LED taillights

[CHR1574N]

any updates on this? where are the LEDs =D

[el bob]

Do you still need a junk later tail light?

[E30_pilot]

Idk..but Me and my friend are lookin at doin these ourselves..but we are only in the "researching" stage

[Mfever]

i found a good link on a saab forum, which someone had done to their lights. i thought it might help. i think its a pretty good write up.

http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=113964

scroll down a bit.

[moatilliatta]

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/commerce.cgi?product=CAR

this seems like a winner.

[NC325iC]

it does, i wonder if those instrument cluster lights would fit an e30, they look to be the right style, and some of the festoon? bulbs should fit in the verts map light

[BeirBrennerE30]

updates chris and inspar8r???

i am very much looking forward to these... my taillights are the only things on my car that arent fully led cuz i am waiting to see what you guys put out.

[thereisnoyun]

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b...gi?product=CAR

this seems like a winner.

this site seems like it is the winner for DIYs or just LED bulb replacement. Someone tried it yet?

[DaveSmed]

LED replacement bulbs suck for tail/brake/turn lights FYI.

[thereisnoyun]

LED replacement bulbs suck for tail/brake/turn lights FYI.

yea? but they have the LED Pads with multiple LEDS on them that you can jsut hot wire, and cut the opening on the housing. Basically the same thing that these guys are going to sell for 500 bucks right? if I'm wrong correct me :P .

[sweetride01]

yea? but they have the LED Pads with multiple LEDS on them that you can jsut hot wire, and cut the opening on the housing. Basically the same thing that these guys are going to sell for 500 bucks right? if I'm wrong correct me :P .

I'm pretty sure that it wouldn't be quite that easy. Usually something(s) go wrong...

[george graves]

I'm pretty sure that it wouldn't be quite that easy. Usually something(s) go wrong...

It would be hit or miss ... most likely a miss.

[grib]

yea? but they have the LED Pads with multiple LEDS on them that you can jsut hot wire, and cut the opening on the housing. Basically the same thing that these guys are going to sell for 500 bucks right? if I'm wrong correct me :P .

Very, very different.

The pattern and brightness of the LEDs, plus the reflector/lens which focuses that light have a huge impact on how well the whole system works together. A simple LED bulb will not have a light pattern that is compatible with the stock lens. Remember that an incandescent bulb scatters light in almost all directions, so the stock reflector is designed to take advantage of that. LEDs create light differently as there will be dozens of LEDs in the tail lights, each much dimmer than a single incandescent bulb - but properly focused they are much brighter.

What Nick will build is a custom board with a custom reflector/lens, packed into the e30 housing. Check out the different designs he has on his web site for the Lexus is300 and you'll get the idea.

http://mmsport.s5.com/ledtails.htm

[nando]

Eta?

[DaveSmed]

The best chance of something usable from that site would be the board with the Luxeon LEDs set back as far as possible with the reflector cut off the back of the taillight, and a recess made in the removable light panel to get it as close to flush as possible.

It must be the Luxeons, the cheap ones will NOT work right. The Luxeons might. You'll notice there also the most expensive. There is a very good reason for that.


Personally, for the expense, possibility of failure, and amount of work needed to get it in there, what the hell is so wrong with a bulb that works pretty damn well? If there was some amazing benefit, sure, but what? You dont like replacing $2 lightbulbs roughly once a year?