Chevrolet Corvair Tail Light Bulb Size

The Chevrolet Corvair tail light utilizes 1157 and 1034 bulb sizes for the rear illumination system. Available information covers the specific span from 1960 through 1969 for the vehicle.

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
1965-1969	1157
1960-1964	1034

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. Variant of 1157. 12V, 21/5W.	1034

Other Locations

Additional Notes

The Chevrolet Corvair uses two distinct tail light bulb sizes across its production run, with the 1034 fitted to the 1960-1964 model years and the 1157 fitted to the 1965-1969 model years.
Both the 1034 and 1157 are ANSI-standardized bulbs recognized in the United States and Canada, meaning each conforms to a defined set of electrical and physical parameters rather than being a proprietary specification.
Each bulb type carries a dual-filament design, which allows a single bulb to serve two lighting functions simultaneously, typically combining a brighter stop light output with a dimmer running light output.
Both bulb types share the BAY15d bayonet base, a two-pin offset base format in which the two pins are positioned at different heights to ensure correct orientation during installation and prevent reversal of the filament circuits.
Both types operate at 12 volts with a 21W/5W filament rating, where the 21-watt filament corresponds to the higher-intensity stop light function and the 5-watt filament corresponds to the lower-intensity running light function.
The 1034 is formally classified as a variant of the 1157, meaning the two share the same base type and voltage rating but are not identical and are not confirmed as interchangeable for the Corvair application.