Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: LED tail light project finally moving ahead... (Read 4336 times) previous topic - next topic

LED tail light project finally moving ahead...

The LED tail light project is finally underway again. A brief history: I've wanted to do this mod for years. I drew up a concept picture about four years ago, but never did anything with the idea:

 About a year ago Crystal sent me a pair of tail lights out of her defunct TC (I did not want to wreck the only pair I had, which were on my car). When I got those housings, in a fit of unbridled ambition I took 'em apart and cut out the red lenses with a dremel:
 

 
Then the project went on hold for several moths. Finally, today, I decided to work on it a bit more and actually got a light module done:
 

 

 
I was originally planning on using 100 superbight LED's per module, but that proved to be too many (too bright) so I settled on 55. I also decided against the blue dot - no point in attracting unwanted attention. Now I only need to make up five more red ones and two white ones (the white ones will have 100 LED's each and will be square), then put it all together, and then finally I will have the coolest (both literally and figuratively) tail lights on any 87-88 Bird :D
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

Re: LED tail light project finally moving ahead...

Reply #1 –
Sweet project man but just a thought,truckers use those round led modules on there trailers and for tailights,would the modules fit in the holes that you made?

Re: LED tail light project finally moving ahead...

Reply #2 –
I hope you get them done by my birthday, because I honestly couldn't think of a better gift. ;)

Re: LED tail light project finally moving ahead...

Reply #3 –
That's very impressive man.. way to go!

Re: LED tail light project finally moving ahead...

Reply #4 –
Quote from: dominator
Sweet project man but just a thought,truckers use those round led modules on there trailers and for tailights,would the modules fit in the holes that you made?

I thought about those truck lights, but at $40-$60 apiece it would be a very expensive proposition. Pllus each of the three holes are actually a different size in these cars (the one pictured is the smallest). Besides, I wanted to do it my way :D These lights will go back together in the stock housings and mount just like stock lights.
 
Oh, and each LED has to be angled down due to the slant of the tail lights, otherwise they would point into the sky. Truck lights point straight ahead, so the only one that woould see 'em would be airplane pilots :crazy:
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

Re: LED tail light project finally moving ahead...

Reply #5 –
nice project. very impresive. have you thought about doin LED's for the 3rd brake light?

20006 Ford Fusion SE

Re: LED tail light project finally moving ahead...

Reply #6 –
They look awesome specially with the sequencials, when will the kit be ready for marketing?:)

Re: LED tail light project finally moving ahead...

Reply #7 –
plus, the trucks use ones with less, larger LED's

very good looking dude
It's Gumby's fault.

Re: LED tail light project finally moving ahead...

Reply #8 –
I've already got an LED lamp module for the third brake light (it was actually a Federal Signal LED police light designed for Crown Vic third brake light housing), I've just gotta install it.

The LED tails will feature built-in sequencers, of course :D But don't hold your breath waiting for me to start selling 'em - the amount of work involved coupled with the total lack of cores (tail light housings) available around here would make them hella expensive. Hell, it took me three hours to make that one lamp module (though I was making it up as I go - the next five will go much faster).
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

Re: LED tail light project finally moving ahead...

Reply #9 –
Nice work, Carm.
Maybe we can share ideas on how to illuminate the panel on my '96. If we can come up with a plan, you could sell the kits on tccoa and make some money.
I was thinking of EL panels, but I don't think they would be bright enough. I'm worried that LEDs will create "hot spots" on the panel. It's very shallow.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

Re: LED tail light project finally moving ahead...

Reply #10 –
Zach: By "hot spots", do you mean heat? If so that's not a concern as LED's run very cool. If you mean bright spots, about the only way I can think of around this is to get "inverted cone" LED's that throw the light back toward the base. If you did this and painted the base in a reflective color you should get a nice, evenly lit back panel. This is assuming that you can separate the red lens from the base in the first place...

The late T-Birds with backlit panels used a row of LED's along the bottom pointing straight up, but the optics in those are likely different than the Cougar.
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

Re: LED tail light project finally moving ahead...

Reply #11 –
By hot spots I mean bright circular sections on the panel.
I once rigged up my own 12v light bulb in a burned-up EL coach lamp about six years ago. The center of the Cougar head was very, very bright. It was obvious there was a light bulb in there.
I was able to cut out a circle of plastic from a jewel case and scuff it up with sandpaper. This diffused the light much better (along with the factory diffuser plate).

Using LEDs from the T-Bird panel isn't really an option. They're very unreliable and always in high demand.
I've always messed around with LEDs in the past, but I've never seen the "inverted cone" LEDs. Very cool stuff!
I can recall mooching the cheap red LEDs from christmas toys and decorations back in the day, then wiring them up to a model car or something.
Recently, I've worked with the bright "SMT technology" LEDs, which are clear in their off-state. I was thinking about using those for a panel.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

Re: LED tail light project finally moving ahead...

Reply #12 –
Here ya go: Inverted cone LED's
 
When I get to the cutom cluster project I'll be using inverted cone LED's for backlighting.
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣
 

Re: LED tail light project finally moving ahead...

Reply #13 –
I was thinkin about doing something like this but with the new led brake lights found in most tractor trailers now. keep us posted

Re: LED tail light project finally moving ahead...

Reply #14 –
Zach, if you want me to, i could possibly find you the LEDs fron a 96-97, which are the better years for the LED's, theyre in and out of the junkyads, and if the lenses are broken, i dont mind yanking apart, the ones that are in good shape are worth too much money
It's Gumby's fault.