Chevrolet El Camino High Beam Indicator Bulb Size

The Chevrolet El Camino high beam indicator utilizes bulb sizes 53, 161, 168, 194, and 1895 across various production periods. Available data covers the span from 1959 through 1987.

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
1980-1987	161
1978-1979	194
1971-1977	168
1970	194
1969	1895
1964-1965	1895
1959-1960	53

Bulb Specifications

Description	Bulb Size
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Miniature wedge bulb (T10). 12V, 1W.	161
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Miniature wedge bulb (T10). 12V, 3.78W.	194
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Miniature wedge bulb (T10). 12V, 4.9W.	168
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Miniature wedge bulb (T5). 12V, 0.9W.	1895
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Single-filament bulb with BA9s base. 12V, 2W.	53

Other Locations

Additional Notes

The Chevrolet El Camino uses four distinct bulb sizes across its model years for the high beam indicator: 161, 194, 168, 1895, and 53.
The 161 bulb is a T10 miniature wedge type rated at 12V and 1W, making it the lowest-wattage T10 variant found in these specifications. It fits the El Camino for model years 1980-1987.
The 168 bulb is also a T10 miniature wedge type operating at 12V but draws 4.9W, the highest wattage among the T10 bulbs listed. It was used across model years 1971-1977.
The 194 bulb shares the same T10 miniature wedge form as the 161 and 168 but is rated at 3.78W, placing it between those two in power draw. It appears in the 1970, 1978, and 1979 model years.
Although the 161, 168, and 194 bulbs all share the T10 wedge base, their wattage ratings differ significantly. Substituting one for another would result in a mismatch in electrical load and light output, so they are not interchangeable despite the shared base type.
The 1895 bulb is a T5 miniature wedge type rated at 12V and 0.9W. Its T5 form factor is physically smaller than the T10 used by the 161, 168, and 194 bulbs, making it incompatible with sockets designed for those sizes. It was specified for the 1964, 1965, and 1969 model years.
The 53 bulb differs from all other bulbs in these specifications by using a BA9s bayonet base rather than a wedge base. Rated at 12V and 2W, it is a single-filament type and was used in the 1959 and 1960 model years.
The BA9s base on the 53 bulb requires a dedicated socket that is physically distinct from wedge-base sockets, meaning it cannot be swapped with any of the T5 or T10 wedge bulbs listed for other El Camino model years.
All five bulb sizes in these specifications conform to ANSI standards applicable in both the United States and Canada, indicating consistent regulatory compliance across the full range of model years covered.
The shift from the 53 bulb in 1959-1960 to the 1895 in 1964-1965 represents a change in both base type and bulb family, reflecting a transition from a bayonet-base design to a wedge-base format that continued through subsequent model years.