97MarkJA
Dedicated LVC Member
and the diffuser panel in the center section.
Gen 2 LED Tail Light build for Sequential
- Thread starter 97MarkJA
- Start date
keatonsdad
Dedicated LVC Member
I'd love to do this to my 98 keep the pics coming
Scorpio1118_2000
Dedicated LVC Member
We need this in a form of print out so I can get this to my mechanic!
MediumD
Dedicated LVC Member
Make sure to post installed pics, maybe a vid or two.
thaywood
Dedicated LVC Member
It just keeps looking better and better! I really need to do something like that to my wife's '97 LSC. The neon hasn't worked since we got it and I'm too dang broke and lazy to do anything about it. But I love your work and I can't wait to see the finished product. Keep the pics coming!
97MarkJA
Dedicated LVC Member
I did a test fit today to make sure I got everything back together correctly when I opened up the housing.
Even with the center section in primer and the corners green it looks dead sexy! Fits great.
After I paint it I'll wire up the sequential and shoot some video.
I couldnt help myself, had to do a little something extra with the center emblem.
Even with the center section in primer and the corners green it looks dead sexy! Fits great.
After I paint it I'll wire up the sequential and shoot some video.
I couldnt help myself, had to do a little something extra with the center emblem.
97MarkJA
Dedicated LVC Member
Emblem
Markviiiedrea
Speed Bump
Now that is fine workmanship right there, I'm not a big fan of the cobra emblem but I like how you installed it. Awesome!
Scorpio1118_2000
Dedicated LVC Member
Very impressive, I would love to have that done to mine.
Big Mike
Dedicated LVC Member
That cobra is slick as hell. I still don't like how huge the LEDS are, but overall I think you hit a home run.
97MarkJA
Dedicated LVC Member
Thanks for all the kind words. I think if I was going to do it again (ugh) I'd use the 3mm LED's instead of the 5mm. Having said that if you look at most of the new cars they look to be using a 5/16 to 3/8 led or at least the lens is that big
It should look pretty good once I paint it and tint the lens a little.
It should look pretty good once I paint it and tint the lens a little.
Big Mike
Dedicated LVC Member
I agree.
97MarkJA
Dedicated LVC Member
A little tip on the emblem, I'm an old car audio guy and this is how we would do custom door panels. Although when doing door panels you go on a build up process the result is the same.
I made a template out of plexi and curved it to fit the light panel, wraped it in tape to get the clearence so the emblem will look factory. I traced the outline on the metal of the light panel once I had it in the right spot, used a dremel to cut out the first layer which is what you see in the first picture. I then sealed it with fiber glass.
After it sets lay the template (with the tape on it) into the opening, mix up your filler and spread it over the top. the goal isnt to end up with a mound of filler it is simply to fill the gap all the way around so you end up with a factory fit.
You should end up up with a light skim coat over the top of the template. Lightly sand over the top until the face of the emblem is exposed and then pop it out, if you have trouble getting it out DO not pry it; you can simply take a dry wall screw and screw into the face of the template (not all the way through) grab the screw and pull it out.
At this point you fix any defects along the edge and then block sand it down until you are satisfied with the lines.
If I end up not liking the finish product I will simply debadge the entire car.
I made a template out of plexi and curved it to fit the light panel, wraped it in tape to get the clearence so the emblem will look factory. I traced the outline on the metal of the light panel once I had it in the right spot, used a dremel to cut out the first layer which is what you see in the first picture. I then sealed it with fiber glass.
After it sets lay the template (with the tape on it) into the opening, mix up your filler and spread it over the top. the goal isnt to end up with a mound of filler it is simply to fill the gap all the way around so you end up with a factory fit.
You should end up up with a light skim coat over the top of the template. Lightly sand over the top until the face of the emblem is exposed and then pop it out, if you have trouble getting it out DO not pry it; you can simply take a dry wall screw and screw into the face of the template (not all the way through) grab the screw and pull it out.
At this point you fix any defects along the edge and then block sand it down until you are satisfied with the lines.
If I end up not liking the finish product I will simply debadge the entire car.
extremeautonews
LVC Member
I just bought my 97 Mark VIII last month and am still trying to find some experienced advice on how to seperate the lens from the housing on the center tail light across the trunk lid. Could you please enlighten us on the process that you followed to open the unit without damage. I have seen the oven method for head lights and tail lights and the problem is the housing is too long to fit on the oven, that is unless I carry it into a local pizza shop and ask them to bake it for me!
Someone help me with this advice.
Someone help me with this advice.
BAD97LSC
Dedicated LVC Member
the only way to get the neon light open is to cut the entire back of it open with a dremmel it wasnt made to come apart its a sealed housing, so if you want in, start cutting the black back off along the edge all the way around with a dremmel.
97MarkJA
Dedicated LVC Member
True story, 1/8" bit in a dremmel and go to town. Keep the bit as flat as possible to the back of the housing so you don't get into the lens.
I tried everything to get into the housing. Drilled all the plastic welds, shaved the glue away with a blade..... ruined that housing after I heated in an oven, got the lens partially separated and the lens warped. Angry fist shake indeed.
beerdog
Well-Known LVC Member
Excellent job. Considering the whole neon availability situation I would see many people opting for this.
97MarkJA
Dedicated LVC Member
If someone didn't want to see the led's you could use a lexan strip to replace the neon/diffuser, frost it on 3 sides with a sandblaster then drill half way through it to mount led's. Maybe 3mm or surface mount square ones. Use a few low power ones for running lights, it would take some trial and error to get the distribution right and then add high power for the break light circuit.
You wouldn't get sequencing but it would serve as a replacement.
The only issue would be the reflector when you cut the light apart, although you could probably fit a reflective panel in like I did with the led mount panel in mine.
You wouldn't get sequencing but it would serve as a replacement.
The only issue would be the reflector when you cut the light apart, although you could probably fit a reflective panel in like I did with the led mount panel in mine.
beerdog
Well-Known LVC Member
HAving n option to mimick the neon look would be awesome. This needs to be refined and written up in more detail.
From a Car Audio guy to a Car Audio guy......
Love your work! Very detailed. I will be following more of your projects.
Can't wait to see the finished product.
Did you make your own module? How are you making the sequential lights work?
Will you still have all LEDs come on at the same time when you hit the brakes?
For all your efforts, I'm giving you 5 Stars!
Love your work! Very detailed. I will be following more of your projects.
Can't wait to see the finished product.
Did you make your own module? How are you making the sequential lights work?
Will you still have all LEDs come on at the same time when you hit the brakes?
For all your efforts, I'm giving you 5 Stars!
97MarkJA
Dedicated LVC Member
I have two adjustable dimmer that work with variable voltage input, a lot of them are only rated at 12 volts... start the car and you will let the magic white smoke out of them. Once you let it out.... you can not put it back in.
All of the led's will come on for the park lights thru the dimmer, I'll diode isolate the park and brake/turn curcuit from each other and the led's will get full power the sequencer.
I bought the sequencer from web electric. I've made a few but cost of parts/time vs what he's charging for a 4 light circuit I really couldn't pass it up.
Thanks for you kind words.
97MarkJA
Dedicated LVC Member
I still need to paint it, I did finally buy the paint about two weeks ago... Lol
I built headlights instead. The car will be off the road shortly, we have snow flakes coming down right now
I should be able to knock out a few planned projects in the 6 months of craptastic weather we are about to have.