VP Tail light idea!!!

[Troyziee]

g'dai guys,
ive got a 92 VP calais, and like majority of VN VP owners have probs with faded or rear tail lights not working, ive been thinking of solutions to try and fix this, unfortunatly VP calais tail lights are unavailable brand new,

though i've thought of an idea to get good brake lights plus help give it a modern update, as all the new cars these days have LED tail lights, iv thought about wiring up sets of LEDs and placing them in the tail lights, wondering if any1 has done this to and older model commo. or no if its possible and/or easy??

cheers

[kowan]

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/1157-BAY15D-2...QQcmdZViewItem

a pair (2x) of 1157 BAY15D (double contact) 24 LED replacement bulbs for tail/brake lights. Available in WHITE or RED

These LED's are a must for any vehicle. Fits vehicles which use 12V - simply remove the old filament bulb and plug with these LED's and compare!!

Each bulb consist of 2 layers - 18 on the top, 6 on the bottom.

Replaces:

Tail/Brake light - when the brakes are applied the LEDs get brighter.


Benefits of LED over Filament bulbs:

Colour never fades
Greater Life span
Low power consumption
Shock & Vibration Resistant
Low Heat Generation
Quicker On/Off response times
Wide angle

[Troyziee]

have u bought these Kowan?? if so any good, or any pics would b great!!

although its not really wat I had in mind as the reason my tail lights do not always work is because the terminal that makes contact with the bulb doesnt always make correct contact, hence y with the LEDs i would connect them str8 in2 the wiring, rather than sliding in2 the terminal

[kowan]

that would make it hard to replace the bulbs.

No I havnt bought any led bulbs yet....click on that URL and see the pictures

[1991_Vn2nV]

Nah they look shit.

Theres a thread on here about them. They're too centered. It just shows a blob of light rather than filling the actual area of the tail light like normal globes. Its because the light is aimed straight out...

An actual LED setup would be MUCH better.

[Troyziee]

ye thanks for that Vn2nV, confirmed what i was thinking,
any idea how hard the LED set up would b 2 make, ie: with the 2 stage light, for tail lights then braking light on top, resistors and so forth, as mentioned id like 2 go str8 in2 the wiring, rather than using the old buggered globe socket

[1991_Vn2nV]

Oh and I forgot to mention, Dick Smith sell those LED globes as well.

I dont really know how the 2 stage light thing would work...

But if you take the tail light apart, just using the black plastic and somehow layer them like this.... Is this what you mean?

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
W W W W W O O O O O O O O O O O O O
W W W W W O O O O O O O O O O O O O
W W W W W O O O O O O O O O O O O O
......................O O O O O O O O O O O O O
......................O O O O O O O O O O O O O
......................O O O O O O O O O O O O O


W being the Reverse Light and the blank spaces being the reflector... I reckon it would look good! But maybe run some more LED' around the outside where the rest of the red is, hooked up to the tail lights.

[Troyziee]

lol ye nice diagram, ill take it apart nxt week wen iv got sum time,

mayb i should just buy sum of the 2 stage globes, and c if i can take them appart myself and use the resistors and watever else it has in it to make it 2-stage, and then spread the LEDs accross the inside of the plastic.

[JSTPOZN]

i tried it. the leds dont light up brighter at night when parkers are on.

[1991_Vn2nV]

lol ye nice diagram, ill take it apart nxt week wen iv got sum time,

mayb i should just buy sum of the 2 stage globes, and c if i can take them appart myself and use the resistors and watever else it has in it to make it 2-stage, and then spread the LEDs accross the inside of the plastic.

Thats an idea.... And I thought my diagram was killer

[Keesh]

the problem with the new ve LED lights is theyve been blowing up.. weve had to recall 5 hsvs to replace the right hand rear tail lamp

[Troyziee]

just thought id put a bit of an update here as to what im doin,

ive looked around at the 2-stage led globes n theyll cost bout 20-30 buks for tha 2, and i spoke 2 the guys at jaycar and he ran me through all that would b needed to make these lights (these will look better as they will b on a board or circuit, so they will extend accros the whole light lense)
and it works out cheaper, mayb tha same, depends wat strenght LEDs u go.

but he said the 2-stage is easy done, and i should b doin measurments of tha tailights so i can go buy all tha stuff and get started on them. : )

[hakhawk]

theres a guy on another forum has done this, looks brilliant, he used holed mesh aluminium to put the leds in, can curve it properly and gives even coverage.

[JSTPOZN]

loooks so ugly imo..

wouldnt it be nice to have transperant len's on your headlights...hmm..

[FXST01]

theres a guy on another forum has done this, looks brilliant, he used holed mesh aluminium to put the leds in, can curve it properly and gives even coverage.

They look sh1t hot

[padrickz88]

theres a guy on another forum has done this, looks brilliant, he used holed mesh aluminium to put the leds in, can curve it properly and gives even coverage.

i want them bad :O.... hahaha they should make some like that

[hakhawk]

might have to add up what itll cost to make a set. will be pretty easy to make up.

[Troyziee]

hakhawk, that bloke isnt on just commodores at all??

cause thats wat i was looking to do, although i was goin to use tha circuit board tha guy at jaycar had, though id forgot about tha curve, so that may be better.

i would love it if u had that guys contact details so i can ask afew questions about it,
cause i really want 2 design these and make them a really good job, so-as im not driving around like a tosser with faded/not working vn/vp taillights anymore !!!!!!!!!!

also anychance u no whether his used red or white LEDs in tha red sections, as iv thought about buyin red, but not sure if itll give tha right look, with red shinning through tha red plastic....?

[hakhawk]

he hasnt got his email address on the site, but his username is exchaser308, and his cardomain page is http://www.cardomain.com/ride/609818 if that helps, hes using all white leds for it.

[SIG-054]

lol

why bother about the led's... waste of money inmy opinion.

just get exec lights and get the stripes plastic chromed.

[hakhawk]

some people like to be different, have different tastes, if i had a sedan, id go the led ones in an instant.

[JSTPOZN]

this is something diffrent...

unique hahaha

[1991_Vn2nV]

I reckon it looks awesome!

[Troyziee]

Veeps calais. if i do the LEDs i will be buying a new set of lights and puttin tha chrome on them, but because they will b brand new lights, i dont want gay old globes in them, i want to modernise them abit. plus my looms that the globes sit in are the buggered bit that is causing tha lights to not work sometimes, so this way ill jus go str8 into tha wiring.

and any chance you no of a place that does plastic chroming? anyone? (im in melbourne) otherwise i was jus gona get a signage guy 2 make chrome strips n stik em on, but id rather chrome.

and cheers to hakhawk for tha help!!

[JSTPOZN]

Just go to a electroplator they wll have the tape to go on...

they do it for vl calais lights in chrome too...

dont worry about veeps calais he has faded calais lights himself...