Chevrolet El Camino Ignition Bulb Size

The Chevrolet El Camino ignition light uses bulb sizes 1895, 1445, and 53 depending on the specific application. Data for the listed components covers the period from 1959 through 1968.

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
1968	1895
1964-1967	1445
1959-1960	53

Bulb Specifications

Description	Bulb Size
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Miniature wedge bulb (T5). 12V, 0.9W.	1895
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Single-filament bulb with BA9s base. 12V, 2W.	1445
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Single-filament bulb with BA9s base. 12V, 2W.	53

Other Locations

Additional Notes

The ignition bulb specifications for the Chevrolet El Camino span model years 1959 through 1968, covering three distinct bulb types: 1895, 1445, and 53.
The 1445 bulb is the most frequently specified type across these records, covering the 1964-1967 model years of the El Camino's ignition system.
The 1445 is a single-filament bulb with a BA9s bayonet base, rated at 12V and 2W, and carries ANSI standard designation for use in the US and Canada.
The 53 bulb, specified for the 1959-1960 El Camino, shares the same electrical rating and base type as the 1445, both operating at 12V and 2W with a BA9s base.
Although the 53 and 1445 bulbs share identical voltage, wattage, and base type specifications, they carry different ANSI designations and are not confirmed as interchangeable without further verification.
The 1968 Chevrolet El Camino uses the 1895 bulb, which differs from all earlier model years in both bulb family and construction, being a T5 miniature wedge type rather than a BA9s-based bulb.
The T5 designation of the 1895 bulb refers to a tubular glass envelope that is 5/8 of an inch in width, a form factor commonly associated with instrument and indicator lighting.
The 1895 bulb operates at 12V and 0.9W, a notably lower wattage than the 2W rating of both the 1445 and 53 bulbs used in earlier model years.
The wedge base of the 1895 bulb is physically incompatible with the BA9s bayonet socket used by the 1445 and 53 bulbs, making cross-substitution between the 1968 specification and earlier years impossible without socket modification.
All three bulb types listed carry ANSI standard designations valid for both the United States and Canada, indicating standardized production specifications across those markets.