Any led tail'ed 3rd gens?
Any led tail'ed 3rd gens?
I was wondering if any one has made a set of led tails at all for the 3rd gen? If not i am going to led my newly acquired 91 SE. Once done i would be willing to make a couple sets of boards for people. I will post pics once done.
I've wanted to LED my tail lights, but I have no idea how I would. It was something I really wanted to get into, but I never found enough info about the circuit boards and what not. Could you possibly make a write-up for the dare-devils in the forums? Or would that take up too much business?
There isn't too much of a secret on how to do it, if you have electronics experience.
It does, however, involve soldering some relatively small circuitry, and building votage regulation. Not as simple as just getting a bag full of red Radioshack LEDs and some perfboard.
You need the boards, LEDs, voltage regulators, and you need electronic flashers and PWM controllers for brakes/signals to work.
Here's a good write up for a nissan Pulsar
http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=35557
It does, however, involve soldering some relatively small circuitry, and building votage regulation. Not as simple as just getting a bag full of red Radioshack LEDs and some perfboard.
You need the boards, LEDs, voltage regulators, and you need electronic flashers and PWM controllers for brakes/signals to work.
Here's a good write up for a nissan Pulsar
http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=35557
OK well i should have the tails off the car next weekend since i have to drive it all week. As far as a write up, there are a ton on www.hidplanet.com/forums just go there and do some reading and research.
moral of the story.... wide-angle rocks! but don't just do them for the red... do them for all!
and I buy...maybe
i WOULD offer the type i'm making for sale except they are going to be INCREDIBLY time-intensive and I don't know if I can do but like, 4 sets a year, if that, plus you'd have to source taillight housings too since it's for 89-91 tails only and would use both GXE and SE tails.
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,355
From: Surrey, B.C
Contrary to what someone said in another reverse-light thread recently to the effect of (why bother with reverse lights? if the car is backing up, that's how you know they're backing up" but when you're checking your mirrors and gauges and looking around as any alert driver should, and when your car is moving and going over speedbumps and stuff.... it's not always easy to spot a car that's backing up slowly with burned-out backup lights. Plus it takes most drivers 1-2 seconds to move once in reverse, and 1 or 2 seconds of heads-up can save lives.
moral of the story.... wide-angle rocks! but don't just do them for the red... do them for all!
moral of the story.... wide-angle rocks! but don't just do them for the red... do them for all!
me likey wide angle stuff. there's a few cars, like the 09 Max, where you can literally see the reverse and turnsignal lights for MORE than 180 degrees.. rather than, say, a 1995 Grand Cherokee where the bulbs are blocked off from the side and you have to be 1 car away from it in a parking lot to notice it's about to back up. and if they are parked next to a bigger SUV and you can sorta see them but they can't see you.... well, wide-angle lights and LEDs are a nice thing to have. Contrary to what someone said in another reverse-light thread recently to the effect of (why bother with reverse lights? if the car is backing up, that's how you know they're backing up" but when you're checking your mirrors and gauges and looking around as any alert driver should, and when your car is moving and going over speedbumps and stuff.... it's not always easy to spot a car that's backing up slowly with burned-out backup lights. Plus it takes most drivers 1-2 seconds to move once in reverse, and 1 or 2 seconds of heads-up can save lives.
moral of the story.... wide-angle rocks! but don't just do them for the red... do them for all!
moral of the story.... wide-angle rocks! but don't just do them for the red... do them for all!
I really meant that in a way that you cannot always rely on people to make sure that the bulbs were working. Backup lights and brake lights are not useless, but I think that you cannot rely on them alone. You cannot see side viewable reverse lights if the vehicle comes into view. (Maybe due to an SUV or truck covering up the car's backside) We all hope they backup about 2 mph.
I see your point but that is only in the "I care about other people cars, so I'll make sure my lights are intact" world. I've seen people without brake lights and taillights, and one car that seems like they have a miswired because the middle brake light goes off when the person braked and stay on when the person gassed. I rather drive behind the latter.
But to be back on topic, those LED's configuration isn't my cup of tea.
And did someone revealed their secret LED project? (You know who you are)
Hey!!!
I really meant that in a way that you cannot always rely on people to make sure that the bulbs were working. Backup lights and brake lights are not useless, but I think that you cannot rely on them alone. You cannot see side viewable reverse lights if the vehicle comes into view. (Maybe due to an SUV or truck covering up the car's backside) We all hope they backup about 2 mph.
I see your point but that is only in the "I care about other people cars, so I'll make sure my lights are intact" world. I've seen people without brake lights and taillights, and one car that seems like they have a miswired because the middle brake light goes off when the person braked and stay on when the person gassed. I rather drive behind the latter.
But to be back on topic, those LED's configuration isn't my cup of tea.
And did someone revealed their secret LED project? (You know who you are)
I really meant that in a way that you cannot always rely on people to make sure that the bulbs were working. Backup lights and brake lights are not useless, but I think that you cannot rely on them alone. You cannot see side viewable reverse lights if the vehicle comes into view. (Maybe due to an SUV or truck covering up the car's backside) We all hope they backup about 2 mph.
I see your point but that is only in the "I care about other people cars, so I'll make sure my lights are intact" world. I've seen people without brake lights and taillights, and one car that seems like they have a miswired because the middle brake light goes off when the person braked and stay on when the person gassed. I rather drive behind the latter.
But to be back on topic, those LED's configuration isn't my cup of tea.
And did someone revealed their secret LED project? (You know who you are)
So I dropped off some cores at kzoosho's on Thursday and got LEDed while there...he is awesome! I got around to taking some pictures of my car today after watching a movie and here they are. Cant wait to see the 3rd gen lights with LEDS
Sorry they all look the same, they were the best ones since it was dark and I didnt have a tripod
Sorry they all look the same, they were the best ones since it was dark and I didnt have a tripod
Alright so this thread seems like a dud... here's what I've got done in about 5 minutes just messing around. I would like to encourage those handy with photo editting software to tinker with pics of their cars and LED pattern designs. Who knows perhaps all the "blueprints" can be ready for someone to take on the task in the near future. Here's what I can up with...nothing perfect as it took about 5 minutes but its an idea
Alright so this thread seems like a dud... here's what I've got done in about 5 minutes just messing around. I would like to encourage those handy with photo editting software to tinker with pics of their cars and LED pattern designs. Who knows perhaps all the "blueprints" can be ready for someone to take on the task in the near future. Here's what I can up with...nothing perfect as it took about 5 minutes but its an idea
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 28
From: asheville, nc
So I dropped off some cores at kzoosho's on Thursday and got LEDed while there...he is awesome! I got around to taking some pictures of my car today after watching a movie and here they are. Cant wait to see the 3rd gen lights with LEDS
Sorry they all look the same, they were the best ones since it was dark and I didnt have a tripod
Sorry they all look the same, they were the best ones since it was dark and I didnt have a tripod
that is one hot ride
