Lighting the grille

[Brian]

I'd like the light the clear part of my grille so it looks like it"s illuminated with a uniform-intensity bar of light with a brightness comparable to that of the low beam headlights. (not like the grilles of certain Mercurys & GM cars: it's obvious they're lit by individual, not to mention dim, bulbs.) Scouring the local autoparts stores (and some websits), a 20" white StreetGlow OPTX interior accent neon rod was the best prospect I could find. That leaves a gap in lighting of a few inches on either side, but the next size up I could find, 36" under-car neons, are way too long. When I tested the bulb out by plugging it into the cigarette lighter, I was disappointed by its low brightness. I've seen bars of LEDs spaced about an inch or so apart, but I'm afraid they'd look like the individual lights they really are.

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY IDEAS?

Are there bars of white LED's packed side-by-side? If so where can I find them?

What if I'd use a household fuorescent tube fixture? What would I need to make that run of the correct voltage & amperage of an automotive electrical circuit?

[svxcess]

There used to be something on one of the Japanese SVX websites a while back about how someone did this. They were using high-intensity 12v bulbs. Unfortunately it is not there any longer.

I have seen long strings of closely packed LED's on various websites (60-80 LEDS) but they are available only in red.

But here is something I saved from that original Japanese SVX website. Click HERE

[87f383]

There is another car like that had a illuminated center "light". Its called a mercury...I don't even drive w/ the fog lights on for the sheer chance that some moron might mistake my car for a sable or some other peice of mercury crap. Or in simple terms, I think it would look like an early to mid 90's mercury.

[Mr. Pockets]

We had a member ask a couple years ago what the little box with a dial in his passenger footwell was. When he turned the knob, it didn't seem to do anything. He figured out eventually that it was a controller for KITT-like lights in the grille.

[petesvx2]

Originally posted by svxcess
There used to be something on one of the Japanese SVX websites a while back about how someone did this. They were using high-intensity 12v bulbs. Unfortunately it is not there any longer.

I have seen long strings of closely packed LED's on various websites (60-80 LEDS) but they are available only in red.

But here is something I saved from that original Japanese SVX website. Click HERE

That would be a good idea for someone in an ambulance or fire dept. Just change the colors to blue or green.

[b3lha]

m.messenger is the person to ask.

http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/show...threadid=15265

[phoenix96]

Originally posted by svxcess
There used to be something on one of the Japanese SVX websites a while back about how someone did this. They were using high-intensity 12v bulbs. Unfortunately it is not there any longer.

I have seen long strings of closely packed LED's on various websites (60-80 LEDS) but they are available only in red.

But here is something I saved from that original Japanese SVX website. Click HERE

That's interesting: that's my car and a video I made. I'm the one with the mysterious "Knight Rider" box which turned out to be a control module for the light bar in the front. You can see how the last LED on the driver side doesn't work. Here's a link to the original thread about it:

http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/show...&threadid=3617

[drivemusicnow]

Check out the link landshark posted about the angel eyes in the lambo doors post... a similar thing would work pretty well i would think, and allow you to make an outline... i think it would be really cool if you did it with a full outline of the curved shape... anyone up to trying it??

[Speedklix]

...just thought I'd add a little something since you are still thinking about it.

The mercury deal was just bad all around, but when there is no stupid plastic things to break up the light it doesn't look too bad.

In the end though I would probably go consistant.

[Speedklix]

...and another


Check my locker if you like it. The final product of the one I have in there step by step gives an aggressive look.

[Pure_Insanity8]

Hmm... not too bad. Much nicer with the curves as opposed to the Mercury and Grand Prix that had the really square looking ones. I still prefer the '97 color matched grille, though. Wonder if KITT style LEDs would work along the edge of the solid colored grille?

[ensteele]

Speedklix

It would help with your how to in your locker to include a file with directions and list the lights that you use.

[NomadTW]

electroluminsecent cable
www.streetglow.com

they're good people i know a lot of people that have been going through them for modifying computer cases for years, they were one of the first companies to make EL cable available
get it in white or yellow, the white will have a much more HID blue hue to it, the yellow might match the IC headlights better

Originally posted by NomadTW
electroluminsecent cable
www.streetglow.com

they're good people

Yes they are very good people... well most of em... haha.. i'm actualy a member there... if ya wanna look me up my Name is Sethro on that board...

P.S. I'm one of the good people

[SubaruSVXCrazy]

Originally Posted by Speedklix

...just thought I'd add a little something since you are still thinking about it.

The mercury deal was just bad all around, but when there is no stupid plastic things to break up the light it doesn't look too bad.

In the end though I would probably go consistant.

Thats nice but yellow. What did they use?