New LED tail lights

[Ted Y]

So, I have for years been driving around with tinted tail light lenses, because IMO, the black just goes so much better the theme of the car. (Yes, I know the interior is half red, but for outside appearences, the yellow/black pops better).

I was always worried that I would get rear ended and someone would later come up with a story that they didn't see the brake lights on my car due to the tint. I'll be honest when I say that they are dark and the stock incadescent bulbs were dim in the daylight. I searched far and wide for a pre-built LED package I liked, but found none. Most C5 LED lights are either blocky looking large diodes which both don't go with the lines of the C5 or look dated. Or, they had halos which I personally didn't like with the oval shape of the C5 tail light.

I contacted Mike Brown of VetteSthetics and he suggested I get a red LED super bright tail light bulb. The brightest bulb available from Diode Dynamics was a reported 500 lumens each which was twice the factory bulb.

Here is a photo of the tinted lenses with nothing lit.

Here is a close up of the right side lenses.

Here is the puny factory bulb (unlit).

This is all the light output you get from the parking lights. Look at the other lens to see how virtually no light is seen in the daylight through the tinted lens.

This is the brake lights. You can see the brake lights through the tinted lens, but it isn't dazzling. Time to get that LED bulb plugged in and see if there's a difference.

[Ted Y]

Here is the new bulb plugged in. It's large, AND RED! This is just the parking light setting. Compare it to the tinted lens with the original bulb...

Here is the brake light comparison.

With the tinted lens installed, this is the difference on the parking light setting from LED to original.

Here is the brake light comparison between the LED on the left and the original on the right. It's about twice as bright in the daylight.

Here is both left side lights with the LED bulb versus the right side which is original incadescent bulb.

Another angle. Left is LED, right side is original.

Here is all four done with the brake lights on.

[Ted Y]

So, bottom line is, I'm happy that my old brake light visibility is my new parking light visibility. The new brake lights are twice as bright as the old lights. And, they come on much faster which could be seen as the brake pedal is pushed on and off. The impression in person is much greater even than seen in photos.

Thank you, Mike.

[Two Fangs]

That is quite a noticeable improvement!

Do you have any hyperflash (rapid blinking) when using the turn signals?

[Ted Y]

None so far, but I have a harness adapter to solve it if I do in the future.

[Desertdawg]

Sweet, sometimes the dark lenses look damn good but I've always been scared of the accident issue too.

Mike is da man when it comes to solving LED issues

[Eddie44]

I may have to try those. I had Classic Gold tint mine when I did the emblems and side markers. They purposely did them a shade lighter than the side markers for visibility reasons. Those would solve some of my concerns as well.

Did you get the bulbs from Mike?

[Big Poppa]

BP approves....

[Ted Y]

Yes, I contacted Mike and told him what I was looking for. He ordered them and I paid him. They got shipped to me in 2 days.

[Kahuna1]

Nice Upgrade

[Shifty]

I seriously need to do this....along with about 50 other things...

[FNBADAZ06]

Nice !!!! I've been thinking of LED's for my car as well.

[Sleezy E]

Those look good!

[Ted Y]

Yeah, I can't wait to show other cars my tail lights now!

[Grape Ape]

Very good upgrade. Glad to see the old lenses still being used. I like the blacked out look myself. I am going to be checking out a different look on mine and will need some red bulbs. This is the way I will go when the time comes. Thanks for posting.

[Dvl4evr]

Very nice upgrade! No pointing though...... You're Fired!

[MOTV8]

I seriously need to do this....along with about 50 other things...

X2

[PALADIN]

HEY TED, can you post a link to get a hold of mike so we can order these tail lights? Thanks For the info Ted!

PALADIN :fastdraw:

[Ted Y]

Here is Mike's profile. If you are looking at the desktop forum view (not the mobile browser view) you will see his email and website at the bottom.

http://www.arizonacorvetteenthusiasts.net/user/2160-vettesthetics/

[PALADIN]

Thanks Ted, PM sent.

[Ted Y]

Using the hazards in the garage, there was no hyper flash. I drove the car today and yes, there is hyper flash with turn signals... I will be installing the new harness tonight.

[az57chevy]

I don't want to rain on the parade and certainly encourage those who run with black out lenses to enhance their visibility, but in the event of a lawsuit I'm not sure any LED's will shed enough light.

Now most collisions and accidents even with a totaled out Corvette, the lawyers aren't going to get worked up.

But if substantial injuries occur, like a life changing disability, or death - now you're talking big $ and the feeding frenzy will begin.

Arizona is one of the few states that is a pure comparative negligence state. If you are considered even 1% at "fault" you'll pay 1% of the damages. 25% at fault means you pay 25% of the damages

Now the shark will state, "gee you modified the GM safety designed system. You even recognized there was a substantial risk by substituting these LED lights (which may or may not be DOT approved) and the lowered visibility of your brake light caused my plaintiff not to see that you were stopping." Throw in you being a "rich" Corvette owner who recklessly altered the factory's lighting for esthetic reasons and you can see how the jury (who couldn't figure out a way from getting stuck in the jury room) might be swayed.

Just sayin'

[Desertdawg]

a "rich" Corvette owner

I have factory tail lights, can I get "richer" if I use the parking brake to stop ???

(assuming they don't have a dash cam )

[Two Fangs]

I don't want to rain on the parade and certainly encourage those who run with black out lenses to enhance their visibility, but in the event of a lawsuit I'm not sure any LED's will shed enough light.

Now most collisions and accidents even with a totaled out Corvette, the lawyers aren't going to get worked up.

But if substantial injuries occur, like a life changing disability, or death - now you're talking big $ and the feeding frenzy will begin.

Arizona is one of the few states that is a pure comparative negligence state. If you are considered even 1% at "fault" you'll pay 1% of the damages. 25% at fault means you pay 25% of the damages

Now the shark will state, "gee you modified the GM safety designed system. You even recognized there was a substantial risk by substituting these LED lights (which may or may not be DOT approved) and the lowered visibility of your brake light caused my plaintiff not to see that you were stopping." Throw in you being a "rich" Corvette owner who recklessly altered the factory's lighting for esthetic reasons and you can see how the jury (who couldn't figure out a way from getting stuck in the jury room) might be swayed.

Just sayin'

I'd have to see case history before I would buy into this being a real concern.

Nice postulation, just not certain it holds water.

[old yeller]

I like the look, but with the tinted lenses, it makes the built in reflector black conflicting with ARS 28-926.