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CiderGuy
Samba Member
Joined: December 23, 2013
Posts: 1351
Location: Bucks County, Pa
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 Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2015 4:30 am Post subject: |
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| e&m_ghia wrote: |
| akear wrote: |
| Thanks for the replies. |
And then, what it looks like in real life:
(Again, excuse phone pic... We also later found out that tail-lights & brake-lights were reversed in harness wires, but you get the idea...) |
I also plan on adding the third light, but his picture troubled me. The actual brake lights look dim. I been looking at installing these in my cars. This style of LED brake lights are much brighter, get 30,000 hours and fit into the fixture that is already there without any modification.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ProFocos-White-1X-1157-6W-...mp;vxp=mtr
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Cars Currently Owned:
1970 Karmann Ghia Coupe
1973 Karmann Ghia Coupe - Project car for sale
1970 Karmann Ghia Convertible (Body off restoration)
Timing is everything |
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akear
Samba Member
Joined: August 18, 2013
Posts: 359
Location: Los Angeles
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| Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2015 5:39 am Post subject: |
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| I tried LED bulbs and was disappointed. You can also use 2357 bulbs instead of 1157; the 2357 is the same bulb but with a much brighter brake element. Get the long life version. Some also say to paint the inside of the lamp housing flat or semigloss white to make even brighter but I have not done that. |
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NOVA Airhead
Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2005
Posts: 5221
Location: Richmond, VA
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| Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2015 6:54 am Post subject: |
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| e&m_ghia wrote: |
| akear wrote: |
| Thanks for the replies. Not sure I completely follow the E&M method but first will try the 3M adhesive square method once more (after making sure all is very clean.) |
Doing the spring clean-up, thought illustrating the method would be useful to others - this basically makes the 3rd brake light a "separable" task without too many contingencies on clean surfaces, etc. We attached the lights to some vinyl weatherstripping, and then attached that to the upper screw positions in the rain tray. Basic idea:
Looks like this from back (lights off):
(Please excuse poor phone pic colors)
And then, what it looks like in real life:
(Again, excuse phone pic... We also later found out that tail-lights & brake-lights were reversed in harness wires, but you get the idea...) |
Looks good! That stretch of roadway looks like Baron Cameron Parkway near Lake Anne Center in Reston, VA.
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CiderGuy
Samba Member
Joined: December 23, 2013
Posts: 1351
Location: Bucks County, Pa
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| Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2015 7:16 am Post subject: |
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| akear wrote: |
| I tried LED bulbs and was disappointed. You can also use 2357 bulbs instead of 1157; the 2357 is the same bulb but with a much brighter brake element. Get the long life version. Some also say to paint the inside of the lamp housing flat or semigloss white to make even brighter but I have not done that. |
I'm not sure why that would be the case. Modern cars like Volvo which use the bulb I linked too, have super bright tail lights.
_________________
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Cars Currently Owned:
1970 Karmann Ghia Coupe
1973 Karmann Ghia Coupe - Project car for sale
1970 Karmann Ghia Convertible (Body off restoration)
Timing is everything |
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akear
Samba Member
Joined: August 18, 2013
Posts: 359
Location: Los Angeles
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| Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2015 8:23 am Post subject: |
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| ^^ I'm sure it depends on the particular LED bulb you are using. I tried 36 LED from superbritelights and found the LED to be a little brighter but less full in running light mode, but much dimmer than the std 1157 in brake light mode, which is where you want the lamp to be brighter. The 2357 on the other hand is way brighter as a brake light. |
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c21darrel
Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2009
Posts: 8211
Location: San Dimas
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e&m_ghia
Samba Member
Joined: April 04, 2011
Posts: 418
Location: NoVA
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| Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2015 1:13 pm Post subject: |
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To clarify...
The third brake light is very bright. It is the same or greater intensity (because of the overlap) as the surrounding newer vehicles. As we tried to say in the original post, the KG tail light brightness is dim, because at the time, the running lights and the brake light connections were wired wrong and were reversed. No one working on her in the past had caught the mistake. (She had passed inspection last year but this problem was brought to our attention when they failed her earlier this year.) We have since rewired the tail lights properly and have appropriately "brighter" brake lights and passed inspection again. It had always troubled us to have such dim brake lights, so the third brake light was a priority. Now, we know why those tail lights were so dim. I still feel that the third brake light is the one that people notice most though.
My concern now is that at night the running lights will be dim, and I will not be seen as easily as when they were wired for the brake light filament intensity. We tend to not drive her much at night, but it will always be on my mind whenever we do get caught on the road after dark.
In the past, we, too, tried LED replacement bulbs, but they didn't work for us.
NOVA Airhead
| Quote: |
| That stretch of roadway looks like Baron Cameron Parkway near Lake Anne Center in Reston, VA. |
Yes, it is that intersection last Fall before all the salt. You know NOVA roadways well to pick that out. |
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NOVA Airhead
Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2005
Posts: 5221
Location: Richmond, VA
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| Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 2:07 pm Post subject: |
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| e&m_ghia wrote: |
To clarify...
The third brake light is very bright. It is the same or greater intensity (because of the overlap) as the surrounding newer vehicles. As we tried to say in the original post, the KG tail light brightness is dim, because at the time, the running lights and the brake light connections were wired wrong and were reversed. No one working on her in the past had caught the mistake. (She had passed inspection last year but this problem was brought to our attention when they failed her earlier this year.) We have since rewired the tail lights properly and have appropriately "brighter" brake lights and passed inspection again. It had always troubled us to have such dim brake lights, so the third brake light was a priority. Now, we know why those tail lights were so dim. I still feel that the third brake light is the one that people notice most though.
My concern now is that at night the running lights will be dim, and I will not be seen as easily as when they were wired for the brake light filament intensity. We tend to not drive her much at night, but it will always be on my mind whenever we do get caught on the road after dark.
In the past, we, too, tried LED replacement bulbs, but they didn't work for us.
NOVA Airhead
| Quote: |
| That stretch of roadway looks like Baron Cameron Parkway near Lake Anne Center in Reston, VA. |
Yes, it is that intersection last Fall before all the salt. You know NOVA roadways well to pick that out. |
I used to live in Reston a few miles from there. I guess I traveled that stretch far too many times - LOL!
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akear
Samba Member
Joined: August 18, 2013
Posts: 359
Location: Los Angeles
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| Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2015 7:04 pm Post subject: |
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Thought I'd post some photos of 3d led brake light and 2357 bulbs with direct evening sun on car, since these are the conditions we need to stand out in. First photo no lights on...
Running lights...
Brake...
The 2357 bulbs are very bright and very red, which doesn't come through in this photo. As for melting the lens, mine are staying relatively cool. Cant speak for the earlier lens, but with the '70/'71 lens there is at least a 1-inch space between bulb and lens to dissipate heat. |
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DanUK
Samba Member
Joined: June 02, 2015
Posts: 10
Location: UK
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Karly
Samba Member
Joined: August 01, 2002
Posts: 641
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 3:51 am Post subject: |
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I found this stop light -
I haven't sized it up with the ghia - I'm hoping it'll fit nicely on the parcel shelf in the back but we'll see... it's pretty cool anyway. This thread has some great ideas if it doesn't work out.
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1960 Beetle ''Heidi" daily driver
1964 Karmann Ghia project |
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DanUK
Samba Member
Joined: June 02, 2015
Posts: 10
Location: UK
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| Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 4:16 am Post subject: |
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| That stop light is great! |
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KGCoupe
Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2005
Posts: 3580
Location: Putting the "ill" and "annoy" in Illinois
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| Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 5:45 am Post subject: |
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| Karly wrote: |
I found this stop light -
I haven't sized it up with the ghia - I'm hoping it'll fit nicely on the parcel shelf in the back but we'll see... it's pretty cool anyway. This thread has some great ideas if it doesn't work out. |
Very cool!
It almost has a similar profile to the Karmann Ghia side emblem:
It would be cool if you could find some printable material that is transparent when lighted from behind and use it to make a copy of the Karmann Ghia side emblen to fit over the lens of your new stop light.
That way it would look like a large Ghia badge, and the "STOP" would shine through when you touched the brake pedal. |
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kingkarmann
Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2003
Posts: 4111
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| Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2015 10:57 am Post subject: |
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Nice install ideas. 
I decided to try a different route especially since our Ghia's are a bit low I wanted to get a third light into a drivers field of view. I found a billet light from Watson Streetworks
http://www.watsons-streetworks.com/exterior-lighti...rn-signals
I mounted it in the top of the back window with a plug and Velcro. I can remove at a show but I have rarely done so.
The LED's are super bright!
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"Depression is a malfunction of the instrument we use to determine reality.”
Mike Gerson
What is your "Bespoke Reality"? |
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c21darrel
Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2009
Posts: 8211
Location: San Dimas
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kingkarmann
Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2003
Posts: 4111
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| Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2015 1:12 pm Post subject: |
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| c21darrel wrote: |
I have their catalog, those are nice lights!
King, are your qtr window latches upside down? |
One is😉
Long story that brings back painful memories.
Good eye man!!!!
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"Depression is a malfunction of the instrument we use to determine reality.”
Mike Gerson
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c21darrel
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Joined: January 22, 2009
Posts: 8211
Location: San Dimas
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bhartwell59
Samba Member
Joined: December 28, 2014
Posts: 791
Location: dallas, tx
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| Posted: Fri Jun 05, 2015 5:43 am Post subject: |
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for us vert owners this seems to be the only and best location.
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'74 Zambezi green Ghia vert, autostick, 101k
'87 Jeep Wrangler, 4.2, 330k |
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asbug
Samba Member
Joined: January 01, 2008
Posts: 287
Location: N.W. Ga.
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| Posted: Fri Jun 05, 2015 11:06 am Post subject: |
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How are all you early Ghia owners getting these into the solid steel rain trays?
I cannot figure out how to get them into my '69 Vert.
Thanks.
Pic is my ghia and is for attention - I'm needy that way, lol.
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1969 Ghia Vert - Jenny.
2004 B5.5 Passat Wagon - no name yet.
2012 Routan - Urban Assault Vehicle. |
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Northof49
Samba Member
Joined: July 22, 2013
Posts: 1759
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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| Posted: Fri Jun 05, 2015 11:15 am Post subject: |
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I tried the double sided tape that came with a led strip in my engine compartment. It got too hot, the tap fell off, and the led strip got slightly abraded by my fan.
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1958 Karmann Ghia owner |
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