I replaced the corner lights and tail lights in my 1982 300TD with non-OEM versions. These were shipped to California from Latvia and were quite inexpensive.



The front lenses are clear, so I used white/amber LEDs. When the headlights are on the lights are bright white (much brighter than the stock yellow lenses). When the turn signal is on, the white light cuts out, and the bulb flashes bright amber (much brighter then stock). This is called a "switchback LED". If the white LED didn't cut out when the turn signal is on, it would flash yellow-white-yellow rather than yellow-off-yellow.


The rear lenses are red for the tail and brake portions, and clear for the turn signals. I installed red LEDs for the tail and brakes, and yellow LEDs for the turn. The LEDs for the tail light are dimmer than the LEDs for the brake light.

The results are impressive. The lights are quite a bit brighter (though still street legal).

Long term, I intend to replace all six bulb holders in the rear with dual filament holders (1157). I would rewire the tail and brake bulbs so that each bulb was both a tail light and a brake light. Thus one bulb on each side could fail and I would still have a pair of working tail and brake lights. The turn signal would be rewired with 1157 yellow/white LEDs so that it can be used as both the turn signal and as backup lights.

Sounds interesting

Got a link?

__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

I'm guessing ebay. I was mulling getting some different ones since I had to replace one of mine due to a crash so they don't match and used ones are always iffy.

Did you get the ones that are clear but otherwise OEM looking (patterned) or the ones that are completely clear and smooth?

-Rog

I've just bought some headlights from somewhere like Latvia on ebay for my Volvo - I was wondering if they were from the same people

__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

Links would be very helpful here .

When the paint shop broke EVERY lamp on my graymarket 300TD I sighed and bought original new ones .

Sigh .

I like LED's and think your 1157 idea might be wise .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

The seller for the corner lights and the rear lights was abs24shop (https://www.ebay.com/usr/abs24shop).

I think I got corner lights that are textured and rear ones that are not. I'll check at some point.

Brake light: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KFMY6YI/

Tail light: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MYNHND6/

Rear turn: An 1156 projector LED, but I don't know which one.

Front turn/corner: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077NZW36T

Thanks for the links

__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!