78 tail light harness in a 71 HELP!

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#11

08-09-2010, 07:23 PM

1971BB427

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Quote:

Originally Posted by oldstreetracer

Sorry for the miss communication but yes the whole harness is from a 78. Good idea about turning the back up lights into brake lights or turn signals. Will the lenses from the brake lights fit in the back up light pockets, they look to be about the same size. I have an electrical engineer that works for me coming up with a way of putting a couple of relays in the truck that may allow the stock configuration work. All the wiring drawings do not have specifics on the switches and how everything is wired to the different contacts, I would have to spend a ton of time with a volt tester to figure out how everything works.

Yes, the lenses are identical for either pocket. If you're going to LED's you don't even need to change the backup light lenses, as the red LED tailights will shine through and turn the lense red. When my lights are off mine are stock looking, as I still have the clear centers. I figured I'd try it before changing and once I saw how well it worked I left it alone and saved buying lenses.

#12

08-09-2010, 08:41 PM

oldstreetracer

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I totally could not tell that you were still using the clear lens, I had to do a double take on your pic and still could not tell, thanks for the info makes my life a little easier. Were did you buy the LED's and do they have them in both 1157 1116?

#13

08-09-2010, 10:57 PM

1971BB427

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Yes they have them in both. I bought mine from Vintage Impressions, aa company my friend owns. He sells these for alomost anything, but unfortunately they don't make them for a '71, so I used 58 Chevy truck LED tailights. They come with a round red lense that fits perfectly inside the Camaro lense, and have a pigtail with a standard lamp base on the end so they can plug into the factory socket.
I simply removed the backup socket, wired in another socket from NAPA and installed it in the backup side of the lense.
I used this style, but got them for less than half that price.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1958-...ts_Accessories

#14

08-11-2010, 09:57 PM

oldstreetracer

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$37.75 each seems pretty expensive, is there any way to get them any cheaper? Do they have just the single element (I think that is 1116), I did not see them on the web site. Thanks for the info!