Reply To: LED Headlight Bulbs?

[Kim Scorah Bourget]

These modern type headlight bulbs are not compatible with the reflectors in antique automobiles.There was a good article in Skinned Knuckles on this topic.The LED bulbs would look out of place even if they worked out.Even some of the later incandescent auto bulbs are not compatible with the reflectors.A #1129 21cp bulb of today has a different filament design than its counterpart years ago due to the fact that it is not specified for headlights on cars like in the 1920’s and earlier but now for taillights on six volt cars.The best thing to do is have good reflectors and a good stock of nos original bulbs of the correct type.The SK article covers this topic well.I have driven many times at night with bulb type headlamps with original type bulbs and did just fine.In fact drove a 1914 Model T Ford some 30-40 miles through the Colorado mountains by the light of my car’s gas headlamps with no problems and it was fun.