Cuda LED turn signal + tail lights + signal flasher

[mrob]

Hi,

In an earlier post labelled "Cuda LED tail lights" I described which LED bulbs I used to replace the old 1157 tail lights in my 73 Cuda. This post will describe the rest of the LED swap.

For the front turn signal bulbs, I used the Sylvania Zevo 1157A's. They're very similar to the 1157 Zevo tail light LEDs, except they use amber LEDs to mimic the amber 1157 incandescent bulbs. The Zevo 1157A's put out a decent amount of light, so no worries about dim turn signal flashers.

I had a hard time finding the CEC NP flasher, so I went with the United Pacific 90652 LED flasher. This flasher comes with a polarity reverser so that you don't need to swap the polarity of the wires like you do for many other LED flashers. At first I tried installing the flasher without swapping the polarity and the turn signals didn't work. With the UP 90652, I simply snapped the polarity reverser to the bottom of the flasher and then everything worked. Easy peasy! Plus, the UP 90652 makes a clicking sound when the turn signals flash, just like the OEM flasher does. I also did not notice any additional flashes after the turn signal was cancelled. I've heard that's a problem with some flashers, but not with this one. All in all, I recommend this flasher for an LED conversion.

Almost forgot - the UP 90652 comes with a short ground wire. I simply attached it to a sheet metal screw through one of the holes in the bottom of the metal dash frame.

So here are the part numbers for all of the LED's and flasher:

1) Rear tail lights: Sylvania Zevo 1157
2) Backup lights: Sylvania Zevo 1156
3) Front turn signal lights: Sylvania Zevo 1157A
4) Turn signal flasher: United Pacific 90652

I'll probably end up trying another UP 90652 for the emergency flashers, but for now these are the basic parts you need for the conversion.

[70chall440]

Great information and thank you for sharing it. If you get a chance post some pictures of the components and installation.

[mrob]

Glad you like it 70Chall. Hope it helps others as well.

But I need to make a few corrections to the list. I looked at the packages and realized that I posted some incorrect P/N's. Here is the corrected list:

1) Rear tail lights: Sylvania Zevo 1157R             (red LEDs, look better than the white LEDs through the red lenses)
2) Backup lights: Sylvania 1156 LED                  (6000K color temperature, produces a bright white color)
3) Front turn signal lights: Sylvania Zevo 1157A
4) Turn signal flasher: United Pacific 90652

Everything else is correct. I'll post some pics like you mentioned. Have to use my old digital camera, because my cell phone even at it's lowest resolution produces pics larger than the size limit permitted on this site.

[70chall440]

Thanks again for the information, it will prove useful to many members.

As to the pictures, I know a lot of people complain about posting pictures here but I personally haven't had a lot of issues. I use my Iphone all the time, what I do take the pictures with my phone, then I email the pictures to a gmail account, when doing that it will ask you what size and I always choose medium and that will be small enough to post here. I save them to my comp as well so I keep a copy.

[mrob]

70chall440 asked for some pics, so I'm happy to oblige. In all honesty, this is a plug and play mod. The LEDs that I used were direct replacements for the old 1157 bulbs. No wiring or mounting changes, these LEDs simply installed like an OEM bulb. (See attached pic).


I'll admit, these LEDs are odd looking (see attached pic), but they work.


By using the polarity reverser, you don't need to make any wiring changes for the signal flasher. In the pic below, you'll see the black disk at the bottom of the flasher, that's the polarity reverser. You just press it into place over the spade terminals of the flasher. The ground wire needs to be attached to a metal ground, so I just used a screw on the bottom of the dash frame. (See attached pic).


That's really all you need to do. It's a really easy mod. The components cost more than the OEM replacement parts, but I think the benefits outweigh the extra cost.

Hope this helps.

[70chall440]

Awesome write up and pictures, I have no doubt it will be very helpful to members and visitors to the site.