midlifecrisis
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Let's put in all in perspective. I think people who put aftermarket brakes on are running a higher risk (myself included) than the OP @alastairb changing light bulbs...
Custom LED Rear Lights - DIY Project
- Thread starter alastairb
- Start date
Ewan
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I’d not be surprised if these homemade jobs do not end up better (faster reacting, brighter, more reliable, etc) than those on many of my personal factory-spec cars, such as both Masers, the Landie, the Aston, the Ferrari, the Lambo and the Westfield. Only my Rangie, Porsche, Volvo and Audi have decent lights.
There have certainly been good advances in lighting. In my experience, the newer the car, the better the lights. (Obviously excluding the 3200 boomerangs - undoubtedly the coolest rear lights ever.)
Interestingly (maybe!), when specing my new Rangie, choosing the most expensive lights (on the assumption they are the best) was one of the very few extras I ticked. Whether they are actually any better than the cheaper options I’ve no idea, but I hope so. Or am I just a sucker!?
There have certainly been good advances in lighting. In my experience, the newer the car, the better the lights. (Obviously excluding the 3200 boomerangs - undoubtedly the coolest rear lights ever.)
Interestingly (maybe!), when specing my new Rangie, choosing the most expensive lights (on the assumption they are the best) was one of the very few extras I ticked. Whether they are actually any better than the cheaper options I’ve no idea, but I hope so. Or am I just a sucker!?
happydaze
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I've taken an even safer option, by not driving a Trabant at any time...I am pretty sure an after market LED light conversion will make my East German Trabant a lot safer to drive at night, but I take the safest option of not driving it after dark, if at all
midlifecrisis
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I can concur, when the first domestic LED lamps appeared on the market they simply threw out light forward and appeared as spots within a large lamp fitting with a reflector.
We fitted those types into wig-wags (runway guard lights) on the airfield and they were harder to see during the day. Older incandescent lamps had a lot of light hitting the reflector and so appeared larger. At the time, LED's only benefit was cutting the amount of times you had to change the lamp, it's initial cost was around £20 a unit!
Technology and the lamps improved to what we have today in homes, same, if not more, lumens but lower power. However there's now bespoke LED fittings for Runway Guard Lights with no reflector at all, just an array of LEDs similar to what Maserati started with the 3200 and I detect what the OP will achieve.
A change for the good. I await the result.
Scaf
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You are not wrong - but it is slightly safer than riding a bike, albeit no faster and possibly slower
philw696
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Brilliant the work will start flooding in.
Next step a Shop on AliExpress.
The World is your Oyster.
This time next year Rodney well you know the rest
ChrisQP09
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‘Automotive-(re)designer’
Keep it up love your ability to take this on
Slow progress due to kids,life and a broken dishwasher
Infinity running lights , I have a limited number of trident decals so won't waste them on the mock up . Thinking the trident will look good silhouetted in the middle of the warp
I've also got to grips with diffusing with acrylic so I can do these light bars.
My plan is to cut out the lines that sit in the red lense and protrude these white/red bars out of them. Should look modern but keep within the lines already present inside the lights.
The lines I'm refering to are visible here where I've taped them up. I think I'll leave the (main) lense red , don't want to black it out too much. The indicators will be lightly tinted.
Will hook up some high power brake / reverse / turns next.
Playing with different tints :
Infinity running lights , I have a limited number of trident decals so won't waste them on the mock up . Thinking the trident will look good silhouetted in the middle of the warp
I've also got to grips with diffusing with acrylic so I can do these light bars.
My plan is to cut out the lines that sit in the red lense and protrude these white/red bars out of them. Should look modern but keep within the lines already present inside the lights.
The lines I'm refering to are visible here where I've taped them up. I think I'll leave the (main) lense red , don't want to black it out too much. The indicators will be lightly tinted.
Will hook up some high power brake / reverse / turns next.
Playing with different tints :
Last edited:
sionie1
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Don’t you mean delay ’due to committee meetings and technical revisions with the design team’..?
ChrisQP09
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Find myself looking at every cars tail lights on the schlep down the M5 this morning.
Some awful designs out there !! I can see why manufacturers are spending £££££ as they seem to be locked in an arms race to design the next quirky / un-hinged design to demonstrate "progress".
Its a shame that from what I can see, most of the tail light designers haven't seen the rest of the car
midlifecrisis
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or a car at all.
Find myself looking at every cars tail lights on the schlep down the M5 this morning.
Some awful designs out there !! I can see why manufacturers are spending £££££ as they seem to be locked in an arms race to design the next quirky / un-hinged design to demonstrate "progress".
Its a shame that from what I can see, most of the tail light designers haven't seen the rest of the car
sionie1
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In an age where the design teams seem to allow different coloured lenses which seem to cancel each other out, all within each other so the indicator can't be seen when braking for example, I'm always amazed at the after market alternatives available. The Far East seem to do it well, I remember being in Bangkok at least 8 years ago and seeing LED lights that clearly had form AND function, trailing indicators for example that left no margin for error as to which direction the vehicle was supposed to be going ( although as many of you will know, lights and horns in some countries are often liberally used lol). In fact the more I think about it, perhaps 'those that know better' clearly don't, or they at least need to get back to basics as to the function of the individual components and review as a whole. I have visions of the original briefing being around the overall shape and then one team working on the brake lights, the next on the indicators and so on. Then they just jam them altogether because the process is over time and over budget. So more power to the kitchen table, and it's handy for snacks and beverages.