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Is there anything better than getting your hot rod out of the garage and going for a soul-soothing cruise on a sunny day? As far as I can tell, no, there is not. Even as relaxing as time behind the wheel can be, there is still a little stress involved each time you take out your hot rod.
Begin by Removing the taillight bezel, lenses, mounting strap, back-up light clip, and the old bulbs.
The main source of that stress doesn’t usually involve you personally, but rather, others on the road. The concern is that at any moment, someone who is not paying attention is going to smack into the back of your ride. Typically, the offender’s first comment is, “I didn’t see you.” Thankfully, Danchuk Manufacturing has something that can help Tri-Five Chevy’s get noticed for more than good looks.
Install the new LED lens assembly by pushing the connector into the bulb socket. Secure the lens Assy with the top screw. Next, install the backup LED lens assembly.
To help combat this dimly lit horrible situation, Danchuk has automotive light upgrade options to convert those dim, hard-to-see incandescent bulbs to a brighter, faster reacting, and more efficient Light Emitting Diodes (LED).
Once completed, the new LED taillights are much brighter, making your Tri-Five more visible at night. That makes it even safer.
LEDs are more durable than traditional incandescent bulbs, and they last much longer than regular bulbs. LEDs require less power to function than regular bulbs. Additionally, LEDs do not develop as much heat as traditional factory bulbs. Because of this, other parts made of plastic or electronics will last much longer as well.
In this Quick Tech article, we will highlight the upgrade of taillights and parking lights of Tri-Five Chevys using LED conversion cards and complete taillight assemblies. If we look hard at LED technology for classic cars, we find there are four different ways to convert your classic Chevy from traditional incandescent bulbs to much brighter LED lighting – without serious modifications to your car.
To change the front parking lights, first, remove the park light lens, the bulb from the socket, and the light housing. With the assembly removed, you'll need to remove the pigtail connector from the back of the housing. To do that, place housing over a vice that is opened wide enough for the insert to fall through. Next, place a 3/8-inch ratchet extension, fat-side down - onto the brass insert and tap it with a hammer. It will come right out.
First, let’s talk about basic LED light-bulb replacements. These are a simple and inexpensive plug-and-play “bulbs.” To use them, simply remove the old bulb and install the new LED bulb. Although this is a quick and easy way to upgrade, it is also the least effective solution to the problem. Why, you ask? The area in which the “bulb” can occupy is limited by the taillight assembly. That means the size and number of LEDs utilized are considerably less than a conversion card or solid-state taillight lens. This makes LED bulbs the least visible of your options. While an LED “bulb” is an economical solution, it is not as effective as the other options.
Feed the wires for the LED panel through the hole in the housing and place the panel into the housing. Next, place the gasket on top of the panel. Now you can re-install the lens on the housing.
LED conversion cards are a small circuit board that contains multiple LEDs. Also included are fasteners, hardware and instructions needed to install the card into the taillight bucket. These cards offer turn signal, taillight, and stop-light circuits in one part. These cards cover most of the surface area of the actual lens and are far more visible than just replacing the bulb.
The light assembly then goes back into place.
Solid State LED lenses have LEDs permanently sealed within the lens. There are no separate conversion cards to install. While some kits have plugs that merely get twisted into the original light socket for installation, some must have wires manually attached, which is a simple process. Simple wiring changes aside, these are a quick and easy upgrade that will deliver a huge increase in safety. In addition to LED taillights, parking light and interior LED options are also available for Tri-Five applications.
One thing we need to mention about LED lighting, is it has a very little current draw on the electrical system. Because of that fact, if you run LEDs on the front, rear, or both of your hot rod, the electrical system will require you replace the traditional thermal flasher with an electronic flasher to operate the turn signals.
There is some basic wiring that will need to be addressed, but the instructions are easy to understand and explain exactly what you need to do. You will also need to install an electronic flasher (Danchuk PN: 13677)
Whether you are driving your Tri-Five on a cross country trip or just a 50-mile Sunday drive, the safety of this Tri-Five light upgrade will pay for itself in just the peace of mind you’ll get while behind the wheel.
Speaking of Tri-Five lighting upgrades, Danchuk even offers an easy-to-install LED dome light. It simply replaces the factory bulb.
If you would like to see a more in-depth installation process, click here. When you’re ready to make your Tri-Five more visible to others on the road, check out all of the LED upgrades available at Danchuk Manufacturing.
