Tail-light upgrade?

[Eneto-55]

Has anyone replaced their entire tail lights, housing & all, with something larger?  Anyone else think the lights look a bit small proportionately for the size of the car?  Maybe it's the modern cars with almost the whole back side lit up that is throwing off my sense of scale.  (It isn't really anything exactly new, though.  Look at the 66 Charger, with the huge light assembly that goes all the way from one side to the other.  I don't mean anything huge & gaudy, or something that anyone but the real Plymouth guys would notice as different, just big enough to make a bit more light out the back, and to fit the car's proportions better.) 

[Plymouthy Adams]

I find the lenses adequate in size though I do see  your point for over all lighting.....I do however wish the lenses were better in terms of internal reflector for making better use of the light and the hole shinning back into the interior does not help much....the main thing and most important to me is the brake lights and while wired for left and right brake with T/S interrupt as should be...the high center mounted third light on mine is brakes only and 55 watts halogen...visible for sure....and of course...blue dots do help...

[desoto1939]

I have gone to my local Dollar Tree store and in the automotive section they sell in a two pack a set of refelctive strips, one orange and the other the lime green.  The nice part is that these are plactic coated and are flat and a made so that they can wrap around your arm or leg is you are a runner at night time.  I just wrap these around my rear bumper and stagger the color from orgae then green then organge, etc.  They are very bright at night and have a great reflective color.  Also get a few since the two are only $1 and put them in all you cars and even give a xmas presents so that when a family member gets stuck onthe raod at night with a flat they can put these on there legs and arms and be seen by the other drivers.  A couple of bucks might same a family members life.

 

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com

[leadheavy52]

Installation of a plug in, hidden third brake light in the rear window would be the most effective, and least invasive. This is my plan for the Suburban, when I have it back on the road. 

[busycoupe]

I, and several other forum members, have replaced the tail light and brake  light bulbs with l.e.d.  bulbs.  6V positive or universal ground l.e.d. bulbs are available.  They make the rear lights much brighter.

[Plymouthy Adams]

9 hours ago, leadheavy52 said:

Installation of a plug in, hidden third brake light in the rear window would be the most effective, and least invasive. This is my plan for the Suburban, when I have it back on the road. 

 

 

I would look a the rear third eye of some various pickup trucks as a source for retro fit....they would match the curve of the rear roof line 

[T120]

A couple of years back I was at a farm auction in southern Alberta - there was a Plymouth P15 coupe in the sale, kinda rough, needed a total restoration. Someone in the past had fitted it with  tail lights  from a DeSoto S11 .They appeared to be a good fit and looked okay . A bit larger than the P15 - I'm not sure if there would be enough of an improvement  to make the change worthwhile...

[Eneto-55]

Installation of a plug in, hidden third brake light in the rear window would be the most effective, and least invasive. This is my plan for the Suburban, when I have it back on the road.

I would look a the rear third eye of some various pickup trucks as a source for retro fit....they would match the curve of the rear roof line

 

This brings up another question I've been wondering about - Do the 6 volt bulbs produce more heat than a  plastic lens can withstand?

[Plymouthy Adams]

heating up like a light bulb...that is based on wattage..higher watts, higher heat...so due to filament resistance and voltage application, they going to be close to the same..

Edited September 19, 2018 by Plymouthy Adams

[hkestes41]

I used the Technostalgia LED lights on my coupe and it made a big difference in the visibility during the daylight hours and especially at night. Their lenses seemed to be a little "clearer" or thinner allowing more light through and the LEDs generated a lot more light as well. 

[Plymouthy Adams]

glass compared to the plastic is a big difference....thicker for durability....does lead to some loss of lumens...with the glass you have better resistance to heat if  you wish to upgrade to higher wattage....speaking of small halogens added....I do recommend a relay for this to remove the higher current from the switch....plenty of options..explore what best suits you and your build..

[Plymouthy Adams]

6 volt halogens......these are readily available

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Quartz-Halogen-6v-Tail-Light-Bulb-Dual-Filament-1933-48-w-Straight-Across-Pins/352211047920?hash=item52016a15f0:g:HjwAAOxy7MtRr66I

 

[DJ194950]

2 hours ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

6 volt halogens......these are readily available

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Quartz-Halogen-6v-Tail-Light-Bulb-Dual-Filament-1933-48-w-Straight-Across-Pins/352211047920?hash=item52016a15f0:g:HjwAAOxy7MtRr66I

 

But expensive!!

 

Supposed to almost last forever though??

 

DJ

[BobT-47P15]

 

Technostalga does offer a complete LED P15 tail light unit .... which in my opinion looks real good.  

It is all plastic but only comes in 12 volts.  Definitely brighter and easier to see.

For a while they also made a 6 volt light, which is what I have....but have stopped making them due to low

demand.  I don't think they made them for any other models.    If you have questions, you should be able

to contact  Todd at Technostalga.   Should be a phone number on their website. 

Edited September 19, 2018 by BobT-47P15

[Plymouthy Adams]

ok.....maybe the insurance of the guy who rear ends you pay all the cost...…

 

safety is not often cheap....how many times does pay to play come up here......each of us value certain things in a different manner....some like them fancy shiny hubcaps....other like the nice clear rearview mirrors and better lighting....what you want to pay...well I do not think that is always clear cut and fair to one is over the top to another...that is why we have so many choices to the average consumer...