Brake Bezel Light

Hey guys just a quick question. I'm getting the old 77 back together and have done a 5.0 conversion. I'm going to use the brake light in the dash for the check engine light but I've lost the bulb. Would one of you guys know what bulb I need? Thanks, GB

Bulb number is 1445

I would suggest an LED, those bezels really hold in heat, many of the lenses are melted on used bezels.

Thank you very much and I will look into it. GB

Where I would look:

https://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/led-vehicle-replacement-bulbs/filter/Bulb_Number,1445,197,8942:

I would get one with all the diodes pointing forward, any other direction is wasted light.

superbrightleds.com is my go-to supplier for LED bulbs.

Those are awesome. I was afraid I might have to change the socket but these are a direct swap out. Thanks again! GB

Another tip, I also used the brake warning light for my check engine light. I went to a local theater supply store. They gave me a small swatch book of all of the different colors of film they put over stage lights to change colors. They are thin but I stacked several up and replaced the red lens with a factory-like check engine light yellow color.

Well that's interesting. I was wondering how to make this a yellow light instead of red without going to too much trouble. The red light doesn't bother me but yellow would be kind of cool. Thanks

I have bought 1/8 inch and 1/16 inch acrylic (aka plexiglass) sheets on eBay for use as lenses.
I chose red and orange, but yellow and other colors are available too.

As long as you don't live in an area with safety or smog inspections gbrew, the color should not matter. But I believe it does in some areas where they check things like that.
In those cases they'd want to see an amber light with a correct label or marking of some kind.

I just used a simple amber incandescent or LED (don't remember) from the parts store put into the steering column bezel, along with a second Red one for a charge light. Great spot if you don't mind drilling the plastic.

Paul

DirtDonk said:

As long as you don't live in an area with safety or smog inspections gbrew, the color should not matter. But I believe it does in some areas where they check things like that.
In those cases they'd want to see an amber light with a correct label or marking of some kind.

I just used a simple amber incandescent or LED (don't remember) from the parts store put into the steering column bezel, along with a second Red one for a charge light. Great spot if you don't mind drilling the plastic.

Paul

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Since Broncos did not come with a CEL can they say anything about what color lens you use on one you add?

The high beam indicator light lens is red on a Bronco, modern stuff uses blue.
Can they make you change it to blue?
Or make you keep it red?

DirtDonk said:

As long as you don't live in an area with safety or smog inspections gbrew, the color should not matter. But I believe it does in some areas where they check things like that.
In those cases they'd want to see an amber light with a correct label or marking of some kind.

I just used a simple amber incandescent or LED (don't remember) from the parts store put into the steering column bezel, along with a second Red one for a charge light. Great spot if you don't mind drilling the plastic.

Paul

Click to expand...

All this help over a light bulb, that's what I call Bronco love lol! Arkansas does not have inspections anymore so I decided to stay with the red, kind of like the red too. Ended up ordering a cool white LED that is a direct replacement mentioned by sykanrOng. Would like to say thanks a bunch to all here for all your continual and fast response to my questions. I'm beginning to assemble my 77 from a frame off and with all the resources here on this site from all the great guys and gals it's looking so much better than I'd ever had expected. With a little luck I'm hoping to fire it up for the first time Friday or Monday. Thanks Everybody!!!!

sykanr0ng said:

Since Broncos did not come with a CEL can they say anything about what color lens you use on one you add?

The high beam indicator light lens is red on a Bronco, modern stuff uses blue.
Can they make you change it to blue?
Or make you keep it red?

Click to expand...

If you have inspections, they can say whatever they want. If the book calls out amber, then they can call you out on the red. Most might not, but it's certainly a possibility. Luckily it sounds like the OP doesn't have to contend with that.

The high-beam indicator is definitely not the modern blue standard we know nowadays. But the difference here is it's a factory thing, so you don't have to change it for anyone. Lots of little things like that can pass if they were factory. Even door factory inserts with little to no sill would be legal in most areas.
However if you had put the red indicator light in, say in a custom vehicle, it would very possibly have to be changed to blue to pass a safety inspection.
I don't have a right sideview mirror on my '68 and don't have to put one on even here in CA even though they've been required for 40 years or so, because it came that way from the factory.

I think one of the few exceptions to that rule might be seat belts. They were not even required up into at least the early sixties, so there might be an argument for not having them in a vehicle not originally so equipped. But I think that's one of those things that they can mandate if you're going to keep it registered and driving on the roads.
Maybe turn signals too? Not sure about that, because that's why they taught hand signals in driver's ed.;D

But change the old red high-beam indicator? Nope, if it's factory, it's usually not a problem.

Paul

Actually off topic, 1968 was first year manufacturers were required to install seat belts in trucks and cars. I loved my 66 for that reason around town. And by around town I mean neighborhood.