The Top DSM Community on the Web

For 1990-1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse, Eagle Talon, Plymouth Laser, and Galant VR-4 Owners. Log in to remove most ads.

Please Support STM Tuned
Please Support STM Tuned

Has anyone ever lit up center tail light?

This site may earn a commission from merchant
affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Welcome to dsmtuners.

I never said it was easy, cheap or could be completed by someone with no skills. This still is the "Appearance" section last I checked.

FYI...I did this mod after I had already installed a 16G, FMIC, full 3" stainless exhaust, hi-flow cat, fuel mods, etc.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.


You must be logged in to view this image or video.

MAN you have done a fantastic JOB with these sequential tail lights , hours and hours of hard work for sure , this is NOT RICE at all , its actually Amazing and specially how you open the HAtch. :thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb:
 
You can see pictures of azdave's here: Adding light to a 2G Eclipse center tail light module
I'm doing mine very similar (except it's a Talon center section).

Anthony,

I watched how RCAZ did his. i am so jelous at this point. I am completely bumfuzzeled on how the LED plate was made. Why not use several rows of LED strips? I still am uncertain why the center section had to be deepened since the LEDs are used?
 
Anthony,

I watched how RCAZ did his. i am so jelous at this point. I am completely bumfuzzeled on how the LED plate was made. Why not use several rows of LED strips? I still am uncertain why the center section had to be deepened since the LEDs are used?

So the light is distrubes right, you get one solid block of light and not the pin points of the LEDs.

Both Dave and myself are using LumiLEDs since they are much better built and have a longer service light then any LED strip on the market. Several OEMs use Phillips Lumileds for their factory tails lights (Infiniti comes to mind).
 
My friend actually drilled out holes in the word eclipse and filled them with LEDs. So he has it set that when his driving lights are on his eclipse emblem stays lit up on it. I tried convincing him to wire it so it turned on when he stepped on the brakes but I can't decide because it's not my car :p
 
Never did upload a pic. So here they are now. Sorry its been 2 years but i really must have forgotten LOL
 

Attachments

  • DSC_0728.jpg
    DSC_0728.jpg
    433.4 KB · Views: 339
  • DSC_0727.jpg
    DSC_0727.jpg
    380.8 KB · Views: 232
Nice bobby! Better late than never and adding to an old thread imo is a good thing to keep the information alive and easier to search.

Hey to match your eclipse how about a talon?
(sorry for the crappy cell pic)
You must be logged in to view this image or video.


Looks alot brighter in person. I couldn't get a pic without the tail lights messing with the camera.
I have another one I'm gonna do with red leds when I have time.
 
Yeah better late then never is always the way. Talon one looks good. Im going to make another and use led's this time around. Muce better and it means no foil or falling down like mine have done before now. Opening it again after resealing is a pain in the ass.
 
My biggest issue so far is getting the lettering off after I painted the canter section. Do you have a secret that you used do get them off after you painted without scratching everything?
 
I actually stripped the silver from the inside then repainted it with the ECLIPSE in the actual paint.

You how ever can paint it then cut around it with a scalpul to cut the paint then lift it off.[DOUBLEPOST=1409420371][/DOUBLEPOST]Oh and use a heat gun for the glue on the lettering. Light setting. If i remember well i dont think i even used a heat gun but its been a while LOL
 
I actually stripped the silver from the inside then repainted it with the ECLIPSE in the actual paint.

You how ever can paint it then cut around it with a scalpul to cut the paint then lift it off.[DOUBLEPOST=1409420371][/DOUBLEPOST]Oh and use a heat gun for the glue on the lettering. Light setting. If i remember well i dont think i even used a heat gun but its been a while LOL

See I used oven cleaner to strip all of the silver from the lens and painted over the lettering on the outside. Before the paint was fully cured, I cut out the lettering from the paint and then let dry for 3 days. I used a heat gun on the back side of the lens to try and loosen the glue and it still didn't want to come off clean. I still have one more center section that I can use so I may get the letters off before I paint. I'll just use some decals for the lettering then paint.

1G:

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

David, that Looks great!
 
Another way then get the lettering off first, keep them in 1 piece and not break any, put masking tape under the letter then cut around the letter. The masking take will easily come up after paint. Get the proper stuff thats blue for painting as it holds its line much better. Its just another idea that popped into my head that should work pretty well. Let hastle then getting oem letters off aswell
 
Thank you :)
On a 1G Eclipse the easiest thing to do it to use a 1.4mm screw driver (from a $1-$3 set available at your favorite supermarket) to scrape off the paint from inside of the letters. The flat edge of the screw driver also smooths the surface of the groove for that professional look. Process does not hurt the tool, so it can be used for it's original purpose afterwards.
If one was to remove paint from entire lens first thing that comes to mind is an air eraser or small sand blaster. With fine enough media and correct air pressure it would just remove the paint and leave a matte finish on the inside of the lens.
For removing those stick-on letters one thing that works good sometimes is a piece of fishing line. Put it between the letter and the lens. Work it back-and-forth to cut the adhesive. After letters are removed there will be some sticky left, but it's pretty easy to remove.
As far as masking off goes, it is possible to use something like vaseline or even white glue to form easily removable masks. That method works good for freehand designs, text would still need to be stenciled. Then again, if one knows how to pinstripe they can freehand a stripe design in glue, spray the paint, peel/wash off the glue, and have a pinstripe design on the tail light that lights up at night.
 
Yeah I used painters tape to give me the top and bottom lines in the lens and it worked great! The only issue that I ran into was them 20 year old letters that have been baking in the sun LOL. Once I get those off, I would be able to finish up and do what I have planned.

I'll try that fishing line out David. I didn't even think about it. Ive used guitar strings in that fashion removing old weatherstrip.
 
Worst case is you'd have to use a scraper and end up scratching the tail light. Just sand and buff it just like you would a car's paint job and the light will look like new again.
 
This is what it looks like if you don't try hard enough to disperse the light. This was an INCREDIBLY cheap attempt to do something like azdave's Eclipse. Something like 150 5mm LEDs in a plexiglas mount. I no longer have the car, but I will be trying again on my GSX paying a little more attention to dispersing the light and using better LEDs. I will have to keep the name LumiLEDs in mind.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.
 
Support Vendors who Support the DSM Community
Boosted Fabrication ECM Tuning ExtremePSI Fuel Injector Clinic Innovation Products Jacks Transmissions JNZ Tuning Kiggly Racing Morrison Fabrications MyMitsubishiStore.com RixRacing RockAuto RTM Racing STM Tuned

Latest posts

Build Thread Updates

Vendor Updates

Latest Classifieds

Back
Top