LED tail lights project

[bramily]

******I moved the original post to the one below so I can post pics of the 'finished product' here*******

*Note: I need to put some silicone around the edges to clean the edges up and seal it water tight, im doing that this weekend and then touching up the paint around the edges so this is 95% done but not the absolute finished product (fixed now)*

**Note2: Before anyone says anything, yes you can clearly see the lights during the day, if they look dim blame my camera. Also the window light isnt working, I intend to fix that this weekend (wiring). It has an SVT logo over it that the light shines through when it is working (fixed now)**

At night with just headlights on:

From the side:

At night with headlights AND brakes on:

Daytime with Headlights AND brakes on:

Daytime with headlights on (from the side:

Daytime with NO lights on:

 

[bramily]

*************THE ORIGINAL POST*************


So i cut open my tail lights today and am putting in LED lighting. They were blacked out from previous owner.

So far I have a grid for brake lights seen here:

I have a second grid for when headlights are on.

Im removing the black and taping some symbols i cut out over it then im going to re-black it leaving some silhouettes of the symbols red.

***UPDATE***
I finished wiring up the second light here at work today. After work the first light should be dry and when I get home Ill upload a picture w/ the symbols.

The smaller section is for 'headlights' the larger is 'brakes and turn signals'

***UPDATE***

Smoke paint dried enough to wash away the gluestick residue and take a good picture of the symbols I put into the tail lights. Also including a pic of how I am wiring it into the car itself.

Resistance matches just fine so my blinkers dont blink fast or anything. Works perfectly and is visible through the blacked out lenses in daylight at a distance Mission accomplished.

After the paint on the second light dries tonight im going to glue them back together and let sit overnight. Tomorrow they are getting installed back into car and final pictures will be coming .

To do the symbols I printed the image in 2 different sizes and carefully cut out the symbols in regular printer paper. I used water soluble school gluestick to glue the image down and paint over. Once the paint was dried i peeled off the paper and used water to wash away the rest of the paper and glue gunk.

I have it wired up into the stock bulb holder. I just soldered teh wires directly onto the metal contact points. works perfectly.

*****UPDATE****

Glue is all dry. I got a few finishing touches but its 95% done so here is one LAST sneak peak before I 'Officially' upload pictures of them on the car tomorrow.

 

[bramily]

Updated

 

[blu_fuz]

Looks cool.

 

[MadDog]

Where did you source the LED strips ? I have been trying to cobble something together to put in the central rear reflector that can strobe, but its difficult to find something functional and the correct size.

thanks,

Mad Dog

 

[bramily]

Where did you source the LED strips ? I have been trying to cobble something together to put in the central rear reflector that can strobe, but its difficult to find something functional and the correct size.

thanks,

Mad Dog

The strips are from Radio Shack. they are the white 3 meter strips 29.99 each. they can be cut every 3 lights and everything is run parallel so its really easy to wire. they draw 12v 1.5amps so they can get wired directly into the existing lighting

I used a total of 4 packs, giving me 240 LEDS total (96 for the brake light/turn signal grid, and 24 for the 'headlights' grid)

 

[bramily]

updated w/ one last sneak peak pic before i upload finished pics tomorrow.

 

[SVT-R-US]

How are you mounting these LED's inside the taillight?

 

[bramily]

How are you mounting these LED's inside the taillight?

BADLY lol. In one light I put some gorilla glue between the leds and didnt realise that it expanded... alot so there is a little glue between a few LEDs and the lens. On the other light I thought id be smarter (and cheap) and still used the gorilla glue around the outside of the strips (not underneath) and it took forever to dry at all, I had to hold the lights in place for over an hour. I still have glue all over my hands

Yea... DONT use gorilla glue. find something that starts to dry FAST, safe on plastic, and -doesnt expand-!!

 

[ScotSHO]

Yipes, so you don't have running lights facing the rear of the car?

 

[bramily]

They are clearly visible from the rear at night which is when they are on

 

[BlackE1]

Did you ever finish this up I am interested in the final results!