasher with a 'No Load' flasher unit or use Jam Strait's Load Equalizers on your tail light wiring.

www.jamstrait.com

 

yes!

 

Yes!

 

I put an LED kit behind the glass lenses on my 32 and the difference in visability was amazing and they look normal during the day. There is just too little lighting back there to chance a rear ender into my gas tank. Had been using high watt bulbs that would last one season then burn out. Too much heat. Bought some all in one LED lights for wifes 39 and although bright they look like crap. Now see that someone has a set of 39 LEDs that look like traditional lights with dark glass lens. Will be switching over. I just don't think you can have too much light back there with all the cell phone users out there now days. Followed a 32 last night that had to make a rather sudden stop. Traditional lights with standard bulbs = not much warning.

 

They sure as hell don't look "hotrod-ish"!

 

aren't those extra bright? look around on the road. the texting phone talking makeup putting on idiots out there are not looking for one tiny bulb. new cars have giant bright brake lights.

I want people to see my car on the road. "too street roddy"... gimme a break.

 

i live in a retirement state with too many old timers that cant drive,leds work for me,,it beats getting hit in the ass by a crown vic!!!

 

Most of the LED lights I've seen go behind a glass lens. You couldn't tell if they were LED or not behind the lens unless you hit the brakes...and that is the purpose of having LED lights is visibility...so some teenager driving and texting on their iphone might have a better chance of seeing you and not running up your ass. I had rather look a little different than be rear-ended.

 

Having tried both,I would say YES,way too streetrod for very little (if any)improvement.Back with filament bulbs now and way happier
Paul

 

Yes.

 

I really like this approach. I have them in my O/T car and my kustom will have them when she has tail lights again!

 

If the light is better when they are on and you can't tell the difference when they are off then LED is the way to go.

I put LED bulbs in most of my housings, and nobody has any idea until the lights come on - quickly and brightly.

My seatbelts aren't that traditional either but I do use them.

 

I'm putting them on my 37 Olds. The lights are going to be too small to see for today's drivers. I can't count the number of kids that I pass that are texting while driving. I'm scared as hell to get rear ended.... Especially with no back bumper.

 

My .02, go for them. I put them behind the plastic brake light cover and they work great. Last thing I want is someone not paying attention running into the back of the car. Original real steel parts for a '26 aren't all over the place nowadays.

 

I really like the repop 39 Zephyr LED tear drops on my truck. They are a BRILLIANT idea. Gary

 

I want folks to SEE my lights! Brake lights, turn signals, running lights, don't matter! Anything you can do to get Joe Jackass in the pickup behind you, or Helen Headinherass and her horde of houserats to see you is a GOOD thing!

Screw if the brightness is "street-roddy" or not. I want to see and be seen, when it comes to lighting. Too many non-attentive, ADD-riddled, self-absorbed, and uninsured dangers to society out there behind the wheel to concern myself with as I enjoy my car!!! One does not exactly go to the repop guy and buy 1937 Hudson parts, ya know?

 

does a bear shit in the woods??

 

We bought the LED trailer lights from WalMart, gutted them and put them behind the stock housings on my buddies '64 Tempest. They look perfect during the day and could land a plane at night. Perfect for a car that had tiny tail lights to start with.

The look hasn't changed and if the people following behind him want to bitch about being not traditional in the middle of the night then so be it.

 

I think they look tacky on street rods and worse on traditional cars. I used bulb and socket from a Chev. SSR which is pretty bright. They don't have the problems that a 1157 bulb does.

 

I vote for LED!! Got them in my car and they show up great!! Safty first! I also run radial tires and disc brakes.

 

I always have wondered how many guys on here have got rear ended or nearly rear ended because the guys behind them can't see their tail lights or brake lights.

For the guys voicing the loudest opinions against Led bulbs (not the crappy housings that some of them come in) I ask. How many of your club members or your traveling buddies have you followed down the street or road and had a hard time seeing those oh so cool little tail lights or seeing them quick enough to react?

For everyone harping against the brighter lights, do this. The next time you have the car out at night park it somewhere safe leave the lights on and walk a hundred or two hundred feet behind it and see how well you can see the lights. Then imagine a soccer mom with three kids in a mini van or anyone else rolling up behind the car on the streets or roads or even in a fairground parking lot.

I got pulled over twice by our local State Patrol and told that my stock tail lights in my 71 GMC daily driver were too dim. I did the above test in my driveway and found out that at 300 ft behind the truck I couldn't see the lights when they were on at night. White paint in the housings and high wattage bulbs took care of that but it helped me figure out why I had had cars come up behind me at fairly high speeds and swerve to pass me at the last second because they hadn't seen my lights quick enough.