Paging Daniel Stern - amber turn signals

Just curious about something.

I've been trying to find a set of replacment amber 7440 bulbs for the
front and rear turn signals on my 2004 Subaru Impreza WRX. I don't
need them right now, but I keep several spare bulbs in a kit in my
trunk. Can't seem to find the amber ones in the aftermarket. Thought
about the dealer, but that'll be a last resort. I've tried the usual
sources (AutoZone, WalMart, Kragen) and have only seen the clear 7440
from Sylvania (made in Japan). Is this bulb supposed to be that hard
to find?

Also curious about your opinion of those chrome colored turn-signal
bulbs that glow amber/red/etc. I don't particularly want them, but is
there anything inherently wrong about them?

On Tue, 12 Jul 2005, y_p_w wrote:

> I've been trying to find a set of replacment amber 7440 bulbs for the
> front and rear turn signals on my 2004 Subaru Impreza WRX. I don't need
> them right now, but I keep several spare bulbs in a kit in my trunk.
> Can't seem to find the amber ones in the aftermarket.

Tough bulb to find. Even tougher to find in decent quality. We keep 'em in
stock, send me an email via my website.

> Is this bulb supposed to be that hard to find?

Yep, it's a carefully-orchestrated vast left-wing conspiracy ;-)

> Also curious about your opinion of those chrome colored turn-signal
> bulbs that glow amber/red/etc.

The ones that Osram makes (Osram Diadem, Sylvania Silverstar SIGNAL bulbs)
and the ones that Philips makes (SilverVision) are good. The numerous
different knockoffs don't put out *nearly* enough light to be safe or
legal. Nobody makes a decent one in your all-glass 7440 format.


> is there anything inherently wrong about them?

I actually like the Diadem type bulb better than the plain amber bulbs.
The coating can never fade or burn off as it does with ordinary polymeric
amber coatings (amber-glass bulbs are almost extinct due to their Cadmium
content). Also, there may be a visual benefit to this type of bulb in
bright-sun conditions, but it hasn't been looked at formally yet.

The Diadem bulbs are made in red, too, but not for drop-in replacement of
any other bulb type. They're permanently soldered into the bulb holder on
e.g. the MINI Cooper factory clear-taillamp package that was briefly
available a few years ago. Burn out a brake light bulb, go spend a few
hundred bucks on a new bulbholder assembly!

-DS

Daniel J. Stern wrote:
> On Tue, 12 Jul 2005, y_p_w wrote:
>

<snip>

>
>>Also curious about your opinion of those chrome colored turn-signal
>>bulbs that glow amber/red/etc.
>
>
> The ones that Osram makes (Osram Diadem, Sylvania Silverstar SIGNAL bulbs)
> and the ones that Philips makes (SilverVision) are good. The numerous
> different knockoffs don't put out *nearly* enough light to be safe or
> legal. Nobody makes a decent one in your all-glass 7440 format.
>
>
>
>>is there anything inherently wrong about them?
>
>
> I actually like the Diadem type bulb better than the plain amber bulbs.
> The coating can never fade or burn off as it does with ordinary polymeric
> amber coatings (amber-glass bulbs are almost extinct due to their Cadmium
> content). Also, there may be a visual benefit to this type of bulb in
> bright-sun conditions, but it hasn't been looked at formally yet.
>
> The Diadem bulbs are made in red, too, but not for drop-in replacement of
> any other bulb type. They're permanently soldered into the bulb holder on
> e.g. the MINI Cooper factory clear-taillamp package that was briefly
> available a few years ago. Burn out a brake light bulb, go spend a few
> hundred bucks on a new bulbholder assembly!
>
> -DS

Sorry to hijack the thread, but this prompts a question - are they ever
going to be available in, say, an 1157 or P21/5W format so that safe,
legal clear taillights might actually become a reality? Or are they now
passe?

Also are the amber ones available in a non-index base dual filament bulb
e.g. 1176? (I'm guessing no, but it never hurts to ask.)

nate

(who thinks they actually look good on a silver car)

--
replace "fly" with "com" to reply.
http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

On Tue, 12 Jul 2005, Nate Nagel wrote:

> >>Also curious about your opinion of those chrome colored turn-signal
> >>bulbs that glow amber/red/etc.

> > The ones that Osram makes (Osram Diadem, Sylvania Silverstar SIGNAL
> > bulbs) and the ones that Philips makes (SilverVision) are good. The
> > numerous different knockoffs don't put out *nearly* enough light to be
> > safe or legal. I actually like the Diadem type bulb better than the
> > plain amber bulbs. The coating can never fade or burn off as it does
> > with ordinary polymeric amber coatings (amber-glass bulbs are almost
> > extinct due to their Cadmium content). Also, there may be a visual
> > benefit to this type of bulb in bright-sun conditions, but it hasn't
> > been looked at formally yet.

> are they ever going to be available in, say, an 1157 or P21/5W format

They already are (Sylvania Silverstar = Osram Diadem available in 1157,
2057, 3157 and 3457)

> Also are the amber ones available in a non-index base dual filament bulb
> e.g. 1176? (I'm guessing no, but it never hurts to ask.)

Nope

Daniel J. Stern wrote:
> On Tue, 12 Jul 2005, Nate Nagel wrote:
>
>
>>>>Also curious about your opinion of those chrome colored turn-signal
>>>>bulbs that glow amber/red/etc.
>
>
>>>The ones that Osram makes (Osram Diadem, Sylvania Silverstar SIGNAL
>>>bulbs) and the ones that Philips makes (SilverVision) are good. The
>>>numerous different knockoffs don't put out *nearly* enough light to be
>>>safe or legal. I actually like the Diadem type bulb better than the
>>>plain amber bulbs. The coating can never fade or burn off as it does
>>>with ordinary polymeric amber coatings (amber-glass bulbs are almost
>>>extinct due to their Cadmium content). Also, there may be a visual
>>>benefit to this type of bulb in bright-sun conditions, but it hasn't
>>>been looked at formally yet.
>
>
>>are they ever going to be available in, say, an 1157 or P21/5W format
>
>
> They already are (Sylvania Silverstar = Osram Diadem available in 1157,
> 2057, 3157 and 3457)

Where do you get them? All I have seen are the amber ones.


>>Also are the amber ones available in a non-index base dual filament bulb
>>e.g. 1176? (I'm guessing no, but it never hurts to ask.)
>
>
> Nope

oh well...

newest automotive application for that bulb type that I've seen is 1955
(actually a 6V bulb) but guess what I have...

Is there any legitimate method for turning a clear glass bulb into an
amber one? I'm not nuts about the lack of contrast between the turn
signals and headlights, but I'm also not prepared to modify the very
rare and expensive parking light housings with a different socket...

nate

--
replace "fly" with "com" to reply.
http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

On Tue, 12 Jul 2005, Nate Nagel wrote:

> > They already are (Sylvania Silverstar = Osram Diadem available in 1157,
> > 2057, 3157 and 3457)
>
> Where do you get them? All I have seen are the amber ones.

http://www.costore.com/performancesh...thumbnails.asp

Click 'n' buy.

> Is there any legitimate method for turning a clear glass bulb into an
> amber one? I'm not nuts about the lack of contrast between the turn
> signals and headlights, but I'm also not prepared to modify the very
> rare and expensive parking light housings with a different socket...

There are a few different clean ways of doing this. The cheapest and
easiest? File off one of the index pins from a BAY15d-base bulb! If the
socket's not completely shot, the one pin should hold it in place OK. If
not, you can shim the bulb with a wrapped strip of HD aluminum foil.

If that's a no-go, or if you want to be able to use a higher-output bulb
than an 1157, e-mail me a picture of the assembly you're working with
(pref. disassembled) and I'll send you some solutions.

Nate Nagel wrote:

> Is there any legitimate method for turning a clear glass bulb into an
> amber one? I'm not nuts about the lack of contrast between the turn
> signals and headlights, but I'm also not prepared to modify the very
> rare and expensive parking light housings with a different socket...

I'm not trying it myself, but I've heard of people taking clear bulbs
and marking them with a clear orange sharpie. I wouldn't think it's
unsafe, but it probably wouldn't look that good. Don't know what the
heat would do - it just might start flaking off in the assembly or
become discolored.

Daniel J. Stern wrote:
> On Tue, 12 Jul 2005, Nate Nagel wrote:
>
>
>>>They already are (Sylvania Silverstar = Osram Diadem available in 1157,
>>>2057, 3157 and 3457)
>>
>>Where do you get them? All I have seen are the amber ones.
>
>
> http://www.costore.com/performancesh...thumbnails.asp
>
> Click 'n' buy.

I meant the red ones you alluded to - just curious, really.

>
>>Is there any legitimate method for turning a clear glass bulb into an
>>amber one? I'm not nuts about the lack of contrast between the turn
>>signals and headlights, but I'm also not prepared to modify the very
>>rare and expensive parking light housings with a different socket...
>
>
> There are a few different clean ways of doing this. The cheapest and
> easiest? File off one of the index pins from a BAY15d-base bulb! If the
> socket's not completely shot, the one pin should hold it in place OK. If
> not, you can shim the bulb with a wrapped strip of HD aluminum foil.
>
> If that's a no-go, or if you want to be able to use a higher-output bulb
> than an 1157, e-mail me a picture of the assembly you're working with
> (pref. disassembled) and I'll send you some solutions.

I can try that... once I get the passenger side back from the chrome
shop. The metal shell of the socket is crimped to this big chromed
potmetal assembly; I don't see any modifications being practical or
honestly possible without a high potential for damaging something
expensive. Right now I have something kludged together on the pass.
side as a placeholder that I'm not real happy with, but it lets me drive
the car until I get the good one back.

Worst case, the correct white bulbs are available in a 12V version (car
has been converted)

nate

--
replace "fly" with "com" to reply.
http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

On Wed, 13 Jul 2005, y_p_w wrote:

> I'm not trying it myself, but I've heard of people taking clear bulbs
> and marking them with a clear orange sharpie.

*laugh*

People do all kinds of stupid, halfassed ****. This qualifies as that.

On Tue, 12 Jul 2005, Nate Nagel wrote:

> >>Where do you get them? All I have seen are the amber ones.

> I meant the red ones you alluded to - just curious, really.

They're not available in the aftermarket. :-(