Chevrolet Chevy II Glove Box Bulb Size

Additional Notes

• The 1895 bulb is a T5 miniature wedge type operating at 12 volts and 0.9 watts. The T5 designation refers to a tubular bulb approximately 5/8 of an inch in width, and the wedge base design means the glass envelope itself acts as the retaining mechanism, requiring no separate metal base.
• The 257 bulb operates at 12 volts and 2 watts, which is notably higher wattage than the 1895. It is specified with either a festoon or BA9s base, indicating two distinct physical configurations exist under the same ANSI number.
• A festoon base bulb is cylindrical and held in place by spring contacts at each end, while a BA9s is a small single-contact bayonet base. These two base types are not interchangeable with each other despite sharing the 257 designation.
• Both the 1895 and 257 are ANSI-standardized bulbs applicable in the United States and Canada, meaning their electrical and physical specifications conform to a recognized North American standard.
• The Chevrolet Chevy II used the 257 bulb for the glove box in 1962-1963, then transitioned to the 1895 for 1964-1968. These two bulb types differ in wattage, base design, and physical form, making them non-interchangeable.
• The 1895 wedge bulb draws only 0.9 watts, placing it among the lowest-wattage bulbs used in automotive interior applications. This output level is consistent with low-illumination tasks such as glove box lighting.
• Because the 257 bulb has two possible base configurations, a festoon or BA9s, the correct socket type present in the 1962-1963 Chevy II determines which physical variant of the 257 is the appropriate fitment.