Chevrolet C70 Instrument Panel Bulb Size

The Chevrolet C70 instrument panel utilizes bulb sizes 53, 57, 168, 194, and 1895 across various applications. Available data covers a span from 1960 through 1988 for the specified components.

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
1988	57
1987	53
1986	168
1985	194
1984	57
1981-1983	194
1980	53
1979	194
1961	1895
1960	194

Bulb Specifications

Description	Bulb Size
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Single-filament bulb with BA9s base. 12V, 1W.	57
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Single-filament bulb with BA9s base. 12V, 2W.	53
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Miniature wedge bulb (T10). 12V, 4.9W.	168
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Miniature wedge bulb (T10). 12V, 3.78W.	194
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Miniature wedge bulb (T5). 12V, 0.9W.	1895

Other Locations

Additional Notes

The Chevrolet C70 instrument panel draws from five distinct ANSI-standard bulb types across its model years: the 57, 53, 168, 194, and 1895.
The 194 is the most frequently specified bulb across the C70's instrument panel fitments, appearing in 1979, 1981-1983, 1985, and 1960. It is a T10 miniature wedge bulb rated at 12V and 3.78W.
The 168 is also a T10 miniature wedge bulb but draws slightly more power at 4.9W versus the 194's 3.78W. Despite sharing the same T10 wedge base form factor, these two bulbs are not interchangeable due to their differing wattage ratings, which affect brightness and circuit load.
The 57 and 53 both use a BA9s bayonet base and operate at 12V, but differ in wattage: the 57 draws 1W while the 53 draws 2W. Both are single-filament bulbs classified under the ANSI standard for the US and Canadian markets.
The 1895, specified for the 1961 model year, is a T5 miniature wedge bulb rated at just 0.9W, making it the lowest-wattage bulb in the C70 instrument panel specifications. Its T5 base is physically smaller than the T10 base used by the 168 and 194, and the two types are not interchangeable.
The BA9s base used by the 57 and 53 is a bayonet-style fitting, which differs mechanically from the wedge-style base of the T10 and T5 bulbs. Bulbs from these two base families cannot be substituted for one another regardless of voltage compatibility.
All five bulb types in the C70 instrument panel specifications are rated at 12V, consistent with the standard automotive electrical system voltage used in these vehicles.
The 1986 model year is the only year in the specifications to use the 168 bulb, while the 1987 and 1980 model years share the 53 specification, and the 1984 and 1988 model years share the 57 specification.