LED Headlights, Signals & Tail lights - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

The1960APE · 07-06-2016, 09:28 AM

Hi all,

Happy late 4th of July!
We are getting ready to start wiring my 1961 Apache project and the question of lights has come up. I would like to run LED lighting for everything. I have spent some time reading and searching the forum but I cannot find a straight forward answer, LMC's catalog can sometimes be vague and I am sure there is a better resource.
Does anyone know of a vendor I can go to and get all the exterior LED lighting and everything needed to get them working properly?

Thanks

63burban · 07-06-2016, 11:25 AM

United Pacific sells the best lighting

R_W · 07-06-2016, 12:39 PM

LED turn signals draw less current than incandescent bulbs, so the stock turn signal flasher will not work. Your truck would have come with a thermal flasher. If you upgrade to one of the wiring kits, it is possible it will also have a turn signal flasher that will not work.

There are a couple of ways to fix this. You can wire in load resistors, that will draw more current. You will need one for each lamp, and they should be wired in parallel. It's not a very elegant solution, as all it does is burn the extra current off as heat.

You can find an LED compatible flasher that fits the wiring harness you have.

Sometimes lighting kits may come with the right flasher.

The1960APE · 07-06-2016, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R_W

LED turn signals draw less current than incandescent bulbs, so the stock turn signal flasher will not work. Your truck would have come with a thermal flasher. If you upgrade to one of the wiring kits, it is possible it will also have a turn signal flasher that will not work.

There are a couple of ways to fix this. You can wire in load resistors, that will draw more current. You will need one for each lamp, and they should be wired in parallel. It's not a very elegant solution, as all it does is burn the extra current off as heat.

You can find an LED compatible flasher that fits the wiring harness you have.

Sometimes lighting kits may come with the right flasher.

great advice and thanks for the heads up, my harness is an EZ-WIRING harness, after reading this I gave them a call and they said just a standard parts house 2 prong LED flasher will work fine, no other mods needed.
Now to find a vendor for all the lights and correct plugs....

63burban · 07-06-2016, 02:02 PM

I have LED park lights and tail lights, also the led flasher as well. PM me as I am a United Pacific dealer

R_W · 07-06-2016, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The1960APE

great advice and thanks for the heads up, my harness is an EZ-WIRING harness, after reading this I gave them a call and they said just a standard parts house 2 prong LED flasher will work fine, no other mods needed.
Now to find a vendor for all the lights and correct plugs....

Yes - that sounds like it will do what you need.

The1960APE · 08-02-2016, 02:00 PM

I am still coming up empty on LED lights for the truck....does anyone have any suggestions?

**Clyde65** · 08-02-2016, 02:30 PM

Do you have dual 5.5inch headlights?

wutnxt · 08-02-2016, 09:05 PM

I am a dealer for united pacific they are the best in my opinion .....They back there stuff and they offer on most of the stuff they have a 3 yr warenty which is mostly unheard of.....the big bad projection lights are 7" so they wont fit i run those in all of my own trucks cause they are cool . the light with the led bar should fit into your application....but just a heads up alot of the time you do headlight upgrades you have to modify your buckets ...there is a few sneak ways of doing that . When you change to LED marks/turn signals you have to run a different flasher and with the flashers we use we also have to do a modification to the flasher wiring too . Basically depending on what flasher you run ....we de pin ours reverse the wires and add a extra ground . Don't be scared it's all easy ....I dig the LED and projection headlight look and i run them in my 65 and the signals / markers are way brighter very clean ......it's not for everyone but i dig it

wutnxt · 08-02-2016, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The1960APE

I am still coming up empty on LED lights for the truck....does anyone have any suggestions?

I just did a 60 for a customer .....like someone said United pacific product is the way to go in my opinion is the way to go

The1960APE · 08-03-2016, 01:57 PM

I called United Pacific today....WOW, I would have had better luck calling Burger King looking for headlights.....The lady specifically told me "We don't have any lights for Chevy Brand" I said yes you do, I have seen them and spoke with people that have them, she then put me on hold, came back 5 minutes later with a part number for fleet side tail lights, I told her mine is a step side, she said "these are the only part we offer for a 1961" I again told her that multiple people have showed me the headlights and turn signals, she said "not from us, we don't make them"

lyrikz · 08-03-2016, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The1960APE

great advice and thanks for the heads up, my harness is an EZ-WIRING harness, after reading this I gave them a call and they said just a standard parts house 2 prong LED flasher will work fine, no other mods needed.
Now to find a vendor for all the lights and correct plugs....

retro-solutions.com

Best place. Warranty is amazing. Friendly. Answer all questions. I have used them on everything.

The1960APE · 08-03-2016, 03:09 PM

After banging my head on the wall for several days, I think (think being the key word) .... I have this figured out! I did confirm what I was trying to do with United Pacific (after 3 calls)
I found a sealed beam conversion 5-3/4 housing ....no goofy looking import stuff, just a clean looking housing that will accept the LED bulbs and includes wiring etc, best of all it was half the cost of the LED conversion and includes all the same parts!

wutnxt · 08-03-2016, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The1960APE

After banging my head on the wall for several days, I think (think being the key word) .... I have this figured out! I did confirm what I was trying to do with United Pacific (after 3 calls)
I found a sealed beam conversion 5-3/4 housing ....no goofy looking import stuff, just a clean looking housing that will accept the LED bulbs and includes wiring etc, best of all it was half the cost of the LED conversion and includes all the same parts!

===============================================
Show us what your looking at.....always intrested in seeing something differnt

lyrikz · 08-03-2016, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The1960APE

After banging my head on the wall for several days, I think (think being the key word) .... I have this figured out! I did confirm what I was trying to do with United Pacific (after 3 calls)
I found a sealed beam conversion 5-3/4 housing ....no goofy looking import stuff, just a clean looking housing that will accept the LED bulbs and includes wiring etc, best of all it was half the cost of the LED conversion and includes all the same parts!

Can you link us to what you found man??

63burban · 08-03-2016, 04:25 PM

You need to talk to a United Pacific dealer, not Direct. United Pacific is mainly a large truck accessory warehouse that sells only to dealers. They have a Hot Rod division that would have what you are looking for. Look at their catalog online and find what you are looking for and call a dealer for pricing.
http://www.uapac.com/antique/

07-06-2016, 09:28 AM	#1
The1960APE Registered User Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Asheville NC Posts: 494	LED Headlights, Signals & Tail lights Hi all, Happy late 4th of July! We are getting ready to start wiring my 1961 Apache project and the question of lights has come up. I would like to run LED lighting for everything. I have spent some time reading and searching the forum but I cannot find a straight forward answer, LMC's catalog can sometimes be vague and I am sure there is a better resource. Does anyone know of a vendor I can go to and get all the exterior LED lighting and everything needed to get them working properly? Thanks

07-06-2016, 11:25 AM	#2
63burban Chevy addict Join Date: May 2012 Location: Iron Ridge, WI Posts: 1,085	Re: LED Headlights, Signals & Tail lights United Pacific sells the best lighting

07-06-2016, 12:39 PM	#3
R_W Registered User Join Date: May 2005 Location: Hendersonville, TN Posts: 134	Re: LED Headlights, Signals & Tail lights LED turn signals draw less current than incandescent bulbs, so the stock turn signal flasher will not work. Your truck would have come with a thermal flasher. If you upgrade to one of the wiring kits, it is possible it will also have a turn signal flasher that will not work. There are a couple of ways to fix this. You can wire in load resistors, that will draw more current. You will need one for each lamp, and they should be wired in parallel. It's not a very elegant solution, as all it does is burn the extra current off as heat. You can find an LED compatible flasher that fits the wiring harness you have. Sometimes lighting kits may come with the right flasher. __________________ ______________________ "Daddy, that truck's not red" Build Thread: TN 20 Build

07-06-2016, 02:02 PM	#5
63burban Chevy addict Join Date: May 2012 Location: Iron Ridge, WI Posts: 1,085	Re: LED Headlights, Signals & Tail lights I have LED park lights and tail lights, also the led flasher as well. PM me as I am a United Pacific dealer

08-02-2016, 02:00 PM	#7
The1960APE Registered User Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Asheville NC Posts: 494	Re: LED Headlights, Signals & Tail lights I am still coming up empty on LED lights for the truck....does anyone have any suggestions?

08-02-2016, 02:30 PM	#8
Clyde65 1965 Chevy C10, 2005 4.8L/4l60 Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: DFW Texas Posts: 8,540	Re: LED Headlights, Signals & Tail lights Do you have dual 5.5inch headlights? __________________ Clyde65 Rebuild of Clyde http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...84#post8338184 69 Aristocrat Lo Liner build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...84#post7561684 *support our troops!*

08-02-2016, 09:05 PM	#9
wutnxt Registered User Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: vancouver b.c....is the biggest place most people would know but I am actually out in the valley 45 mins away Posts: 2,050	Re: LED Headlights, Signals & Tail lights I am a dealer for united pacific they are the best in my opinion .....They back there stuff and they offer on most of the stuff they have a 3 yr warenty which is mostly unheard of.....the big bad projection lights are 7" so they wont fit i run those in all of my own trucks cause they are cool . the light with the led bar should fit into your application....but just a heads up alot of the time you do headlight upgrades you have to modify your buckets ...there is a few sneak ways of doing that . When you change to LED marks/turn signals you have to run a different flasher and with the flashers we use we also have to do a modification to the flasher wiring too . Basically depending on what flasher you run ....we de pin ours reverse the wires and add a extra ground . Don't be scared it's all easy ....I dig the LED and projection headlight look and i run them in my 65 and the signals / markers are way brighter very clean ......it's not for everyone but i dig it Attached Images __________________ 1966 Pro street build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...?t=448089[ 1958 LS 2 build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=527123 1966 SBFS low and go http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s....php?p=5799909 1966 SBFS street HULK http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=1#post5886625 Poject Low and go gets a 6.2 ltr LSA supercharged with 6 speed automatic Aluinum Radiator Dealer pm for details

08-03-2016, 01:57 PM	#11
The1960APE Registered User Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Asheville NC Posts: 494	Re: LED Headlights, Signals & Tail lights I called United Pacific today....WOW, I would have had better luck calling Burger King looking for headlights.....The lady specifically told me "We don't have any lights for Chevy Brand" I said yes you do, I have seen them and spoke with people that have them, she then put me on hold, came back 5 minutes later with a part number for fleet side tail lights, I told her mine is a step side, she said "these are the only part we offer for a 1961" I again told her that multiple people have showed me the headlights and turn signals, she said "not from us, we don't make them"

08-03-2016, 03:09 PM	#13
The1960APE Registered User Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Asheville NC Posts: 494	Re: LED Headlights, Signals & Tail lights After banging my head on the wall for several days, I think (think being the key word) .... I have this figured out! I did confirm what I was trying to do with United Pacific (after 3 calls) I found a sealed beam conversion 5-3/4 housing ....no goofy looking import stuff, just a clean looking housing that will accept the LED bulbs and includes wiring etc, best of all it was half the cost of the LED conversion and includes all the same parts! Last edited by The1960APE; 08-03-2016 at 03:15 PM.

08-03-2016, 04:25 PM	#16
63burban Chevy addict Join Date: May 2012 Location: Iron Ridge, WI Posts: 1,085	Re: LED Headlights, Signals & Tail lights You need to talk to a United Pacific dealer, not Direct. United Pacific is mainly a large truck accessory warehouse that sells only to dealers. They have a Hot Rod division that would have what you are looking for. Look at their catalog online and find what you are looking for and call a dealer for pricing. http://www.uapac.com/antique/



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