Chevrolet Chevy II Instrument Panel Bulb Size

Additional Notes

• The Chevrolet Chevy II instrument panel specifications span model years 1962-1968 and reference four distinct ANSI-standard bulb types: 1816, 1895, 57, and 257.
• The 1816 is a T3.25 miniature wedge bulb rated at 12V and 4W, making it the highest-wattage bulb among those listed in these specifications.
• The 1816 bulb is the most frequently specified type across the Chevy II instrument panel fitments, appearing in the 1965, 1967, and 1968 model years.
• The 1895 is a T5 miniature wedge bulb rated at 12V and 0.9W, representing the lowest wattage in these specifications. It was used in the 1964 and 1966 model years.
• Both the 1816 and 1895 use a wedge base, meaning they are retained by the socket itself rather than by a separate locking base, though their T3.25 and T5 tube sizes differ and the two types are not interchangeable.
• The 1962 Chevrolet Chevy II instrument panel specifies the 257 bulb, which is rated at 12V and 2W and accommodates either a festoon or BA9s base configuration.
• The 57 bulb, used in the 1963 model year, is a single-filament type with a BA9s bayonet base rated at 12V and 1W.
• The 57 and 257 both reference a BA9s base, but they carry different wattage ratings (1W and 2W respectively) and the 257 additionally supports a festoon base, so the two are not direct substitutes for one another.
• All four bulb types conform to ANSI standards applicable in both the United States and Canada, indicating standardized sizing and electrical ratings across that market.
• The instrument panel bulb specification changed in each of the first three recorded model years (1962, 1963, and 1964), with the 1816 wedge type becoming the predominant fitment from 1965 onward through 1968, interrupted only by the 1895 in 1966.