LED taillights for MGB European style
After having bought last year a set of led taillight boards in the USA specification (red light top position, amber light lower position) which I mounted in my 1978 MGB (US) I contacted the manifactorer/supplier with request to build me a set in the European (UK) specification, as what we know as amber top position and red in the lower position.
Steve supplied me a set which I mounted yesterday in my 1981 MGB-LE (UK). I made a movie - uploaded on YouTube - with only the right side of the car with the new LED lights, the left still with the old tungsten (?) bulbs.
This shows the difference in the lights, please note the delay in lightning-up between the old style lamps compared with LED set.
The leds are a big improvement,and unless my eyes are playing up,the led brakelight seems to come on quicker than the original.:p
I think the answer to the question is defiitely:@
They look awesome, and definately alot safer on the road due to their brightness and on/off speed. Where can I get these from and how much are they?:)
As above I'm very impressed by inreased brightness and faster response times for brake and indicator/hazard lights. With refernce to the video I'm pleased to see that I'm not the only one to have an LE Roadster out in the cold weather. Are these LED conversions available to us in UK? RossB:(
The supplier I mentioned in the video is classicautoleds com in Albany, USA.
Originally Steve (it is a one man band organization) who designed and produced he lights only in the US style which is red function top, amber function lower position.
I ordered a set from him last year for my 1978 US MGB, these US stylelight are really serious. As indicated above the original US style lights have red (taillight 5W + stoplight 21w) in a dual bulb in the top position and a orange function (21w) in the lower part for turning and hazard.
However Steve designed his light in a more serious way:
the taillight function in red (originally only top) goes for top + in red led lights in the lower amber part, as one big light.
Same for brake light both parts top + lower in brighter (21w ?) as one big light, only turning signal in orange leds through the lower amber lens part, like original.
It is unbelieveable bright, like an Audi A4 wih those leds in front off you, I am sure you know what I mean.
Also the red led lights burn so bright through the amber colored lenspart that the human eye sees red, not amber.
It is not possible to capture that with a cheap/simple camera.
Well that is part one, since I do own since september this year a UK LE, which is my first real RHD MGB I contacted Steve with request to build me a set in the UK style (amber top/red lower) but NO red functions through the amber part.
For as Steve has already the boards he ony had to change the LED's position it a bit.
So as a matter of facts there is only a set in UK specification specially built on my request which is in my UK MGBLE shown in the video.
Steve confirmed me also that so far there is only one US spec. lights in Europe, yep those are in my 1978 MGB.
There are NO importers in Europe till date.
So, in case you are interested you can order them from Steve direct, price for US set is a USD 205 in the website, that is ex works US.
In case send to UK those costs and import duties & import taxes would be on top of that.
I have no knowledge with the road regulations/law requirements in the UK whether it is allowed or not.
I did not go to "MOT" here in Holland, in case they will have a problem I willput another set of light in for the test.
@ RossB: the car was only 3 meter out of my garage and back in direct after the video was shot.
This is Ikea cruiser wheather only to my standards.
Please for those who were so kind to watch my boring - first ever uploaded - movie on You Tube, I mentioned the supplier as well as this website in the full tekst.
Out of curiosity has anyone tried this type of LED bulb (obviously a direct replacement) before and if so would you recommend going for white or orange/red? If not I will pronbably order a few up and see how they compare
I would have thought that the clear ones were the way to go,since they won't interfere with the colour of the lenses,but it's worth trying both to see what happens.
On the question of legality,FBHVC says
" Regulations normally require that replacement vehicle parts be type approved (e-marked) ,but this does not apply to those vehicles that were in use before the relevant European regulations were in existance.
For vehicles first used prior to 1972,no lamps need to be e-marked.For vehicles made between 1972 and 1974,the front lamps have to be e-marked,while for those made between 1974 and 1986,the indicators do not have to be e-marked,but most other lamps do.
Where lamps are not required to be e-marked,the normal requirement in respect of power is simply that the lights should be visible from a reasonable distance and angle.[In] the case of stop lamps, a power range of 15-36 watts is specified,so replacing a 21-watt stop lamp bulb with a 2.5-watt LED bulb would (theroretically)be illegal even though the light emitted may be clearer."
So there it is,LED's are probably illegal for our cars :o:o,But FBHVC are doubtful as to how realistic it is to police fitting LED's.:D:D:D:D:D
Remember,the MOT man isn't supposed to take the car to bits and that is the only way to check the bulbs.
Thanks for the info.-the same obviously goes for Rob's aswell. I think I'll do an experiment with a set, as Rob did, and put a vid on you tube. The good thing about these bulbs is that they are cheap and easily replaced with the standard unit when the MOT comes around etc. ;);)
More anorak research.:o
Article in Classics Monthly August 2010 concludes that "Although not strictly road legal,LED bulbs are no doubt superior to filament bulbs in many ways.On classics with small marginal rear lamps ,this easy upgrade has clear safety benefits -LEDs react more quickly than filament bulbs ,making them useful for brake lights.
Several MOT testers we've spoken to have never failed a classic for having them fitted,and were unable to quote rules in the VOSA guidelines for doing so":D:D
The article says they're available from Europa Spares (01283 815609) at £9.38 each,so if you can get them better,this might be a case for a Group Buy.:@