Turn signals

[cmm]

Recently purchased a 1938 buick business coupe and want to add signal lights. Has anyone converted the fender bullet  lights to a 2 filament  bulb. What bulb bases will fit? I also want to use led's for the added brightness. 

[1939_Buick]

1 hour ago, cmm said:

Recently purchased a 1938 buick business coupe and want to add signal lights. Has anyone converted the fender bullet  lights to a 2 filament  bulb. What bulb bases will fit? I also want to use led's for the added brightness. 

Better to ask here --->https://forums.aaca.org/forum/60-buick-pre-war-technical/

Has been done before. And is a thread on LED's

 

 

[PeteO]

In my '37 that has the identical fender lights I installed high intensity amber LED's with a series resistor of a few hundred ohms and a parallel resistor of about 20 ohms. Quick and easy without a struggle to change the bulb socket.

[Jim Nelson]

There are several methods to getting LED turn signals.    First, if you are doing a 6 volt system,  here is a source for 12 volts.   FIrst, getting a 6 volt to 12 volt converter .    Amazon has one that gives you about 3 amps.    There are some which put out 10+ amps. so you can power some accessories with 12 volts.   The converter can be placed under the front seat or under the dash.    This becomes your 12 volt source.   Then you add dual filament bulb sockets.   The first socket is your parking light socket bulb..  The second is a new wire that runs the LED turn signal.   You are going to run a new wire to run the turn signal.   This new wire is a 20g wire that goes to the turn signal control.   You can replace the dual filament socket with a dual LED bulb.    The rear socket is already a dual socket as it is a running / brake bulb.   Just swap to a LED bulb.    Using a LED flasher eliminates the resistors.    The resistors were necessary to provide a 'load' for the flasher to function in the old system.    Since you are replacing the original flasher with a new LED flasher,  that solves that issue.   Make sure the light in the control unit is a LED light bulb so you can see if your system is "flashing".    This way you can use a 12 volt system and power it with a converter.   All require some new wiring but its easy to get to.    If you want,  get a colored wire (your choice) to be able to trace it in the future.      

[MCHinson]

Both my 1937 and 1938 Centurys have been converted to turn signals using two filament bulbs in the parking light assemblies. The following link should take you to the correct post that covers the parking light/turn signal conversion on page 18 of my 1938 restoration story. (click on the diagonal arrow at the top right corner of the link)

 

 

[rodneybeauchamp]

On my ‘38, found a later style double contact globe holder for park and turn signal lamp was a snug fit inside the round lenses. The socket was plastic possibly GM type but not 100% on that. Mid to late ‘60s onward if it was or could have been a current NARVA globe holder. 🤔🤔🤔🤔

 

 Had to add a ground wire to the holder and power wires to each contact. It was almost plug and play with very little modification bar removing the original bulb socket and holder. Ran all the wires up though a black weather proof cloth tube from the inner fender junction, all looks original.

 

And obviously robust enough with my experiments with 6V LEDs for a time until eventually giving up and going back to 6volt incandescent dual filament globes.

 

Also wired the lights so that the park lights stay on with the headlights for clearance and some night time bling!

 

Very pleased with the results!

 

Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀