Oldiron440
Well-Known Member
That should burn a few retinas!
80 Mirada,
- Thread starter 80mirada
- Start date
80mirada
Well-Known Member
They are plenty bright
80mirada
Well-Known Member
I got one backup light made, just need to make locators to keep it in place.
Really like to hear more on the process of how you're putting the tail lights together. Converting over to LED has been on my list and I was just going to use the retrofit bulbs, but this is on orders of magnitude better.
In my garage is a pair of decent M-body tail lamps (Yes, I know nothing like either J-body lamps) that I want to convert to sequential taillights, and to convert to LED, possibly.
I have so many other projects that is taking my spare time (and spare coin) that I hadn’t had a chance to get into this much – but I’m very eager to know more details like lamp source(s), and so forth for my upcoming project.
At this point, I have been considering using one of two different Mustang sequential tail light setups, one is LED and other uses incandescent bulbs.
Note: I’m not looking for anything fancy or expensive. Most M-bodies has a lot of taillight area to work with.
So, more pictures and details, please.
BudW
I have so many other projects that is taking my spare time (and spare coin) that I hadn’t had a chance to get into this much – but I’m very eager to know more details like lamp source(s), and so forth for my upcoming project.
At this point, I have been considering using one of two different Mustang sequential tail light setups, one is LED and other uses incandescent bulbs.
Note: I’m not looking for anything fancy or expensive. Most M-bodies has a lot of taillight area to work with.
So, more pictures and details, please.
BudW
80mirada
Well-Known Member
I will post more when I have some detail pictures done
80mirada
Well-Known Member
The tools I used: wire stripper, crimping plier, soldering Iron, heat sink, solder probes, hot glue gun, multi-meter, 12 volt power source (drill battery), zip tie gun, mini pliers, wire cutter, ruler, painter's tape, a variation snips (scissors work too), sharpie, pencil and a heat gun. Some tools are optional
80mirada
Well-Known Member
Supplies: 18ga wire to match original harness, 22-20ga wire to wire LEDs, 5050 SMD LEDs on 5m rolls (I use three red and one white), shrink tubing, crimp connectors, 60-40 electrical solder, and 4" zipties.
80mirada
Well-Known Member
Supplies: cardboard to make a template, corrugated plastic to mount the LEDs
80mirada
Well-Known Member
Before I go any further, some helpful knowledge. When putting LEDs into a light it is important to use ones that are the same color as you intend for it to light up. White will shine through a red lens as white with a pink tint. The LEDs I use are mounted in three LED circuits wired for 12 volts, and adhesive backed. They are available with a weatherproof coating.
They have cut lines between each circuit with contacts for wiring them. They are available on Ebay, Geek, and Superbriteleds.com.
Your taillight housings and probably the lenses will require some modifications.
They have cut lines between each circuit with contacts for wiring them. They are available on Ebay, Geek, and Superbriteleds.com.
Your taillight housings and probably the lenses will require some modifications.
80mirada
Well-Known Member
I measured and cut out a piece of cardboard to the size of the inside of the lens, paying careful attention to how it fits the corners. There were a number of protrusions in the reflector/housing that interfered with the panel.
I simply cut them off flush
I left the divider, and the bits that were part of the reflectors, I case I ever went to a diffused light source.
I trimmed the small ribs around the outer edge of the lenses to allow room for the panel. I cut about 3/16 of an inch (4mm approximately for our international membership)
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80mirada
Well-Known Member
I experimented with a number of different layouts for the LED strips. I finally settled on three strips per taillight bar with the center ones and taillight and the others as brake/turn signals. A 50/50 split between taillight and brakelight seems to work well enough, but mine are 35/65 split making the brake/turn much brighter.
Taillight
Brake and taillight together
Taillight
Brake and taillight together
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80mirada
Well-Known Member
I used a cheap pair of aviation ships to cut the corrugated plastic after tracing the cardboard pattern onto it. I Then cut LED strips to the longest possible length to fit the lens, and still have full circuits. The panels needed to be marked for the the unlit portion of the lens so the strips could be mounted. I would recommend soldering short lengths of 20-22 ga wires to the contacts on each of the strips (1 1/2-2" or 38-50mm). I also filled the edges of the panels with hot glue to stabilize the edges. Make some alignment Mark's for the first LED in each strip to help keep them lined up. I then pierced holes for the wires and stuck the strips to the panels.
You can see the alignment mark for the first LED.
You can see the alignment mark for the first LED.
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80mirada
Well-Known Member
Working on interior panels
Moore Mirada
Member
80mirada, you mentioned earlier in this conservation that BHA43 was going to make quarter extensions for the Mirada. Is that something that happened? I have recently purchased a 80 Mirada that my Mom bought new, it only has 21,000 miles on it and is in excellent condition but the quarter extensions are dust. She had purchased some of the fiberglass replacements but like with everyone else they fit like garbage, I could spend countless hours working them to fit but if I could get some better ones I would love it!
80mirada
Well-Known Member
Last I heard, his fiberglass guy suffered a huge setback. There was a massive fire at the fiberglass shop, but Phil had all of the finished molds for F-body stuff and go-carts at his place. No telling when he will be able to get the J-body stuff done
Moore Mirada
Member
Thanks! I guess I’ll be getting some mat and a bucket of resin! I’ll post some pics of the progress!
80mirada
Well-Known Member
Nearly finished taillight, the trim is not attached since it need sanded and a second coat added to it
Only took three tries to get the little strip of body color right.
Only took three tries to get the little strip of body color right.
80mirada
Well-Known Member
Finished install of the custom window and door lock switch on the drivers door
80mirada
Well-Known Member
Finally in the garage, awaiting some attention....
