by Randy Irwin
1957 LED FRONT TURN SIGNAL AND PARKING LIGHT
CONVERSION
Randy Irwin - Technical Writer
Randy has been involved in the Chevy
parts business for over 30 years. He is a wizard at creating, making and modifying custom
parts for Chevys.
Photo #1a & 1b: First disconnect the battery. The front turn
signal lights are mounted in the grille bar on a 1957 Chevy. The
lens is held in place with two machine screws. Remove the two
screws and the lens. The gasket and turn signal bulb can be
removed.
Photo #2: The pigtail
for the turn signal
keys into the back of
the turn signal
housing. To remove
the pigtail from the
turn signal housing,
push the pigtail in and
turn clockwise.
Technostalgia was the first company to manufacture car specific LED kits
for tri-fives. They have now developed an LED system P/N 28-54 for the
front of the 1957’s. The LED system operates the parking lights and turn
signals. An added feature of the LED system is that when the car is
running and the headlights are off, the front parking lights stay illuminated.
This is great for visibility in traffic. Also, when the car is running and the
headlights are on, the parking lights stay illuminated at a lower intensity for
night driving.
#3a
Photo #3a & 3b: The LED
conversion kit P/N 28-54
#3b
includes two LED light
assemblies that will replace the original incandescent bulb and
pigtail and two LED control panels, one for each side of the
car. The LED control panels mount to the back side of the
grille using the two grille bar mounting studs just to the inside
of the parking light housings. Install the control panel onto the
two studs using the supplied 1/4” nuts leaving the original
grille bar mounting nuts in place to be used as spacers.
Parts Needed:
28-54
1957 LED Front Turn Signal And Daytime Running
Light Conversion Kit, Amber
To order parts call 1-800-456-1957 or visit ClassicChevy.com
Tools Needed:
Time Frame:
Cutters/Strippers
Phillips Screw Driver
7/16” Wrench
2-Hours
#4a
#1b
#1a
#4c
#4b
Photo #4a & 4b & 4c: The LED
lamp assembly will replace the
original incandescent bulb and
original pigtail. The LED lamp
assembly installs from the front
side of the parking light
housing and has a stud that
passes through the center of the parking light housing. There
is a plastic grommet that fits on the back side of the turn signal
housing to hold the LED lamp assembly in place. There is a
slot cut in the plastic grommet for the wires from the LED
lamp assembly.
Photo #5: There is a twopin female jack on the
end of the wires from the
LED lamp assembly. The
jack connects to the twopin male connector on
the control panel. Make
sure to plug the jack in
with the wires facing
outward on the control panel.
#9a
#9b
Photo #9a & 9b: The RED wire from the control box will need
to be connected to a “key-on” power source. That means the
red wire needs to be hot only when the key is on. The wire can
be connected to the fuse panel or the ignition switch. With all
the wires connected, we tucked the wires back into the loom
on our project car. We routed the wires from the LED lamp to
the control panel on the backside of the grille bar. With the
wires all tied up the lens and gaskets can be reinstalled.
Photo #6: The control
panel has four wires;
green, tan, black and
red. The green wire has
a round lug on the end
and is the ground wire.
#10a
Photo #7: The YELLOW wire from the control panel is for the
turn signal mode. Cut the pigtails off the turn signal harness
and connect the LIGHT BLUE wire from the factory harness to
the YELLOW wire on the driver’s side control panel. Connect
the DARK BLUE wire from the factory harness on the
passenger side to the YELLOW wire on the control panel on
the passenger side. The wires can be connected using the
supplied connectors or soldered.
#10b
Photo #10a & 10b: The amber lights look neato on the front of
the ‘57 and the super bright turn signals will really let people
know where you are going! Good Luck.
Photo #8: The BLACK wire from the control box is for the
parking light mode. The BLACK wire from the control box will
connect to the VIOLET wire on both sides of the car from the
factory harness.