Park lamp to Park/Turn Conversion

[Merle Coggins]

I found the perfect upgrade pieces to convert the front parking lamps into dual filiment park/turn lamps.

I stopped at my local Checker Auto Parts yesterday to browse their rack of sockets. This is what I found.

Then, thinking that the sockets in the lamp assemblies may be soldered in, I heated them up with a hand held propane torch until I saw beads of solder. Then tapped them out with a hammer. The popped right out. Once I cleaned up the residual solder, the new ones dropped right into the same holes. New ones got soldered in and the assemblies were repainted.

They appear to be a direct replacement without any major modifications to the lamp housing.

Merle

[msjenkins]

I did the same thing with mine. It does work great. I painted the inside of the buckets with silver (or white, I don't remember) paint to help with the reflection.

I also used amber bulbs instead of clear.

[Merle Coggins]

You must be running 12 volts. I've not been able to find amber 6 volt bulbs.

[bkahler]

Probably a stupid question but are the lamp sockets the same for 6 volt as they are for 12 volt?

I like your solution!

Brad

[Merle Coggins]

No such thing as a stupid question.

They are the same diameter. The original sockets only had 1 wire for a single filiment bulb and the lock tabs are set up for bulbs with the pins directly across from one another (non-indexed bulbs) The new sockets have 2 wires (plus a tab for a ground wire if needed) and are set up for indexed bulbes (pins ofset from one another).

An 1154 bulb is a dual filiment, indexed bulb for 6 volt and these are what I plan on using. The sockets are listed for 1157 bulbs, which are dual filiment, indexed bulbs for 12 volt. The base is identical between the two bulbs.

[bkahler]

Merle, thanks for the info. I've got a Kragens and a Pep Boys within blocks of me so I'll check them out.

Brad

[lscrymgeour]

Merle Thanks for the information. Have got 2 sockets on order and am hoping to get the truck out of storage this weekend and can begin to convert the lights over. This is the last item I need to get the truck safetied in Canada. After that I will begin on replacing the truck bed.

Lyle

[grey beard]

Merle,

Now go to superbrightleds.com and order your favorite color of LED lamp bulbs for those nifty new sockets you just installed. They're only about eight bucks each and are twice as bright as the original 1034's, AND they come in several colors.

Just one word of caution - the color of the bulb MUST match the color of the lens or they appear to be dimmer than they really are. I first bought clear for my red glass DODGE tail lamp lenses, and they were too dark. Red bulbs fixed the probvlem - something to do with the color spectrum and the wavelength of each color. Go figure . . . . ..

[lscrymgeour]

Merle - Tried you solution on my '53 Fargo halfton and everyting was goinng great until I went to install the lens. My lamp assembly must be short than yours because the lens would hit the top of the bulb before it was in position. Had to use a socket assembly which sat lower in the lamp housing in order to get the clearance I needed. Never the less the turn signals are all working with brakes, etc. and I am taking it into the garage tomorrow for safety certification. Once complete I can get the truck registered and put my 53 FARGO plates into use.

Thanks, Lyle

[Merle Coggins]

I was concerned about that when I put the new 1154 bulbs in. They are much bigger than the original bulbs. But the lenses fit over the bulbs. It doesn't look like there is much clearance, but they fit. I'm thinking now about going with amber LED bulbs. Hopefully they'll fit too.

Merle

[Young Ed]

Merle I'm rewiring my coupe and will need to convert my parking lights and tail lights. Were you able to find sockets with appropriate 6v size wires?

[Merle Coggins]

I believe the wires were 16 ga. But they are also only about 6" long. If the full run of wire was that size I'd be worried, but having only 6" of smaller ga. wire I wasn't too concerned.

Merle

[woodscavenger]

I just did the same thing but tack welded it in place. Works great. Now I have amber parking lights with turns in the same place.

Now I need to figure out my rear turns and I will almost be legal.....well, when I get my doors on and fenders, and bed......

I will post some progress on my blogspot page soon.

[Frank Elder]

Ed, wouldn't it be simple to take your new replacement sockets, take the contacts off like Merle said on his old ones, and add the right gauge wires to the new socket assemblies and solder on new contacts. Or after I type this...maybe just buy the sockets without wires? And add your own?

[Young Ed]

What I ended up doing was buying inserts for my original sockets. The still have wire thats a little weenie for 6v but I cut them as sort as possible so there isn't too much of it. It worked for my dash lights all last summer. Haven't gotten to the tail lights or parking lights yet.