jake91 Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 okay so i just bought some leds to do this i was mainly wanting to know what is the best way to to this im thinking splice into brakelight wiring and the run a switched ground (so it can be shut off while top is up)? would this work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 I feel a need for grater coherency in your thoughts. For example: What LEDs did you buy? Where did you buy them? Is it a preassembled light bar, of just a bag of LEDs? Are you certain there is enough space in the rollbar for these LEDs? Are you going to need to waterproof them to prevent failure? You don't necessarily need a switched ground, but you do need to figure out if you are going to have a manual switch to control them, or a switch that the top rides on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intern8tion9l Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 the 3 brake lights you already have aren't enough? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake91 Posted July 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 I feel a need for grater coherency in your thoughts. For example: What LEDs did you buy? 120cm 60 led strip Where did you buy them? ebay Is it a preassembled light bar, of just a bag of LEDs? led strip Are you certain there is enough space in the rollbar for these LEDs? yes red gtp did it Are you going to need to waterproof them to prevent failure? no You don't necessarily need a switched ground, but you do need to figure out if you are going to have a manual switch to control them, or a switch that the top rides on. i want them to light up when i hit the brakes only but i want to be able to switch them off via a toggle switch so i dont have my interior lighting up red when the top is up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 Fwiw: a member already I'd this mod an iirc even did a write up on this as well as making the tails LEDs too. I am not going to try to find it while I am on my phone but I am sure i'd you search you could fins the thread to point you in the right direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 Fwiw: a member already I'd this mod an iirc even did a write up on this as well as making the tails LEDs too. I am not going to try to find it while I am on my phone but I am sure i'd you search you could fins the thread to point you in the right direction. Redgtp, iirc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake91 Posted July 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 Fwiw: a member already I'd this mod an iirc even did a write up on this as well as making the tails LEDs too. I am not going to try to find it while I am on my phone but I am sure i'd you search you could fins the thread to point you in the right direction. he never did a write up from what i could find just progress threads but anyways im 99% sure ive got all my info for this from another forum im on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 Wouldn't it make more sense to replace the factory 3rd brake light with the LED light bar? Just wondering... I always thought it would be pretty damn cool to get rid of that ugly 3rd brake light box and integrate an LED light bar flush into the plastic piece with the 3rd brake light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake91 Posted July 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 i dont have the skills nor the money to to that and i think if i were to do that i would make that trim flush and do one in the lip spoiler but then once again no skills or money lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 Wouldn't it take skills to flush mount the LED light bar into the roll bar, or were you planning to surface mount it? I remember RedGTPs LED bar, but don't remember if he flushed it in or just stuck it on. Speaking of LEDs in the lip spoiler, I once saw a pic where someone had an Impala SS lip spoiler (similar to the Cutlass one) and he painstakingly drilled individual LED holes all the way across it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galaxie500XL Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 Why not just use a magnetically operated switch hidden in the rollbar? That way, the LED would automatically be disabled when the top is raised... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake91 Posted July 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 would be cool but expensive and more likely to fail as for the skills its peel and stick led if i remove the top of the bar i should be able to stick it on and then put the top back over it leaving just a bit showing and redgtps was surface mounted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 I like Galaxie's magnetic switch idea. I don't think it's very expensive at all and the switches you can get "peel & stick" too. http://cgi.ebay.com/1-NORMALLY-OPEN-Surface-Mount-Magnetic-Contact-Switch-/320522071676?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aa09aae7c Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake91 Posted July 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 im looking at those they are cool but they look like a pain i have no idea how i would mount one to the top as i dont want to drill into it and the rest is fabric so i think a toggle switch is best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitaloutsider Posted July 27, 2010 Report Share Posted July 27, 2010 If that stuff is above your head, maybe you should reconsider such a project in the first place.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake91 Posted July 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2010 why do you have to but in and be a little bitch every time i post a thread i mean come on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BXX Posted July 27, 2010 Report Share Posted July 27, 2010 Wow, IBTB and IBTL. Jake, hes kinda right. Something like simple wiring that you seem kinda hesitant aboutt doing itt a more correct way (tthe switch Gnat posted) is a sure sign its best you leave well enough alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake91 Posted July 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2010 (edited) i want a toggle switch is that so hard to understand. id love the switch gnat posted and im not hesitant of installing that but for the fact it will have to sit on the roll bar and will stick out like a sore thumb being white and i dont want to drill into the top frame to mount the magnet half Edited July 27, 2010 by jake91 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stockgp Posted July 27, 2010 Report Share Posted July 27, 2010 Why not pop off one of the rear interior panels and put a contact switch somewhere on the top mechanism? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake91 Posted July 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2010 hmmm didnt think of that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted July 27, 2010 Report Share Posted July 27, 2010 Jake, would you like me to just build you an LED light for the trunk lid light???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitaloutsider Posted July 27, 2010 Report Share Posted July 27, 2010 (edited) why do you have to but in and be a little bitch every time i post a thread i mean come on Yes, everytime you post a thread I post something negative in it. Every time. Watch the name calling or you'll be gone for a while. Wow, IBTB and IBTL. Jake, hes kinda right. Something like simple wiring that you seem kinda hesitant aboutt doing itt a more correct way (tthe switch Gnat posted) is a sure sign its best you leave well enough alone. This was exactly my point. You were given lots of constructive feedback in this thread, but kept going on and on about the way you want to do it. If you don't want anyone's advice or criticism, don't post. I don't know how many times you need to be told this. It's an Internet forum and people aren't going to agree with you. If you can't handle that, think before you post. Edited July 27, 2010 by digitaloutsider Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake91 Posted July 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2010 i like the feed back i accepted it i thought about it and its not that i scared of doing it that way its just i have no clue where i would mount it a toggle is just easyer. my proble with mounting it is it has to be screwed into place. im highly against drilling unnessisary holes in my car. i know spst switches and i have used them before and i have a place picked out for it. continue with the ideas people i value them. i just dont have to do them. and the only reason i busted out on you shaun is that you wernt just saying you know you might want to take there advice. you were saying. well why you even doing this project then. so there thats my explanation. take it or leave it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted July 27, 2010 Report Share Posted July 27, 2010 Actually, the magnetic switches can also be stick-on and you could do like stockgp suggested and stick it to the inside of a trim panel. Maybe on the inside of the upper trim panel of the rollbar and stick the magnet on part of the convertible top that comes close to that area of the trim panel. I don't think you have to be very skilled to go the magnetic switch route, just use a little creativity as to how/where to mount it. If you do decide to go that way, be sure to check that the current rating of the switch is enough for your LED light bar. If it's not, you'd need a relay. SPST switch is fine if that's the way you want to go, but I think the magnetic switch idea is definitely far slicker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake91 Posted July 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2010 im going to look into them more and i will probably go that route Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.