Cheap & Easy way to improve cabin lighting

Over the Bertone era, but since the Bertone was never sold in Canada, I didn't see the change happening. It's became mandatory in 1986. So I guess, it's just 1986-88 for the x19.
 
So you're thinking the addition of the 3rd brake light created the change in interior light location? If so that would be in '86?
 
Yes 1986 is the start of the CHMSL era.

Sadly it isn’t the start of the change to the interior lights. My ‘85 has no CHMSL but has door lights.
 
DanielForest said:
Or maybe just when we had to deal with the third-high-mounted-brake-lights...👮‍♂️
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I seem to recall that 1986 was the year they became mandatory. We had a program with Ford to design and supply the LED module that went inside their CHMSLs (Center High Mount Stop Light). I was unaware they did away with the Targa mounted dome light. Actually, it has only become useful to me since I replaced the original bulb with the above listed LED festoon. It went from like being inside a cave with one match to almost like having the top off on a sunny day.
 
One problem for me with the door-mounted interior lights on the later Bertones is that they're right where my elbow seems to go when I'm driving, and I've cracked two of the damned lenses on the driver's side that way......
 
I was thinking of fitting a mini spotlight like you find overhead in your airliners ,you know the ones you usually find broken or the bulb has blown, did manage to find a autofactor which sold what I was looking for two adjustable lights on a plate about the same size as the original but then found out that the over head wiring was no longer accessible.
 
DSpieg said:
One problem for me with the door-mounted interior lights on the later Bertones is that they're right where my elbow seems to go when I'm driving, and I've cracked two of the damned lenses on the driver's side that way......
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Pointy elbows on that man...

Given the number of those lenses I have seen cracked, I suspect this is often how they meet their demise.
 
LarryC said:
Don, thanks for posting this. For those of us who drive our Xs at night this would really help. I just wish some of these LED option could be bought locally. I hate orders from Amazon et al. Now I wish someone would give us a one-stop list of LED bulbs for the rest of the car. The threads on this forum so far have been a bit complicated regarding LEDs and questions always remain about which option to use.
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I completed an exterior LED update and the entire kit I made was a plug & play. If you need a list I can provide the order here. I posted it to another LED thread sometime last year I believe.
 
something about the ad seems misleading. From what I can tell, the 6418 bulb is a 36mm bulb. From SuperbrightLEDs the 39mm is a 3910 bulb.
I was making an amazon order of other things so was trying to look for the equivilent LED upgrade for this and the 6418 keeps coming up with 36mm bulbs.
 
dllubin said:
Ever since my car was new, the overhead courtesy light was ineffective and barely noticeable unless it was dark out. The fact that everything in the car except the carpet is black does not help.

The factory bulb is a 5 watt 39mm festoon type. I replaced it with a high power (380 lumens - roughly equivalent to a 30 watt incandescent) LED festoon and it is rather amazing how bright it is inside the car. The new bulb directs all the light in the direction of the cabin whereas the original bulb sends light in all directions and the reflector in the housing does not seem to help much. This probably makes the difference in light output somewhat greater than the factor of 6 you would expect when comparing a 30 watt bulb to a 5 watt bulb. In addition, the light is very white (6,000K) compared to the yellowish incandescent. I searched eBay for some really bright 39mm LED festoons and came up with this:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2018-NEWES...cVbF0eT:sc:ShippingMethodStandard!94062!US!-1

Best $5 I've spent on the car in quite a while, and I've got a spare bulb for another project.
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That link expired. If any of these are the one, can you let me know, thanks.

www.ebay.com

39mm festoon bulbs for sale | eBay

Get the best deals for 39mm festoon bulbs at eBay.com. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items!
www.ebay.com
 
Even though my car is far away from being ready I have been thinking ahead☺️
B51305F1-3CB5-45F7-A96E-F820B2CB8E06.jpeg

2 LED units in the high level third brake light housing for central illumination and footwell lighting. Footwells also have a very low level led for while your driving which just gives you an ambient glow at night.
95D74323-258C-4D91-A5AF-91A7E2C3A624.jpeg
 
tvmaster said:
That link expired. If any of these are the one, can you let me know, thanks.

www.ebay.com

39mm festoon bulbs for sale | eBay

Get the best deals for 39mm festoon bulbs at eBay.com. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items!
www.ebay.com
Click to expand...
Most of those are under 200 lumens but here is one that claims to be 500 lumens:

www.ebay.com

2pcs 39MM C5W 5730 7 LED Festoon Dome Roof Map Trunk Light Bulb White 500lm 12V | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 2pcs 39MM C5W 5730 7 LED Festoon Dome Roof Map Trunk Light Bulb White 500lm 12V at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!
www.ebay.com

Good thing the fixture was designed for an incandescent with a reflecting surface for light coming out the back as it looks like the above will throw light in all directions. Mine had all the chips facing the same way as I recall. Here is one that might be pretty bright:

www.ebay.com

10x Canbus Festoon 39mm LED Bulb Super Bright 4014 SMD Error Free Reading Light | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 10x Canbus Festoon 39mm LED Bulb Super Bright 4014 SMD Error Free Reading Light at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!
www.ebay.com

It uses the same number (16) and type of chips (4014) that mine has. They all point one way as well.
 
dllubin said:
Most of those are under 200 lumens but here is one that claims to be 500 lumens:

www.ebay.com

2pcs 39MM C5W 5730 7 LED Festoon Dome Roof Map Trunk Light Bulb White 500lm 12V | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 2pcs 39MM C5W 5730 7 LED Festoon Dome Roof Map Trunk Light Bulb White 500lm 12V at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!
www.ebay.com

Good thing the fixture was designed for an incandescent with a reflecting surface for light coming out the back as it looks like the above will throw light in all directions. Mine had all the chips facing the same way as I recall. Here is one that might be pretty bright:

www.ebay.com

10x Canbus Festoon 39mm LED Bulb Super Bright 4014 SMD Error Free Reading Light | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 10x Canbus Festoon 39mm LED Bulb Super Bright 4014 SMD Error Free Reading Light at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!
www.ebay.com

It uses the same number (16) and type of chips (4014) that mine has. They all point one way as well.
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super. I'm fine if it's not insanely bright, but a little brighter than the dull yellow that's the stock bulb would be nice :)
 
I have been using the flat plate type LEDs in Don’s second link in my Hondas and they are plenty bright. I strongly suggest looking for the warm white 3000Kelvin versions as the 6000K units are unbearably cold. The first ones I bought were the cold white, the replacements were much better for me.

The Hondas also use a reflector type light assembly but the flat oriented bulbs do a great job of putting a lot of light into the passenger compartment.

I would personally use the flat type over the full round type.
 
Kelvin vs. lumen - not related, but so many are only rated as 6k. 3k seem harder to find. I’ll try a few I guess….
 
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39mm ones don’t fit the earlier type of light housing and they don’t have a glass shoulder so they fall out of the really rather daft holder design of the earlier cars. Also messing around with 40+ year old plastic is not fun nor is getting old it seems as I thought the connections where corroded so spent 10 mins scratching away to remove rust when is dawned on me the connection was on the other side and these pins where just for location…doh!





 
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