Trunk Lighting Project!
10-19-2008, 09:24 AM
#21
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Vehicle: 2001 Hyundai Tiburon, 2004 Kia Sorento, 2010 Kia Soul
Not bad, but exposed tubes like that is begging for issues.
I like my method, first mod I ever did to my car, uses LED's, and looks amazing. Let me see if I have any pics.
Damnit, wrong pic. LOL
That's not it either.
Shit.
I've got blue 194 LED's in there right now, so it lights up nice, but it is blue. the only lit up pics I have, I can't rmember whre they are, but I'll look for them. All it is is 2 marker lights, one fits into the OEM hole for the trunk light, then you use the trunk light for a template for a hole on the other side. Run a ground, then a wire to the power wire off of the OEM trunk light.
Here's a couple of vids you can see it in. Not the best of cameras, and I wasn't trying to get those lights in there, but you can see what they look like. Replace them with white LED's...
Wish I knew how to do the long exposure stuff on my camera, I'd do some new pics.
Those are all kinda old now though, I've got new gauges, new LED interior lighting.
Hell, I guess I WILL do some new stuff to show it off.
I like my method, first mod I ever did to my car, uses LED's, and looks amazing. Let me see if I have any pics.
Damnit, wrong pic. LOL
That's not it either.
Shit.
I've got blue 194 LED's in there right now, so it lights up nice, but it is blue. the only lit up pics I have, I can't rmember whre they are, but I'll look for them. All it is is 2 marker lights, one fits into the OEM hole for the trunk light, then you use the trunk light for a template for a hole on the other side. Run a ground, then a wire to the power wire off of the OEM trunk light.
Here's a couple of vids you can see it in. Not the best of cameras, and I wasn't trying to get those lights in there, but you can see what they look like. Replace them with white LED's...
Wish I knew how to do the long exposure stuff on my camera, I'd do some new pics.
Those are all kinda old now though, I've got new gauges, new LED interior lighting.
Hell, I guess I WILL do some new stuff to show it off.
10-19-2008, 06:24 PM
#24
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Vehicle: 2006 Pontiac GTO
Hm, was your trunk light in the hatch? Mine is in the trunk (like in redz' pics).. On my car, there aren't any wires under that hatch panel except those for the spoiler brake light..
Looking very good by the way, I want to do thiss!!
Looking very good by the way, I want to do thiss!!
10-19-2008, 08:06 PM
#25
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Vehicle: 2001 hyundai tiburon
^^^ you got to run the wires up and around from the lights in the interior i am guessing. not hard, just a pain but what isnt on these cars it seems anymore,lol.
10-19-2008, 08:18 PM
#26
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^^ Yep. My trunk light was normal like everyone else's. I did remove the bulb once I put in the new cathodes though. There is no wire up on the hatch, so I had to run one from the current light up through the grommet and over to where the cathodes are. Only hard part was getting the wire through that grommet...
RedZ......... lol
I did see your Z3 trunk light mod and definitely considered doing that. My only problem was that those lights occasionally get covered when I go on trips and have a bunch of stuff in my trunk, rendering them useless again. With the lights up high like this they can't get covered. I'm not a fan of exposed cathode tubes like that either, but they're safe from getting damaged, and they're not too easy to see. Plus what you do see looks pretty clean IMO.
RedZ......... lol
I did see your Z3 trunk light mod and definitely considered doing that. My only problem was that those lights occasionally get covered when I go on trips and have a bunch of stuff in my trunk, rendering them useless again. With the lights up high like this they can't get covered. I'm not a fan of exposed cathode tubes like that either, but they're safe from getting damaged, and they're not too easy to see. Plus what you do see looks pretty clean IMO.
10-19-2008, 08:32 PM
#27
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Word. I can't see anything in my trunk when i go on vacation or move. I do believe that is quite possibly the best placement of a lamp for the tiburon. Kudos to the engineer wink1.gif. I will do something similar, keeping my LED theme, and it will have to be fully covered IE. in a housing. That will be a project I'd be interested in doing as soon as I get my clutch squared away.
10-19-2008, 09:01 PM
#28
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I originally wanted to do something with LEDs, but I decided it would take too much work. My plan for LEDs was similar though, I'd flush mount the LEDs right in the same spot where the cathodes are (or moved slightly so they point more into the trunk). That way they're functional but yet very subtle. I'd probably have to shave them to get the light shining right too. I'd like to see you do something like that, I've always wanted to see how well that would turn out.
10-19-2008, 09:30 PM
#29
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Well, I don't know for sure right now. Here's my separate ideas on execution from easiest to hardest.
1. buy a LED tube/other housing and stick it on
2. use panel mounts for individual LEDs and ensure proper positioning while drilling the holes on the upper cargo area.
3. use a piece of painted aluminum stock with individual panel mounts, and mount it in a clean way so that it bolts in under the upper cargo area panel.
4. Buy an adjustable arm mount of some sort and make a LED panel so that the light can be moved around the trunk, or outside as needed
5. make a mount with individual LEDs, then fiberglass it in.
6. line the trunk with panel mounted LEDs and flood the sucker with light so as to blind anyone and everyone when I pop my trunk.
I'm leaning towards 2-5. They're the most practical/custom/professional/interesting. 2 = easy but you would see the LEDs. 3 would be the best as long as it's small enough not to be seen but give adequate coverage. 4 sounds interesting, but it may not hold on as well as I'd like, and it also may end up interfering with my cargo cover/TV/dancing LEDs.
5 would take considerable time but it would be worth it in the end to have something that flows with the stock lines. It may turn out to be more hastle then it's worth though.
Another option might be to utilize the lip that wraps around the edge of the trunk under the hyundai symbol. I haven't really looked at that and it's too dark outside to check right now.
1. buy a LED tube/other housing and stick it on
2. use panel mounts for individual LEDs and ensure proper positioning while drilling the holes on the upper cargo area.
3. use a piece of painted aluminum stock with individual panel mounts, and mount it in a clean way so that it bolts in under the upper cargo area panel.
4. Buy an adjustable arm mount of some sort and make a LED panel so that the light can be moved around the trunk, or outside as needed
5. make a mount with individual LEDs, then fiberglass it in.
6. line the trunk with panel mounted LEDs and flood the sucker with light so as to blind anyone and everyone when I pop my trunk.
I'm leaning towards 2-5. They're the most practical/custom/professional/interesting. 2 = easy but you would see the LEDs. 3 would be the best as long as it's small enough not to be seen but give adequate coverage. 4 sounds interesting, but it may not hold on as well as I'd like, and it also may end up interfering with my cargo cover/TV/dancing LEDs.
5 would take considerable time but it would be worth it in the end to have something that flows with the stock lines. It may turn out to be more hastle then it's worth though.
Another option might be to utilize the lip that wraps around the edge of the trunk under the hyundai symbol. I haven't really looked at that and it's too dark outside to check right now.