Chevrolet C50 Brake Bulb Size

The Chevrolet C50 brake light uses 1157 and 2057 bulb sizes for the lighting components located at the rear of the vehicle. Available information covers the production span from 1960 through 1988 for the specified automotive application.

The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.

Bulb Size by Year Range

Years	Bulb Size
1984-1988	1157
1983	2057
1960-1982	1157

Bulb Specifications

Description	Bulb Size
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Dual-filament bulb with BAY15d bayonet base. 12V, 21W/5W.	1157
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Dual-filament bulb with BAY15d bayonet base. Brighter variant of 1157. 12V, 26.9W/8W.	2057

Other Locations

Additional Notes

The bulb type 1157 is an ANSI-standard dual-filament bulb rated at 12V with a 21W high filament and 5W low filament, mounted on a BAY15d bayonet base. Its dual-filament design allows it to serve both brake and running light functions within a single housing.
The 2057 shares the same BAY15d bayonet base as the 1157 but operates at higher wattages of 26.9W and 8W, making it the more powerful of the two types present in these specifications.
The BAY15d bayonet base is common to both the 1157 and 2057, meaning the two bulb types are physically compatible with the same socket. However, the wattage difference between them represents a meaningful distinction in output.
The Chevrolet C50 uses the 1157 bulb for brake lighting across the 1960-1982 and 1984-1988 model years, making it by far the dominant fitment across the full span of these specifications.
The 1983 model year is the sole exception to the otherwise consistent 1157 fitment, with the 2057 specified instead. This represents a single-year divergence within an otherwise uniform pattern.
Because the 1157 and 2057 differ in wattage output despite sharing the same base type, substituting one for the other may affect brake light brightness and could place unintended electrical load on the vehicle's circuit.