Light Up Center Grille

[McTaff]

Originally posted in the Down Under forums, under "Giggle"...



...You like?

...You want?

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Generally it's a simply process, but we are still playing with different equipment. Once we get it finalised I'll edit this post to include the how-to.
We might see if it's worth making up kits and instructions, and send you all the stuff you need to make it work. Might be good for folks to simply have the whole lot mailed to them so they don't have a headache. (How much will that cost? No idea.)
Alternatively, we are happy to modify one if you send it to us. All we need is your centre grille, and we'll charge you for parts, postage and a bit extra to pay for the beer we drink while we do it. (How much will that cost? No idea.)

If you're interested in a kit or for us to do the work, just say so right here in this thread. I'll find out how much I can get the parts for and see how people want it. We aren't trying to make a millions off this or anything, as we'll post up the how-to, we will just give you the option.

Either way, I'm aiming to have this hit the sub-$100 mod list.
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Also, if anyone has a "Smallcar" style grille they'd like to 'spice up' (i.e. not OEM, I mean one of the aftermarket mesh style grilles), I'd like to have a go at a light up Subaru badge to fit in it. Would be good on a car that has no bonnet/hood badge. Will do it at cost plus postage (and beer money). Given the hardware I would use in making it, this could cost more than twenty bucks depending on what I can get to fit, and if you don't mind me cutting holes in it. It won't be too bright, I'll aim to light it up enough to be noticed but not shine extremely bright (for potential legality reasons).

[bheinen74]

i really love the center lamp / cyclops light in my BRAT. I suppose I might be interested in the supplies to do this to mine. Would you sell the complete kit in something we could retro fit on our own.

[subeman90]

I like the full light up effect (I might do it too). I'm surprised nobody called it a Mercury.

[McTaff]

Originally Posted by bheinen74

i really love the center lamp / cyclops light in my BRAT. I suppose I might be interested in the supplies to do this to mine. Would you sell the complete kit in something we could retro fit on our own.

Indeed, that would be the plan. It does involve some careful drilling and modification. As I said, this isn't a profit-maker, we'll just be aiming to provide the kits at cost + postage + six pack if the parts are hard to come by.

I don't know how easy it is to get the components we are using in the US. In reality, there are very few parts - and if they are readily available in the US there would be no point me sending them to you from Australia.

Once we get a reliable mounting going, then we will bring the whole thing online to show you how it is done.

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Edit to add: I'm currently posted away from where I work on the car. This will take a while.

[McTaff]

Hokay,

Thanks to another member who has patiently sent us a spare grille, I can now state that the first aim (a working production process for me to work on them) has been unveiled.

For Australians: We'll just get it done for you.
You send us your grille, we will put the light source in, plug it all up and have it sent back to you. Assume around three weeks to work on the unit and have it back to you from the time we receive it. Cost is A$75 plus postage (should be around A$10 within AussieLand). We are doing this at next to cost, and we have to modify to fit your grille so sending you a kit isn't as well worth as having it done for you. All you need to do is re-attach the grille, run the wires to your fuse and then into the cabin and however you want to switch it.

For Americans: We are still working on sending the 'kit form'.
Due to the modification of the light source itself, it's hard to provide the exact parts as everyone has different tools. There is some modification of the light source to be done and some mesing with the grille. Luckily, I know someone in Hawaii that might be able to transfer the modified parts very cheaply, however it'll be several months until we can sort that - and you'll have only USPS postage to pay for. This is all still speculation, however.

Still happy to do the same thing (i.e. you send to us, we mod, and send back), but it'll be most cost-effective for surface mail, which means a long time to post. I will eventually get a sneaky quote when I send the first unit out when I get to the post office, to give you guys an idea. Note prices are A$, not US$ (which works out 'less' in American Pesos.)

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Expressions of interest are welcome and encouraged, actual orders can be paid via direct deposit in Aus and I'll look into PayPal as well for the Americans. My username mctaff is my gmail account address, so flick me an email and introduce yourself and we can get the ball rolling!

[BRADY]

I love it mate! I want it! How bright is it?

To my American cousins - we were not cursed with the Mercury down under. The SVX would be the only car on the road in Australia at least with an illuminated centre grill. (to the best of my knowledge)



Now, whereabouts is country Vic are you? I just did a whirlwind tour of there with my band! Sorry I missed you.

Mike

[SVXMAN2001]

I like the idea, but is this possible with LED's, thinking of something similar to the new audi's.

[svxcess]

Originally Posted by SVXMAN2001

I like the idea, but is this possible with LED's, thinking of something similar to the new audi's.

That is what I did. I used a white LED scanning module to achieve the same thing. Available on ebay HERE

See my post HERE or search the SVX Grille Lights thread.

The scanner bar has over 20 different patterns but you can select the one you prefer and it will stay that way until you change it. In the video, the pattern is full bright (at 2:48 into the video) This is the one I use on a regular basis. A non-flashing, non-moving pattern is perfectly legal.

It is connected directly to the battery and gets 12V all the time. Power is controlled by a wireless transmitter so I can turn it on or off at will. Voltage use was infinitesimal; less than 1/100th of a volt over an 8-hour period of running off the battery with the car off.







Pure white lighting (5000-6000K), needs only a 5/8" hole in each side of the grille and completely invisible through the grille when not illuminated

They compliment my HIDs very well and put out a lot of light. If you are using normal halogens, the method in this thread would yiels a more desirable color match


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[svxcess]

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One thing I found after lighting the grille was any defect in the curved black portion of the grille (in front of the honeycomb) shows up dramatically. Thin areas of black paint and small road chips let unwanted light peek through.

Although my grille was pristine to the eye prior to this mod, when I lit it at night it looked like a starry sky. I masked off the grille and put several coats of satin black over it tp fill the chips and the uneven areas.

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[NikFu S.]

So neat.

[McTaff]

We are using an LED array to do it, that's our light source. It doesn't quite fit, hence the modifications. It doesn't "scan".

They aren't forward pointing beams or anything - but it's reasonably bright. Hard to quantify, but suffice to say you can't drive at night with just this on.

It is a 12V light source, all you need to to is wire it up. I suggest it's own fuse, and having a seperate toggle switch that automatically shuts off when the ignition is switched off (just like your rear defroster works).

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I will try to take more pictures (as those pics were taken almost a year ago) and post them up once I have the car back on the road.