I have recently converted the following in my '69 RS to LED bulbs:
Sourced from Summit Racing, Sparks, NV:
1. Part No. KCW-10784 Back Up Light Bulb, LED, White, 1156 equivalent
2. Part No. RNB-211W-HP Inside Dome and Console Courtesy Light Bulb
3. Part No. GRM-X-88 Front Side Marker LED Bulbs, Amber
4. Part No. GRM-X-86 Rear Side Marker LED Bulbs, Red
5. Part No. GTE-90941-5 LED Headlights
Sourced from Dapper Lighting, Novato, CA
1. Phillips Part No. 1157R (Red LED replacement for tailight/brake/turnsignal, 2 packs, 2 bulbs/pack, $20/pack)
2. Phillips Part NO. 1157A (Amber LED replacement for front parking/turnsignal, 2 bulbs/pack, #20/pack)
There was some trial and error involved but so far so good for now.
1. Originally I had also picked up the red and amber 1157 LED replacements that Summit offered. However, these were no brighter than the original 1157 bulbs and the quality, IMO, was suspect. Also, they would not work (flash) with the original OEM flasher in the fuse box. So I returned them.
2. The other LED's that I picked up at Summit worked very well and are significantly brighter than original bulbs (headlamps/side markers/interior dome and console courtesy/back up).
3. One key objective was to wind up with much better headlight visibility than standard 7" lamps. Also, I wanted something that looked quasi original; i.e. no halo rings, no center running light bar, etc. The GTE LED headlamps from Summit fit that requirement to my satisfaction. The GTE LED headlamps are split, horizontally, into two sections (which you really don't notice unless you look closely). The top half is low beam. The bottom section is high beam. The improvement in night time visibility with these new LED headlamps is very noticeable, and if aimed properly, are not a nuisance at all to oncoming traffic.
4. During Hot August Nights last week in Reno, I visited with the folks at the Dapper Lighting booth. They are a relatively small, special lighting company out of Novato, CA. I explained to them how I had tried some LED bulbs from Summit in the tailight and front parking lights and wasn't satisfied with the brightness. They showed me the Phillips "Ultinon LED" bulbs that they carry. On their demo display they looked very bright. There were also two other positives: 1) PRICE: They came priced @ $20/pack and there were two bulbs per pack. Most of the time you will find that someone's (Summit, Rock Auto, etc.) prices will run $15-20 for a single 1157 LED equivalent bulb. 2) No replacement flasher unit required for most installations. The Phillips Ultinon LED 1157 equivalent will work with most OEM flasher units.
5. The brightness of the tailights/turnsignal/stop functions with the new Phillips 1157R (red) bulbs is very noticeable, even during the dailight here in the bright northern Nevada sun.
6. I tried to install one of the Phillips 1157A (amber) LED bulbs in one of the front parking light/turn signal sockets and for some reason, it wouln't seat properly. I put the standard amber 1157 bulb back into the socket, it seated properly, and for the time being I'm not going to dig any deeper into that issue.
A couple of things to remember:
1. LED bulbs, unlike the original bulbs, have a polarity. On the 1157's they only go in one way so you don't have to worry about polarity. On the dome, side marker lights, etc. where you push the bulb into the socket; if you install it and it doesn't come on, remove it and flip it over. Once you get the polarity correct, all should be good.
2. A good many LED replacements for the rear tailight/brake/turn signal and front parking/turn signal are not compatible with the OEM flasher in the fuse box. LED flashers are available from multiple sources. Once again, one of the advantages of the Phillips 1157 bulbs, they worked just fine with my OEM flasher.
3. LED 1157 and side marker replacements are available in amber, red, and white. I strongly recommend that you do not use white. Use the red or amber LED equivalent based on the lens color. A very bright white 1157 LED can blead through the lens showing some white when all you should see is red or amber.
Richard
