New Door Handle Idea

[DeanM45]

I was messing around with some SMD LEDs today, trying to find a use for them. Anyhow, I saw some car a while back that had the door handle pockets lit when the courtesy lights were on.

I am not finished yet but the concept works. Took a LONG time to get the door apart to get to the handle to run the wires but the other doors should not be as difficult now. The lights sit flat on the inside of the handle and are really not noticeable with the thin, rubber tube covering (to make everything weatherproof).

Might be "ricey" for some but I like to be different.

Let me know what you think!

Not too dark yet:


Darker outside now---there is no glare, all the light stays in the "pocket":


Front the top:

[splix]

I like it.

[GQM45s]

i was planning on doing something like this, so it would look like the new gen handles. You should do a DIY instructions so we can attempt as well. Great work!

[wingFeather]

Not bad!

[Minus (-)]

always innovative.....u ever saw this before?? http://www.autosignalparts.com/infiniti ... k3545.html

[DeanM45]

always innovative.....u ever saw this before?? http://www.autosignalparts.com/infiniti ... k3545.html

Haven't seen those before but I don't like that the change is visible when not being used (not lit up).

[DeanM45]

i was planning on doing something like this, so it would look like the new gen handles. You should do a DIY instructions so we can attempt as well. Great work!

When I do the other doors I will document.

[kingcnc91]

last thing this is is ricey.. my 05 745 had this

[DeanM45]

last thing this is is ricey.. my 05 745 had this

I plan on adding stickers shortly.

[wingFeather]

I agree that BMW's are ricey!

[06M4.5]

last thing this is is ricey.. my 05 745 had this

I plan on adding stickers shortly.

you get extra HP with stickers

[DeanM45]

last thing this is is ricey.. my 05 745 had this

I plan on adding stickers shortly.
you get extra HP with stickers

Horse powah

[TXT]

I have done this before on my old car. I think my biggest mistake was using very bright lights...5000mcd.

If i do this next i will go with perhaps 1500mcd.

Dean, once you get a DIY up, I'm going to make this happen.

Im pretty sure all I need is LEDs they sell on ebay that come with the correct resistor that will allow it to work on 12V system which I have done before.

As far as weatherproofing, i put heat shrink on both leads coming out of LED, then another tube of heat shrink over both. Had it installed for over a year and never had a problem until I took it off.

SMD are those flat LED's correct?

[DeanM45]

I have done this before on my old car. I think my biggest mistake was using very bright lights...5000mcd.

If i do this next i will go with perhaps 1500mcd.

Dean, once you get a DIY up, I'm going to make this happen.

Im pretty sure all I need is LEDs they sell on ebay that come with the correct resistor that will allow it to work on 12V system which I have done before.

As far as weatherproofing, i put heat shrink on both leads coming out of LED, then another tube of heat shrink over both. Had it installed for over a year and never had a problem until I took it off.

SMD are those flat LED's correct?

Correct, flat LEDs. The pictures are deceiving as these are not that bright (saturation from the exposure). These are rated at 2000mcd.

[kingcnc91]

don't know if you guys can read i said its not ricey

[DeanM45]

OK, camera SD card crapped out and did not save any of the install pictures. Next time I pull everything apart I will snap some. Phone cam worked just fine for the completed pictures. This all started because I wanted to add puddle lights to the bottom of the mirrors. So now, everything is complete.

Again, the light saturation makes them appear MUCH brighter than they actually are and give them kind of a blue tint. They are pure white (match the fogs and headlights ). To give an idea, I now have 30% tint all the way around. The light on the ground around the car with the puddle lights is perfect.

[TDot]

How did you deal with the window assembly on the front doors to gain access to the door handles? I need to do some work on the inside door panel?

[DeanM45]

Raise the window up until the bolts are in the access holes. Suction cups on the window to hold it in place, undo the bolts, lift the glass out. Not bad at all. Little nervous when I started but once you start it is all pretty straight forward. Then you can unbolt the inner door panel and pull everything out.

[The Bodyguard]

Not bad!

X2 different!!

[radigan]

I'm sorry, but that s*** is straight ghetto. Thats not a civic.

[DeanM45]

I'm sorry, but that s*** is straight ghetto. Thats not a civic.

Thanks for the opinion.

[N8NiTTY]

nice thought but i wouldn't do this to my M....just my opinion...

[jonlex99]

Dude looks good.. 05 and up Acura RL has the handle lights and most 06 and up Lexus's have the mirror lights not ricey at all. You all ways have haters..