Chevrolet El Camino Automatic Transmission Indicator Bulb Size

Additional Notes

• The automatic transmission indicator positions on the Chevrolet El Camino across the 1964-1977 model years are served by four distinct ANSI-standard bulb types: the 168, 194, 1445, and 1895, all rated at 12 volts.
• The 168 bulb is the most frequently specified type in these data, appearing in the 1971 and 1973-1977 model years. It is a T10 miniature wedge bulb rated at 4.9W, making it the highest-wattage option among the four types listed.
• The 1895 bulb, a T5 miniature wedge type rated at 0.9W, is the lowest-wattage bulb in the specifications. It is fitted to the 1964-1967 and 1970 model years.
• The 1445 bulb differs from the other three types in its base construction. While the 168, 194, and 1895 are all wedge-base bulbs, the 1445 uses a BA9s bayonet-style base and is rated at 2W with a single filament.
• The 194 bulb, specified for the 1968 model year, shares the T10 wedge form factor with the 168 but operates at a lower wattage of 3.78W. Despite the physical similarity, the two types are not rated identically and are not interchangeable without accounting for the wattage difference.
• The T10 wedge base is a common physical format shared by the 168 and 194 bulbs, though their differing wattage ratings reflect distinct electrical specifications that affect their suitability for a given socket and circuit.
• The 1972 and 1969 model years share the 1445 bulb with its BA9s base, while the surrounding model years use wedge-base types. The BA9s base is physically incompatible with wedge-base sockets, making cross-year substitution between these groups not possible without a socket adapter.
• The T5 wedge format of the 1895 bulb is physically smaller than the T10 format used by the 168 and 194. A T5 bulb cannot be directly substituted into a T10 socket, as the housing proportions differ between the two form factors.
• All four bulb types in the specifications conform to ANSI standards recognized in both the United States and Canada, indicating standardized electrical and physical tolerances across the range.
• The 1970 model year uses the 1895 bulb, while the adjacent 1969 model year uses the 1445 and the 1971 model year uses the 168, meaning three consecutive model years each require a different bulb type with mutually incompatible bases or form factors.