Anyone know a lot about sequential turn signals?

[Doc1647545523]

A lot of the cars I admired from my younger days had what were then called "synchronized turn signals." That term has now come to mean something different, and what I'm looking for is what is now called a sequential turn signal. I recently rented a new Mustang which had them, and that got me thinking about the subject again. I owned a '69 Imperial which had them, and a number of Mustangs, T-birds, and Cougars from the 60's had them. To you youngsters, this is what the effect is:

 

 

My Toyota Century has the same configuration of taillights/brake lights as the car in the above video. My question is this: how difficult would it be to convert the Century's turn signals from standard to sequential?

 

My Imperial had a really archaic system which used an electric motor which turned cams which switched each individual light on and off as they slowly turned. When it was cold, the damn thing barely turned at all. As it got older, the motor began making some noise, too. The system was a pain.

 

Any idea where a solid-state version of the same system could be purchased, and any idea if it would be compatible with a thirty year old Japanese Domestic?

 

As I've been researching this, I was interested in learning that the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108 seems to require that all turn signals flash simultaneously ..... wonder how the new Mustang got around that rule?

 

Obviously, I'm willing to pay a shop/individual to do this for me. It's all I can do to open the trunk and peel back the carpet.

[spooling 1g]

http://www.webelectricproducts.com/

 

They have universal kits.

[Guest tbutera2112]

wonder how the new Mustang got around that rule?

 

 

the 2010 are only sequential during turn signal operation. hazzards and stop are normal

 

 

maybe that has something to do with it

[Guest Removed]

the 2010 are only sequential during turn signal operation. hazzards and stop are normal

 

 

maybe that has something to do with it

 

 

even the turn signal has to be that way..

 

doc i think if you look at the new mustang, as each light ,lights...all the other marks do aswel..but i could be wrong. havent got to play with one just yet.

 

 

and normally, unless there is a kit designed for plug and play, it can be a pita depending on how the cars lighting is wired up. but im sure there are kits out there for it(maybe not plug and play like your's tho

[Doc1647545523]

http://www.webelectricproducts.com/

 

They have universal kits.

 

I had checked out that site, but didn't see the universal kits. When I saw your post and re-checked, I saw them. Thanks!

 

Unfortunately, I'd have to do some adaptation even with those kits. I've got 3 red taillight/brake lights for each side of the car, plus one amber turn signal only. The universal kits are designed to work with up to four lights per side, but specifically not with the amber (one filament) types. I'd like to put them all into the sequence, but I can see it won't be straightforward..... of course.

 

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/IMG_3457.jpg

[Forrest Gump 9]

Sorry to be OT, but......

 

Doc, where'd you find that car??

[Clifford Automotive]

I like how you blurred the license plate, but its still legible.

 

We are starting to spray something next week Doc.

[Cordell]

It would take a little more specific knowlege of both the kit and the Century, but I'm sure something could be made to work. I'd bet the socket for the Amber bulb could possibly be changed out if need be.

 

If you'd really like this done I'm sure we could figure it out.

 

edit: Upon looking at this further I understand why they say they won't work with Amber bulbs. This would take rewiring the whole tailight assembly to convert over to the type of wiring needed for the system to work, but I could do it. It would take a trailer adapter harness, the sequential flasher set-up, and some time, but it could be done.

[Doc1647545523]

Sorry to be OT, but......

 

Doc, where'd you find that car??

 

Funny that you should use those terms because I literally found it. It was idling, doors open, near the end of a lot of an old abandoned warehouse on the west side. There were some fat Asian guys with tattoos all over their arms and necks, guns drawn, face down in pools of their own blood nearby the car. I felt that the right thing to do was take the car home, clean it up, and install some sequential turn signals. I mean, that was a no-brainer, right?

 

 

 

I like how you blurred the license plate, but its still legible.

 

We are starting to spray something next week Doc.

 

It may seem strange, but I very seldom photograph any of my own cars, and I don't have any of my own photos of the Century. This photo is courtesy of Todd Cooperider, who did a magnificent job getting the swirls out last year (car does not have a clearcoat layer). http://www.columbusracing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=66459&highlight=mafia

 

I wasn't going to tell anyone I was going to run spray on the Viewt. Thanks so much for letting the cat out of the bag, Kevin.

 

 

 

It would take a little more specific knowlege of both the kit and the Century, but I'm sure something could be made to work. I'd bet the socket for the Amber bulb could possibly be changed out if need be.

 

If you'd really like this done I'm sure we could figure it out.

 

edit: Upon looking at this further I understand why they say they won't work with Amber bulbs. This would take rewiring the whole tailight assembly to convert over to the type of wiring needed for the system to work, but I could do it. It would take a trailer adapter harness, the sequential flasher set-up, and some time, but it could be done.

 

I follow what you're saying, but I think it's even more complicated than that. The way I thought I wanted it would require the three red lights on each side to work as brake lights, tail lights, and sequential turn signal lights. The amber lights would need to work exclusively as part of the sequential turn signal light group. I'm not sure that the universal sequential flasher kit could accomodate that .... see what I mean?

 

On the other hand, the tailight assembly could be rewired to make the three red lights work as brake lights, tail lights, and sequential turn signal lights, then the amber socket could just be left inactive. This would be one way to solve the puzzle and they make a 3-light sequential flasher kit which could be used. But I don't know if I want to sacrifice the function of the amber light.

 

Maybe we'll compare notes some more next time we run into each other.

[Cordell]

doc just keep in mind that the brake and turn filiment would be the same thing if it was rewired, and I'm not sure if it'd need a diode or not, but the amber light would just light with the sequential turn. Running lights would just continue to function like normal.

[Doc1647545523]

doc just keep in mind that the brake and turn filiment would be the same thing if it was rewired, and I'm not sure if it'd need a diode or not, but the amber light would just light with the sequential turn. Running lights would just continue to function like normal.

 

I didn't know that. Hmmmm.

 

But, then are you saying that the amber light would or would not come on with the tailights, and would it come on with the brake lights? We wouldn't want either of those conditions.

[Cordell]

I didn't know that. Hmmmm.

 

But, then are you saying that the amber light would or would not come on with the tailights, and would it come on with the brake lights? We wouldn't want either of those conditions.

 

The amber light is what would take some thought to keep it from coming on with the brake lights, but it wouldn't be connected to the running lights in any way. I've got some ideas on how this could work, but I just don't know if you really think it'd be worth the effort.

Edited April 30, 2010 by Cordell

[Clifford Automotive]

I wasn't going to tell anyone I was going to run spray on the Viewt. Thanks so much for letting the cat out of the bag, Kevin.

 

 

Who said anything about the Viewt? I havent seen that car in months. I think it was the day you got it back here to be honest. I was referring to your tail lights we are blacking out.

 

Oh, and I have a wiring schematic for what your trying to do... And I also know how to run some pretty tricky wiring in cars. Let me know if I can help you with it.

[Tripleskate]

A good friend of mine wired his turn signals to be sequential on his 2005 Accord V6. Apparently, all it took was 30 minutes of gaffing around with the wiring and $1.00 on various connectors, etc.

[Guest GMoney]

Doc, The color of the bulb has nothing to do with the system working or not. Yes normally the ambers are a different wattage.

 

I believe it has to do with the fact that when you hit the brakes the amber lights will also be lit. Not good.

 

Any one with a good understanding of simple auto electronics could look at your car and tell you your options on the different combinations that are possible.

[Guest Removed]

Doc, The color of the bulb has nothing to do with the system working or not. Yes normally the ambers are a different wattage.

 

I believe it has to do with the fact that when you hit the brakes the amber lights will also be lit. Not good.

 

Any one with a good understanding of simple auto electronics could look at your car and tell you your options on the different combinations that are possible.

thats not what he said... all the red lights are 3 wire, the amber is a 2 wire.. the universal system's are meant for 3 wire.. but im pretty sure, one could still make it work properly

[Tractor]

I can't imagine it being really hard. I've made circuits to cause my toyota pickups odd tail light/brake/flasher system work correctly with a GM vehicle's tail light system powering it before when I used to flat tow my 4x4 a lot.

 

I used relays to cause a disconnection of the toyotas oddly wired stuff to make it controllable by GM's system. Very simple and effective.

 

Also wattage of a bulb will have almost nothing to do with the circuits as long as the components are rated to handle the amp load the wattage would demand on them. Otherwise you end up with a part that acts like a fuse:-)

[Guest GMoney]

Yes the wattage will affect the speed at which the light flashes.