Need a PROJECT! Who wants to LED their interior?

[9302z28SS]

lights

Would you be willing to do the rear bumper reflector lights? And maybe turn signal?

Also looking for a custom built piece that's setup to light up z28 in red

And maybe something similar that will light up when I hit my toggle switch for my stealthbox

Or a led toggle switch panel that fits in the ashtray. All red LEDs,

Then some red LEDs for the little square light hole in the door handle

Sorry for all the ideas. They're coming to me all at once

[Akodo]

Sorry guys, been swamped. Between work, which suddenly decided to pick up, working on Nicks formula lights, and the kids, got a bit behind. I'm pulling together everyones requests and getting them organized. A couple of quick answers:

I'm working on a fix for the older interiors using bulbs for the HVAC, cluster, etc. I'm putting together an overlay to replace the factory overlays in order to get rid of the red paint they used to shift the color. Should provide a high level of customization when I am done. Expect it to take a week or two.

Bobz, all of those are fairly easily done, as well as illuminated door pulls, cup holders, map pockets, door sills,... really, the sky is the limit on this stuff. It all comes down to how much time, effort, and money you want to invest. I can tell you this, making the list, I think the ABSOLUTE most expensive, for a complete retro fit, color change, and adding every additional light I can come up with (including dome, trunk, and engine compartment lights) would be somewhere in the $400 range. But that is a LOT of lights, including the ones I listed above. Just a general swap would be much lower.

Once I get a bit organized, I can sit down with each of you in turn and plan out each project. Prices will be entirely dependent on what you want done, the level of color matching involved, extra lights, etc. I'm trying to pull together a price listing

I am REALLY trying to avoid doing ANY exterior lighting, just because of the legalities involved. I am doing research on what it would take to get a couple of ideas certified. I will keep you posted.

[93formulalt1]

Mike and I will be partnering up for the purposes of providing this service. I'm going to begin sending out some PM's to gather more information, figure out who is seriously interested, and determine exactly what you'd all like to see (hash out the details).

The turnaround time is dependent on a number of factors, including how busy we both are, if we've already designed the product yet, and availability of components.

I will be keeping this thread updated with pictures of the boards, both installed and standalone. If there is anything specifically you'd like to see, please post up, and we will make sure we make an effort to accommodate.

[Formul8d]

Re: Need a PROJECT! Who wants to LED their interior?

Make sure to pm me. I'm serious about it. Just won't be until March or April when my cars back on the road.

Sent from my VS910 4G using Tapatalk 2

[TylerT/AZ28]

me too. my trucks usually in my garage if anyone wnats to take a gander. i can get whatever led's you need before hand as well.

[Akodo]

Yep, Nick is going to be taking over the customer interface/ scheduling part. Working on some new things right now... If we can pull a couple of these off, I think you guys will be amazed.

[Atrus]

Sounds great! If Nick is making a "wish list", here are my two top ones:

1) I'd love to see what you'd be doing for overlays. I am especially interested in seeing what you work out for the headlight/dimmer as that one is giving me trouble right now. I am mostly happy where I am at with the HVAC and the stock gauge cluster.
2) I'd like to see a good solution for dimming all the dash lights/switches, ideally some kind of retrofit made into the OEM switch (not having a seperate dimmer dial hidden elsewhere). I am using superbrightleds and they do dim, but not very well. When I replace the steering wheel radio control and the TCS/Fog/Top switch bulbs with LEDs those won't dim at all with the factory switch (I don't think).

Thanks for making this thread, Mike - looks like maybe you could have a steady stream of side work if you so chose! Wish I hadn't ordered and started my installs just a couple of weeks before this thread began!

[93formulalt1]

Make sure to pm me. I'm serious about it. Just won't be until March or April when my cars back on the road.

Sent from my VS910 4G using Tapatalk 2

I will be sending PM's over the next couple of days, I'm working now on getting all of the requests prioritized. Once that's done, I'll be contacting folks individually to get all the information we need.

me too. my trucks usually in my garage if anyone wnats to take a gander. i can get whatever led's you need before hand as well.

We may need to come take a look, measure a couple things, etc. I'll let you know if we need to, or if you can just send us the parts you want converted. LED's are not a problem, we have literally thousands of them just laying around, and are able to order any others we may need. Not to mention, we have access to some cool stuff that isn't available through other suppliers

Sounds great! If Nick is making a "wish list", here are my two top ones:

1) I'd love to see what you'd be doing for overlays. I am especially interested in seeing what you work out for the headlight/dimmer as that one is giving me trouble right now. I am mostly happy where I am at with the HVAC and the stock gauge cluster.
2) I'd like to see a good solution for dimming all the dash lights/switches, ideally some kind of retrofit made into the OEM switch (not having a seperate dimmer dial hidden elsewhere). I am using superbrightleds and they do dim, but not very well. When I replace the steering wheel radio control and the TCS/Fog/Top switch bulbs with LEDs those won't dim at all with the factory switch (I don't think).

Thanks for making this thread, Mike - looks like maybe you could have a steady stream of side work if you so chose! Wish I hadn't ordered and started my installs just a couple of weeks before this thread began!

I will respond to your questions in order, and we can compound on them from there, to keep the dialog going.

1: If we do make overlays, the ideas we are exploring would allow us to keep the price down, and the beauty of having the whole package is that we are able to measure color shift through the faces of the various components, and can actually "tune" the output from the LED's to match everything. You may not want to replace what's in the car already with the cluster and HVAC panel, but it may be a good idea to allow us to take some readings from them, so we can make the lights in the other panels all match visually. Just something to gnaw on a bit. We are currently running down some leads to figure out the best option to make this happen (including some REALLY cool "outside-the-box" solutions that may be available in the future), and when we get a working prototype up and running, we will be sure to share photos, pricing, and options.

2: The problem with switching to LED's is that they have a "Threshold", that is, a voltage level, below which they will not illuminate. The trick is to figure out where the threshold lies for the LED's you have, and either replace the dimmer dial with something that will work, or use other components to make the existing dimmer work. Once we get out of the prototype stage, the whole system will work with the factory dimmer switch. We can't guarantee it will work with other manufacturer's products, but we will make sure it is usable with ours, or that an option that is compatible will be available. The design process is in the early stages, and the troubleshooting and product review phase will be coming once we have a working prototype being used everyday. Mike and I will be working on troubleshooting the products' issues before they are available for purchase, as well as making sure that all of the kinks are ironed out. We are trying to make a product of the highest quality, so we can focus more on designing new products than repairing and re-designing old products.

That said, your concerns have been added to my list, and we will be sure to let you know when we have a solution available. I will do some research on the LED's you have, and maybe we can remedy the issues you have with the current lighting in your car. If I can find the threshold for the LED's you have, we can find a way to allow you to dim the lights again.

[TylerT/AZ28]

let me know come take a look would be easiest if thats doable. it is my daily driver for now.

[93formulalt1]

Alright. . . I have compiled a list of no less than 14 requests for jobs ranging from simple LED replacements to full interior conversions. I'm going to be talking with Mike about the status of the projects we are working on right now, which are primarily F-Body related (full interior conversion in my Formula), but we may be able to tackle some other projects.

I need to know who is seriously interested, and the status of the vehicle they want work done on. If you want us to convert the interior of your car, and it's parked for the winter, we can possibly get started sooner on the parts that are essential for operation of the vehicle (for example, you really need the cluster to drive the car) while it's parked, and get other things worked out later.

I would like to say that things will be done overnight and back to you in 2-3 days, but I can't make that promise. I know in Camaro's, the instrument panel isn't an issue, but in Firebird's, the back of the gauge cluster is tinted red, which prevents changing panel colors without destroying the panel, requiring an overlay to be made. We are working on figuring out an option to replace the overlays and allow for complete customization of the panel, but product development is going to take several weeks, not including any troubleshooting after the prototype is complete and moved into the product testing phase. An accurate timetable will be released once we have a solution we can work with, but right now, we can't accurately predict when a solution will be available.

I will address a couple of questions I have below:

QuickTop: Where would you like to mount your interior lights? I get the impression you are looking to illuminate the footwell areas in your car, but mounting location is going to dictate what we come up with as a solution. We can make boards about the size of a dime and up, but a number of factors come into play, including desired light output, location, and environmental concerns (is it going to be exposed to repeated physical contact, water, wind, etc.), among other things. My first thought is a couple of 1"x2" boards, mounted beneath the dash, illuminating the footwell area from above. Location is convenient, as it's right below the wiring harness, it'd be simple to tap into the interior light circuit. Also considered is mounting beneath the seats, but seat movement and wiring would be a concern, requiring extra wire and a way to keep it all out of harm's way. If you'd like, shoot me a PM with your thoughts, and I'll make sure we get you exactly what you want.

ruckusZ28: Do you only want the dome light replaced, or are you interested in both the dome light (rear of car, above back seats) and the map lights (built into rear-view mirror)? We have a working prototype for the dome light, and should have something going for the map lights soon, so duplication of the prototype wouldn't be an issue, but we will need some time to evaluate and make any necessary improvements. The dome light would require either you sending us your dome light assembly, or we could buy one for you and just trade. We are replacing the entire light assembly with a board, and it's rewired to the pins in the factory harness connector. You will not be able to use an incandescent after we modify your dome light housing, but it's a simple plug-and-play swap for you. There's a picture earlier in the thread of the finished prototype, it's very clean looking, and EXTREMELY bright, so we will likely have to tone down the light output a little bit to prevent blinding occupants if dome lights are activated while the car is in motion, but this will all be worked out before production.

LuckySOB: We will need to see your cluster and radio to determine the amount of modification needed to make the color change. If the overlays themselves are painted to make the color appear green, we may have to make new overlays for you, which would drive the cost up. If we can make the color shift with LED's alone, cost will be lower, and we can have you up and running sooner. This will be a prototype, since it's not an f-body, so any issues you have may require removal of the parts again to remedy. We are willing to attempt it, but as this is custom work, and not simple replacement of factory parts, there is a "trial and error" element to what we are doing. I just want to ensure you are aware of this before we ask you to remove any parts from your vehicle.

KTL711: If you want to change your interior lighting to a more pure, bright white, we are more than capable and willing to accommodate. I'm also working on a couple of ideas with Mike that may allow you to increase your interior lighting, particularly in the rear seat area. If you are interested, either give me a call some time this week, or shoot me a PM, and I'll share some of the details with you.

tastyZL1: We are capable of just about any lighting project you can think up, so if you see an idea you'd like to see in your car, let us know! Also, we are working on the gauge cluster for the Pontiac side of things, but I think the panel in the Camaro is not tinted. Changing the color could be simpler in the Camaro than in the Firebird. We would need to get your cluster from you to make the modifications, obviously, but once we figure out the method we are going to use to replace the bulbs with LED's, we will be sure to let you know so you can send us your cluster.

1Bad86Iroc: Mike and I would like to take a look at your '78 Impala. My concern is that old wiring could be causing a low voltage/low current condition at the cluster, which would result in poor visibility. That's not going to prevent us from making something work, but we need to know what the voltage and current readings are at the cluster, so we can calculate properly in laying out the circuits. Also, we may need to disassemble and clean the internals of your cluster, since the plastic backing tends to haze over after several years, which could also cause decreased light output. This is also a prototype build, so any issues may require later removal to correct, and cost may be higher.

1BADAIR: What year is your Sierra? We could easily replace the lights in your steering wheel and HVAC panel with LED's. This is a prototype build request, so issues may require later removal, and cost may be higher.

mbcargirl: We may be able to design a simple solution to upgrade your 3rd brake light to LED, although Mike and I would really prefer to avoid all exterior lighting. I'm leaving this one to Mike, as we've agreed previously that all exterior lighting should be avoided. I will advise you though, if Mike decides to turn this one down, you can buy LED 3rd brake light housings on ebay for around $50, that simply plug in and replace the original housing. They don't look factory, but they would accomplish what you are requesting. I'll talk to Mike about it a little more, and see if it's something he's willing or able to attempt. I will let you know what we come up with.

TylerT/AZ28: If I'm understanding you correctly, you would like us to convert your HVAC control panel and overhead/mirror lights converted to LED's? We will need to take a look at what you have already, and we may need to take some readings from your gauge cluster to ensure an acceptable color match between our LED's and the ones you've already installed, but it shouldn't be too difficult to accomplish what you want. The mirror lights will be similar (possibly identical) to those used in the F-Bodies, but the HVAC control panel will be a prototype build, which may require later removal to correct any issues that pop up, and price may be higher.

Formul8d: You have requested work that is currently in the prototype phase, once we have a working prototype, I will bring my car out for you to take a look at, and decide if there's anything extra you'd like. I'm working on a couple of other ideas, but the basic interior lighting conversion would be a simple duplication of the finished prototypes used in my interior, so we wouldn't have your parts for very long. Let me know when you would like to get moving on this, and I'll see what we can do.

QuickTop: You later mentioned "switchbacks" in your turn signals. Could you elaborate a little bit? I'm not sure what you mean by this.

murderedzsnuts: We will not perform modifications to any exterior lighting on any vehicle. I have some ideas for a backlit Z28 logo piece, I'm going to run through them with Mike, but I'm sure we can make most of your ideas come to light (pun intended). I'll be in contact by private message to get clarification on what you want to accomplish.


If anyone has any questions or other ideas, let me know. I will be keeping this thread updated as progress is made on the current prototypes we are building.

[TylerT/AZ28]

i can get whatever info you need on the leds ive already used. my supplier is a good friend of mine.

[93formulalt1]

let me know come take a look would be easiest if thats doable. it is my daily driver for now.

Removing your HVAC control panel from the truck will leave you with no heat, which I cannot subject you to in a daily driven vehicle. I think the best option may be to get a spare HVAC panel for us to modify, which you can simply remove and replace on your own. Same thing with mirror lights, it may be easier to get a spare for us to modify. Going this route keeps it simple on your end, as we will do all of the fabrication and installation, all you will be doing is removing and replacing, everything will connect just like stock, only the guts will be slightly different. We will still need to take a few readings from your other LED-converted parts, to ensure we match everything up properly as far as color shift and brightness are concerned. We may be able to schedule a trip to come see your vehicle, or we can possibly set a time and date for you to come to us, we can take the measurements and readings we need, and get started. There may even be a sneak-peak of some other developing projects in the deal for you if you meet us at the lab. . .

I'll do some research, if I can get my hands on an HVAC panel that's compatible with your vehicle to use for design purposes, we may be able to just swap it out for you when you pick up your overhead lights.

[TylerT/AZ28]

my mirror isnt stock to my truck i have many without the compass/temp readings i was just thinking instead of the green blue would match nicely. i can source an hvac quite easily if thats what youd like to do. keep me updated and ill set some stuff up with whatever you need after youve decided a route to go.

[93formulalt1]

i can get whatever info you need on the leds ive already used. my supplier is a good friend of mine.

Can you measure the color shift of the translucent plastic used by GM in the HVAC control panel? That's more of what I'm concerned with. The color and brightness of the LED's used are one piece of the equation, but to make them visually match each other requires consideration of anything and everything between the LED and your eyes, as well as voltage readings. If you are getting 12.8 volts at your instrument panel, and 12.5 volts at the HVAC control panel, the LED's are going to be a slightly different color and brightness, and we want to make sure everything matches closely enough that you won't see a difference between the two.

Gather any information you can about the LED's you used in the gauge cluster, and I'll see what I can find for a replacement HVAC panel for you. I thought I had one laying around in the garage. If I don't have one, you may need to buy a spare, wait until the weather improves, or you have a vehicle available to you until we can get your HVAC panel back to you.

[93formulalt1]

Are you using a stock GM mirror, the one with 2 map lights, without compass, temp, or auto-dimming feature? If so, it's likely identical to the one we are building prototype boards for currently, and we can probably just duplicate them and install them for you when you come down to pick up the HVAC. If you can get your hands on a spare HVAC panel, that would simplify things greatly. See what you come up with, and I'll touch base with Mike to see when he's available. If we come to you, we'll probably just ask that you cover our fuel. If you can get us the details on the LED's you used, as well as how they were wired, what resistors were used, etc., we can probably make a close enough match, but fine tuning will require slightly more effort.