Modding 89+ Tail light center to light up?
- Thread starter BorHor
- Start date
Be really careful with the heat thing....tried doing it with the side marker lights and we'll just say I'm glad I had bought a few sets to practice with.
Brian
Brian
I'm wondering what the lamp faiure module would do when it saw the increased draw from the center section lights?
I had to replace the lense on mine - I broke my original one (white trim) and got a replacement from a friend (gray trim). The glue was already starting to come off mine so I practiced on the broken one first. I was able to get the replacement lense off without breaking anything. WHEW!
Now I have my original - chipped - one to play with.
Now I have my original - chipped - one to play with.
So Borhor, did you end up getting the center lens off your JDM set? Did it have paint on the back or was it clear?
I'm currently looking into making LED tails and was wondering if it was worth the trouble to light up the center lens while I'm at it. Below are some rough photoshop images of how it might look. What do you guys think? Is lighting the center lens cool looking enough to bother?
With center light:
Stock, without:
I'm currently looking into making LED tails and was wondering if it was worth the trouble to light up the center lens while I'm at it. Below are some rough photoshop images of how it might look. What do you guys think? Is lighting the center lens cool looking enough to bother?
With center light:
Stock, without:
I was just thinking today of finshing this.. The back has some paint but LED's would shine right through. Since my car is down right now I might just finsh this idea in the next week.
if you wanna make it cheap and easy, use your USDM bulb holders, the ones with the wires for the rear side markers, and simply just move the wires to the center piece, and tape them..
they'll always be lit, but only when your parking/headlights are on..
also, it might look funny, considering the key hole's there...
they'll always be lit, but only when your parking/headlights are on..
also, it might look funny, considering the key hole's there...
looks good man
I thought about doing this but I talked myself out of it because I really don't need another project. But after looking at the photoshop I think I will have to do it. Only problem is that it brings on ANOTHER project, if I load the center piece with LEDs I'm going to HAVE to put LEDs on the outer lenses too. *sigh*...crap, I really don't need another project heh
EDIT: BTW there isn't any glue on the center piece. Just took mine apart. I'm assuming that people were talking about the outer lenses.
I thought about doing this but I talked myself out of it because I really don't need another project. But after looking at the photoshop I think I will have to do it. Only problem is that it brings on ANOTHER project, if I load the center piece with LEDs I'm going to HAVE to put LEDs on the outer lenses too. *sigh*...crap, I really don't need another project heh
EDIT: BTW there isn't any glue on the center piece. Just took mine apart. I'm assuming that people were talking about the outer lenses.
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Did some more photoshopping. I don't think the LEDs would be THIS apparent but it's kind of what I would like to shoot for. Also considering setting up the brake lights to light up like FC JDM tail lights, 2 round bright areas.
Wow, HT5, talented rendering there! That looks so cool I'm finding myself seriously looking into that full-bar-across look. Because I will be spacing the LED's, I would have enough room the put the amber ones in between to create the 3 bars on each side. Hmmm! Although the amber might mix with the red to make red-amber. I might have to build the circuit to make the some of the red ones go out when the turn signal is on, or simply just leave those areas dark like in your first image. Complicated stuff!
I think my project will have fewer, brighter LED's and they will be visible like your images above. After looking at some the latest high-end cars these days, that seems to be the trend and it looks more modern to me.
P.S. Someone on SF did the round LED's. It was a bit obscured by the built-in reflectors. You can see pics at the bottom of this thread: http://www.supraforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=252921
I think my project will have fewer, brighter LED's and they will be visible like your images above. After looking at some the latest high-end cars these days, that seems to be the trend and it looks more modern to me.
P.S. Someone on SF did the round LED's. It was a bit obscured by the built-in reflectors. You can see pics at the bottom of this thread: http://www.supraforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=252921
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bad design on Toyotas part putting that damn no good center peice there. 87-88 lights had the right idea. but that center piece on 89 up is ALWAYS a diffrent shade from the tailights and serves no purpose! putting lights in there IS an intresting concept but again... the entire rear light setup would have to blend smotthly together. THATS the hard part. the LED idea is there but it would seem almost blinding to some.
Hey u guys that are good with photoshop .... can u tinted the tail lights i m sure it would look pretty good
i m sure it would look pretty good
There is some that are a bit more dispersed and "tinted" I guess. Photoshop isn't really the best thing to make realistic lights.
Looking at the housings, it would be very tricky, but I've got some ideas on how to pull it off. I think the tint would only dim the lights slightly, but not diffuse them more than stock.
Pics below are from the Supraforums thread mentioned above. Tinted tails with 2 round LED's behind:
Pics below are from the Supraforums thread mentioned above. Tinted tails with 2 round LED's behind: