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Old 03-15-2007, 04:43 PM   #21
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Thumbs up

Sorry for taking a while to reply. I have found a few places. Vehiclelight dot com; then on ebay, saving_grace_llc, tmiledtechnology, and closertowholesale are three stores I have bought from.

Thanks again for all the input; I've put all LED fixtures on my non-silver trailers... they look SO good, vintage aesthetic bedamned! Now I'm going to order a whole set of running lights for the Streamline; after numerous delays and registration getting kicked back by DMV, I finally have title and can start spending money on it!

-SilverSausage

P.S. Just bought a little vintage trailer, and the sellers had a beautiful 61 Bambi too, already sold.
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Old 03-15-2007, 07:02 PM   #22
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Two thoughts here: First, on the legitimacy of L.E. D.s on vintage equipment, I think this question would make a good poll. Second, if you get in a festive mood, the low current draw of L.E.D.s can be a real advantage. I made a switch out of an extra umbical plug and a rotary heater switch from a car(see attached) which I can plug into the trailer while it's parked. Not only does this allow me to test my lights easily, but I can "decorate" the rig by turning the running lights on at night-looks very cheery. When we boondock out in the desert and hike away from the AS, I can leave the lights on as a beacon to guide me back after dusk.
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Old 03-15-2007, 09:52 PM   #23
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1964 22' Safari
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Excella CM,
Great idea. Switch on! I wqas wondering how to light it up without tow vehicle.


Jacob D,
I read the write up on changing your teardrop running lamps to LEDs. I like it!
Where did you purchase the 1156 LED arrays?

And thanks a lot for the help with the jalousies.

Safari64
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Old 03-15-2007, 10:58 PM   #24
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1964 26' Overlander
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I like that plug-in switch, very neat! I hardwired a switch on the tongue to flip between powering the running lights from the trailer battery or from the tow vehicle for the same reason, but since you can't see it you could potentially forget to flip it and kill the trailer batteries while towing, which you can't with yours. Of course, I'm much too smart to do that.

The 1156 arrays I used in the teardrops came from here. In white I found them much too dim for interior lighting, but the 24-LED diamond shaped amber arrays worked great in the teardrops. They only make red in the 36-LED type, but I covered the 12 corner LEDs to make the diamond shape anyway for the red teardrop markers on the back.
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Old 03-16-2007, 10:17 AM   #25
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Thumbs up LEDs are low amp draw, so that does is for me.

I have a 1958 Bubble, completely rebuilt with new appliances, cabinets, floor, RV-500 water heater, full bath with custom made aluminum tub/shower pan that detaches and fits into the curve of the rear roof/wall. I made a really nice cold-cathode flourescent lamp that is usually all the light I need inside. As soon as I can afford it, I will replace the outside running lights with LEDs, mostly to save battery capacity.
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Old 08-30-2008, 10:04 PM   #26
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I just came in because it got too dark; I am putting on the finishing touches of putting in all new LED tail-brake plus backup units in my 1970 Caravel. The old fixtures were rusted to dust so I pried them out, cleaned up the aluminum castings with a little sander, drilled and tapped a trio of holes in each of the four depressions in the castings and used stainless bolts as pedestals to space the LED units out closer to the old outer surface position of the lamps. Tomorrow I'll bond them into place. The look great and work really well. Next I'll get LED marker lights (all ten) since most of mine are cracked and failing.
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Old 08-30-2008, 10:25 PM   #27
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LED's

LED Lights- do they wreck the vintage asthetic?

No.

And they certainly don't wreck the vintage "butt" that could be yours.

LED's are without question, a huge step forward, in making vehicles of all sorts, more visible in both daylight and night time.

That extra light, can be a life saver, when we least expect it.

Changing to LED's regardless of a vintage trailer, is giving safety "thumbs up" and the old maybe they can see me, "thumbs down."

Andy
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Old 08-31-2008, 02:22 AM   #28
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Wedding Cake LEDs

I found a fairly easy way to convert the old wedding cake style tailights to LEDs.

1. Buy a set of LED trailer tailights from your nearest TSC or Northern Tool or Menards. See the picture below.

2. Remove the extraneous license plate and side lights. Tape the wires.

3. Mount the main light assembly on nylon standoffs. Test light functions.

4. Replace the original lenses with new gaskets. Throw away the leftover parts, or use the sidelights and license plate lights elsewhere.
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Old 08-31-2008, 06:21 AM   #29
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Quote:
Originally Posted by markdoane View Post
I found a fairly easy way to convert the old wedding cake style tailights to LEDs.

1. Buy a set of LED trailer tailights from your nearest TSC or Northern Tool or Menards. See the picture below.

2. Remove the extraneous license plate and side lights. Tape the wires.

3. Mount the main light assembly on nylon standoffs. Test light functions.

4. Replace the original lenses with new gaskets. Throw away the leftover parts, or use the sidelights and license plate lights elsewhere.
Don, do you have any pictures of them in action yet?
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Old 08-31-2008, 07:52 AM   #30
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I had a lot of trouble keeping my old ones working. I could not keep a good ground with the rust that was around the bulb sockets. I replaced them with LEDs and did the backup lights as well. I like them a lot, very bright and easier to park after dark. Being seen and seeing what you are doing are real important to me. I guess their is a desision to made, whether you are restoring or rebuilding/retrofitting. I think tail/brake lights need work every time and brighter is better.
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Old 08-31-2008, 08:52 AM   #31
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Don, do you have any pictures of them in action yet?
I didn't take any "nighttime" pictures, I'll try to get some tonight after dark.

The Tradewind backs up to my shed so I can't get a very good distance shot.
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Old 08-31-2008, 10:01 AM   #32
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Originally Posted by Airdog View Post
I had a lot of trouble keeping my old ones working. I could not keep a good ground with the rust that was around the bulb sockets. I replaced them with LEDs and did the backup lights as well. I like them a lot, very bright and easier to park after dark. Being seen and seeing what you are doing are real important to me. I guess their is a desision to made, whether you are restoring or rebuilding/retrofitting. I think tail/brake lights need work every time and brighter is better.
Looks great, except for the faded reflectors.

Keep an eye on the rear end separation "elephant ear" repair. They usually don't hold up over time and miles, unless additional bolts were used.

Andy
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Old 08-31-2008, 12:10 PM   #33
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Andy,

What is "Elephant Ear" repair? Any links to this to be able to see if this was done to mine?

John
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Old 08-31-2008, 01:24 PM   #34
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i'm not andy but......... try here.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f36/...elp-35108.html
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Old 08-31-2008, 01:44 PM   #35
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Andy,

What is "Elephant Ear" repair? Any links to this to be able to see if this was done to mine?

John
An elephant ear repair, is an abbreviated attempt to correct rear end separation.

It's tell tale sign is when you see a quarter circle of some size, that is on the lower right hand corner of the left rear quarter panel and on the lower left hand corner of the right rear quarter panel.

It's far removed from the proper and recommended repair method to correct rear end separation, but it will take care of the problem temporarily, but permanently put a dent in your pocket book.

That repair is not proper and will in time fail again.

Go to the old posts on this subject as pointed out by richinny, above.

You will find detailed instructions as to how to correct the rear end separation, just about forever. It takes more time and money, but it also corrects a major design fault.

At best, the elephant ear method, is a sorry excuse type temporary repair.

It also will cause more expense down the road, since it's not a repair, but a coverup.

Andy
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Old 08-31-2008, 08:10 PM   #36
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Don, do you have any pictures of them in action yet?
Here's a daylight picture and a nightime picture.

Sorry about the color, for some reason when you photograph a red LED, even with a red lens, the color of the light looks yellow. I can validate that the lights actually appear red, not yellow.

The daylight picture is taken through the window of my shed, the night picture is taken at about a 45 degree angle from the side.

Incidentally, I added backup lights from VTS, and the trunk is the original front battery box that I relocated and use to store my power cord.
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Old 08-31-2008, 09:35 PM   #37
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Here's a daylight picture and a nightime picture.

Sorry about the color, for some reason when you photograph a red LED, even with a red lens, the color of the light looks yellow. I can validate that the lights actually appear red, not yellow.

The daylight picture is taken through the window of my shed, the night picture is taken at about a 45 degree angle from the side.

Incidentally, I added backup lights from VTS, and the trunk is the original front battery box that I relocated and use to store my power cord.
Camera's see some colors better than human eyes.

It doesn't matter what the camera see's from the tail lights, what's important, is what our eyes see.

Andy
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