LED Tail Light Idea *PIC*

[Nayr747]

Ok, I'm trying to create LED tail lights similar to the G35 coupe or the new BMW 3 series. Here's a photoshoped pic I did of how I would try to do them.

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My plan is to get some chrome altezzas, take out the three round reflectors, fill the holes and make it smooth, chrome the whole thing, then put some LED strips like these in there http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=20706&item=4387359146&rd=1 and finally candy red the outside.

I have some questions though. How do the LED tails, like on the G35, change from normal intensity to bright when braking? Are there more LEDs that light up or does the brightness of the LEDs change? Any other tips or sugestions would be appreciated.

 

[Six97GST]

Hey, I plan on doing a really similar project this summer with my tails, to go with the HID/LED headlights. I know the G35 tails have LEDs with increased intensity during braking. I think this is done with resistors. An easier way might be to have 3 or so LED strips for regular brake lighting, and 3 more that light up for the braking function. Just an idea. The LED forum at hidplanet.com is a good source for this kind of stuff.

 

[EclipseGSX012]

Hey, I plan on doing a really similar project this summer with my tails, to go with the HID/LED headlights. I know the G35 tails have LEDs with increased intensity during braking. I think this is done with resistors. An easier way might be to have 3 or so LED strips for regular brake lighting, and 3 more that light up for the braking function. Just an idea. The LED forum at hidplanet.com is a good source for this kind of stuff.

man Six97GST i love your car so much!!! i wish i had money to make my car like yours but different color!!! it will be sick if you do the LEDs for your rear end!!! up for you man!

 

[Nayr747]

I have to agree with EclipseGSX012, you car is one of the ones that made me stick to getting silver after 2 years of searching. You've really done a nice job on it.

Thanksfor that forum, I'll check it out. I want it to look as profesional as possible so if I could get the LEDs to do different intesities, I would rather do that. But if it's a pita I'll go for the extra braking LEDs. I'm also wondering how it will look during the day and night. Aftermarket LED tails always have the LED sunken into a little reflector. I wonder how it will look with them just sitting on top. Another idea I was thinking about was using the angle eye ring effect but changing it into a line. Kinda like what you have in your headlights. I would do a couple horrizontal lines like that. Hopefully it would look similar to BMW 5 series tail lights.

 

[gsxeclipsed]

You guys have some awesome ideas. I really would like to see some of this stuff come to life. If you do it try to do a write up on it cuz i have been wanting to make some custom tails cuz all the euro's suck.

 

[Six97GST]

I have to agree with EclipseGSX012, you car is one of the ones that made me stick to getting silver after 2 years of searching. You've really done a nice job on it.

Thanksfor that forum, I'll check it out. I want it to look as profesional as possible so if I could get the LEDs to do different intesities, I would rather do that. But if it's a pita I'll go for the extra braking LEDs. I'm also wondering how it will look during the day and night. Aftermarket LED tails always have the LED sunken into a little reflector. I wonder how it will look with them just sitting on top. Another idea I was thinking about was using the angle eye ring effect but changing it into a line. Kinda like what you have in your headlights. I would do a couple horrizontal lines like that. Hopefully it would look similar to BMW 5 series tail lights.

Thanks man.

I like the effect that those 5 series lights have. I have noticed that those horizontal light "tubes" are only used as regular lighting and not as the braking/turning function. This is probably because the tubes are difficult to see lit up during the day, much like angel eyes, so you would still need a secondary lighting source for you turning/braking to be safe.

I think the hardest part will be making it look oem and not just like you threw some LED boards in the tail lamp. The best way I can think of is finding small shrouds you can use around each LED to make it flush with the housing.

 

[Nayr747]

After reading a bunch of posts on hidplanet.com, this seems a lot harder than I though it would be. I'm going to have to do a lot of reading and planning if I'm going to do it right so it will probly be a while before I attempt anything. A couple of new thoughts I've had while reading: I could try to use the inside of some stock LED tail lights and just mold them into mine. Then I wouldn't have the problem of having the LEDs just sitting on top with no reflector etc and maybe I could use their LED boards so I wouldn't have to rig it all up myself. Dont know if they would work on an eclipse though. Another idea I had was to make a thick mold for the inside of the tails and drill bowl shaped divits in it. Then drill a tiny hole in the middle of each one for the LED to stick though.

 

[EclipseGSX012]

hey guys i been on couple fourms to look for parts and i think i found what you guys were looking for. the user name is azdave at 2gnt.com and this link will help you guys alot. http://www.rcaz.com/rcaz/sub indexes/eclipsecenterlight/index.htm it was created by azdave.

wish you guys luck

 

[Talesin]

Dangit, and here I was following along in hopes of modifying the hack to work with a 1G. ;D

 

[Nayr747]

Yeah, that's the guy's posts I was reading on hidplanet.com. If you go there and look for his post it details everything he did with videos too. He set it up so he could make it flash and do all sorts of other stuff. That guy is insane.