S14 LED Taillight Conversion

[YR240]

I have typed this in the Google search at least a 100 times and the only thing I have seen is the cheap looking eBay alteza knock offs. So, enough looking I am going to do this myself. I have 200 Bright White LEDS, an Extra set of Tails from the U-Pull-It, I am ready to do this!

First things First: Extra set of taillights. (why have just one when you can have two)

Now time to cook the lights, literally, throw those things in the oven at about 200 Degrees and wait 10 minuets. Once warm take a screw driver and start removing the lenses from the assemblies from the outside in. Sorry I don't have any pictures of this step yet.

Once done you have this Elmo was helping in this step.

Once apart I took a few LEDS and shined them at the lenses to get a feel of how it would look. I hated it. The lenses are not set up for LED in any way, but that is okay, nothing a little Sand paper cant fix. I took 80 grit Green sandpaper to the inside of the lenses to get the molded divots off. It will take some work, but it is turning out real nice. I will polish them after sanding them down with 200, 400, 600 1000wet. Divots

Sanded Divots

Once done the lenses will be tinted Red and completely see through.

I like simple, so I think What I will do is use the clear diffusers to hold the LEDS into place by Drilling or Laser Cutting the LED pattern into them, These are the clear diffusers:

This is the first pattern I have Started for the Lights, any suggestions in this area are welcome, with a picture of course.



That is all I have for now, more to come once the LEDS show up.
Modified by YR240 at 12:09 PM 9/8/2009

[AIRFORCEONE]

This is great, I was about to start my own led tail light project. Except I see you're doing circles, whereas I'm going to have connected proto boards with rows of leds. Just a quick suggestion, make sure your leds are around or above 15000mcd to provide sufficient lighting even in daytime. Keep this thread updated because I am interested in what you will do!

[goldfish]

Can't wait to see some finished pictures to see how these turn out

[Redevil]

^ you do realize that mcd rating means nothing basically and its just for marketing. What you want to look for is amperage and luminous output to give you an idea of how bright an led will be.

[duece.four.oh.sx]

this is going to be interesting no doubt about that.......

[SketchyRollin564]

thats badass! ive been waiting for sombody to do this on an s14

only thing is i woulda done rows instead of a circle, i dont think the circle will look right on that tail light design

[MAXIMUS Nismo]

This is awsome. I've seen other people with LED tails and I've been planning to do one myself. Issue is, I cannot find any spare tails for cheap around here.

I've been browsing a few conversion websites and reading up on the process.

Make sure to take tons of pics. This WILL become a great sticky/tutorial when you are done.

btw, I'm subscribing to this.

[Dittoz7]

[DrifterXRPS13]

but didn't you buy those ditto! for shame.

[numbnuts240]

actually, they came with the car. i don't know if that makes it better or worse

[Dittoz7]

Gotta Peel Girls Of My Car Every Stop!Ask TiTa!

[numbnuts240]

ever wonder why that only happens when i'm in the car?

[Dittoz7]

WTF You Where Blowing My Pipe!

[DrifterXRPS13]

the girsl only come over because they know you are driving me around bishes!

[Dittoz7]

It's A Physical Impossibility To Be Outside And Inside Me Caro.

Unless You And Tita Are Playing Possumed'd Bait Out My Moon Roof.

[DrifterXRPS13]

Never ever turn your back on teh possum, i can strike from anywhere at anytime!

[YR240]

I have 15000 MCD 40Deg White LEDs that will be going in the small holes and 10mm 120000MCD 40Deg Bright White LEDS that are going in the bigger holes.

By the way, 120000 MCD 40DEG = 45.7 Lumens15000MCD 40deg = 5.7 Lumens

There will be atleast 50 5.7 Lumen Bulbs and 15 46lumen bulbs in each section of the tails. If its not bright enough, I have some Cree superflux to supplement with.

Here is a Layout of the Lights, Red= Running Lights Yellow= Brakes

[ryan516]

looks like you`re going balls out with this!

gotta give you credit. i hope it looks good and clean. ill be waiting for finished product pictures

[Dammitboy]

I have 15000 MCD 40Deg White LEDs that will be going in the small holes and 10mm 120000MCD 40Deg Bright White LEDS that are going in the bigger holes.

The problem with white LED's shining through a red lens is that it will look pink.

[YR240]

I have tried Red, Blue, Ultraviolet, Yellow and White and am happiest with white. Red does not show up very well, something about the attenuation of the Red lenses and bulbs, the rest of the colors excluding Ultraviolet are extremely dim coming trough. Ultraviolet is by far the brightest, and pinkest of the choices. I didn't notice much pink with the white lights, the original incandescent bulb emits soft white, which could be considered 30:70 Yellow:White at 32 Lumens running/ 800Lumens breaking.

[Dammitboy]

Most oem lighting now uses an LED called Lumileds Superflux.

Try Red/Orange superflux LED's. Much brighter then plain red superflux.


Modified by Dammitboy at 12:54 PM 3/6/2009

[Justin_K]

Trust us. You will want to use the Lumileds Red/Orange. I've tried all different kinds too but in the end I only use those. Both Dammitboy and I have done LED conversions and we know what we're talking about. I can't speak for Dammitboy but I know that my tail lights using the Lumileds are definitely brighter than the stock bulbs. Of course this is your project and if you just prefer the color and brightness of the LEDs you have now go for it. I just don't want you to end up wasting as much money as I did trying all of the different types of LEDs before finally getting the Lumileds.

[C3Sierra_S2000]

Why use seperate LEDs for brake and run? Why not fill it with the larger brighter LEDs and run them at half voltage for run lights and full voltage for brakes and turn. I have this exact same setup on my Harley and it works great. The modules to do this are already built and are fairly cheap.

[AIRFORCEONE]

Most oem lighting now uses an LED called Lumileds Superflux.

Try Red/Orange superflux LED's. Much brighter then plain red superflux.

Modified by Dammitboy at 12:54 PM 3/6/2009

Yeah superflux are much nicer than regular leds but they are also more expensive. You have to remember we are 240 owners

[YR240]

Okay, I laser Cut just a piece of ABS plastic to see what it would look like and installed three very low powered LEDS.

Lights on

Does anyone want to post up some ideas for Light Patters other than straight lines? I may just use it.

[AIRFORCEONE]

perhaps maybe diagonal lines? similar to this:



You'd have to space them out far enough to get the diagonal look instead of maybe the line look if they are too close together.

[Joshkl]

dude hella yea. ive been waiting for this forever. you are truly and inspiration. thanks.

now finish it.

[E7-S14]

is there not an easier way to do this?other than buying the ebay one

[Xdisaster240sX]

^ WOW...Slammed, you really need to make your sig ALOT smaller. Holy s***!

[YR240]

Sorry I have been taking so long, Work, training, excuse #3, excuse #4...etc, has kept me busy, but I finally managed to get the lenses polished and the final layout of the lights. Hopefully in the next 3 weeks or so I will have time to wire the lights up. I switched from the basic LEDs to some nice bright Highflux Lumileds that are red/orange and Amber ones for the turn signals. Thanks for the suggestion.

Blurry, Thank you cellphone. Nice and shiny. I still have some edge clean up to do.

Led Reflector and arrangement

Suggestion if you ever attempt to polish the bumpies off a lenses, don't push to hard, you will crack them like I did. Its not to bad but if I was a perfectionist I would be mad. This is the first attempt, next time.