Adding Modular Lighting under a ground effect, such as lip or splitter

UntitledSeveral people have inquired about adding lights to add-on items, such as front lips, wind splitters, and other bumper or fascia modifications.  There is not a lot of room under there, especially if you are lowered, so here are a few tips to help install, as well as making it easy to install and remove the parts, as needed.

The lights will need 12v+, and will use basic two conductor cable/wire – I recommend using a waterproof connector, so the part can be easily removed.  Here is a connector cut from a headlight assembly:UntitledI added silicone to further waterproof the connector, just in case.  Then I cut a small hole, 3.5″ back from the second fascia bolt from the outside, in order to run the wires:UntitledFrom there, just cut enough wire for the splitter connection, as well as the end that goes in the car and through the fascia.  I already had 12v+ there, so I only needed a few feet to reach my lines:Untitled

At this point, it is time to add your led strips. There is not enough room for anything else.  In addition, if these are damaged, a new set can easily be installed, and they are quite cheap to replace. ($10-20 from ebay)  I cut two strips, one for each side of the hole I drilled:Untitled

The hole lines up with this hole in the under carriage, right in the center of this picture:

Now, you can add the lights using the 3M adhesive, and run the wires up through the hole you created:UntitledUntitled

Now, solder the wires together with your prepared waterproof connector on the top side of the splitter:Untitled

Added silicone to the solder joints:Untitled

With enough slack on the added wire and connectors, the splitter 12V lines can be attached through the hole in the under carriage, then the entire thing can be mounted / unmounted any time you need to do so.Untitled

 

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Under the Hood LEDs and Spinning Subwoofer Grill Switch

Getting things wrapped up for the big Midwest Dart meet – Just a few last thread updates, before I close up this build thread. Some minor updates – I wired in a 3-way switch in the trunk. This powers the spinning subwoofer grill, LEDs in the trunk, and the orange El Wire outlining the subwoofer. I can help if anyone wants to do this – the switch is on-off-on. The first on is constant (for car shows, etc) the off is, well, off; the (lower) on is switched ignition power.

Finally, since I got the hood, there is a vent, so I can show light through it. I put the white engine lights on a separate switch with constant power, so I can turn these on from inside the engine bay.

off:

on:

New hood with demon eyes, hash stripes removed:

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LED Lighting, Dream Color Underglow Lighting, Wheel well Lighting, Strobe Lights

Started out with blowing off one of my pipes connecting the FMIC – before I knew it, she looked like this, again:20160706_004651

Next installment, interior switches and wiring. I ran all of the needed wires through the firewall, both below the clutch, as well as on the passenger side, behind the glove box. I did the project in phases, as there is never much time in my life, nowadays. I pre-wired all of the switches in my shop, and measured out all of the cable runs, leaving the excess at the interior firewall. Most of the wires could be run by simply removing the lower footwell panels and below the steering column. Here are the pre-wired switches, and the holes already drilled out. Everything was trimmed and heat-shrinked prior to the installation in these pics:
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The wiring is a bit more complicated than needed for most, but it is my specialty, and this is for car shows and hang-outs. The first four colored switches are simple on/off, controlling the strobe lights outside, the KITT LED lights, interior roof shadow lights, and the console and glove box lighting. The second set of switches are DPDT switches, or on-off-on. These are wired to two separate power sources. Up is on constant, with power straight from the battery. Middle position is off, and the lower position is on with an ignition switched fuse location. This enables the exterior LED lights, and the Halo headlights and demon eyes to come on with the car, but also enables them to run with the car off and locked.

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LED Lighting, switches, interior controls, Carbon Fiber Wrap

Wired in switches for all the LED lighting – 3 are used, one is a secret weapon that hasn’t been installed, yet. These switches are simple, on/off, and they are soldered on the back side, sharing a common ground.  Several of them are wired to constant power, for use at car shows, etc.

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LEDs were added to the glove box, cup holder, and backseat cup holders:
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I also carbon fiber wrapped my steering wheel pieces, although the bottom piece is still not perfect, and may need to be redone.
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I had to disassemble the HVAC controls, pull off the knobs, wrap the piece, and then assemble.  20160125_110531 20160125_110549 20160125_110608

Used red gap trim for the controls: 20160125_151328 20151226_212404 20151227_190127 20160128_094111 20160125_154452 20160125_195853 20160127_005524

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Interior Trim & Carbon Fiber Wrap with LED Lighting

Added some more carbon fiber trim in the cockpit.

I wired in some convenience LEDs in the trays, in the pockets, in the glovebox, and in the center console. In the pic, I drilled 3 holes above the cubby, then taped the leds to the inside of the plastic console piece. Then I added small holes in the pockets, and did the same with LEDs there and the glovebox.

This is how the wire is routed and attached to the pockets:

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Dartlene Wins her first Car Show!

Dartlene and I won our first car show in St. Charles, IL!! “Best Looking / Best Lights”

Latest mod attempt is white LED DRLs. I bought a set from Derek, and I’ve got them working on the turn signal circuit with resistor, but mine doesn’t like the resistor on the DRL, for some reason. I’ve been experimenting all weekend, and there is no reason it’s doing such weirdness. When I put the 50w 6 ohm resistor inline with the turn signals, it stops the fast blink, and no errors. When I put the resistor on the other (DRL) line, it shuts off the DRL and side turn signal lights – too much load, I’m guessing. Strange, as the only other thing I have running is switchbacks connected to the turn signal power, which is fine.

Last ditch effort, I put an led strip under the hood, attached to the DRL to increase the load. I drove 10+ miles through the city, with only one error, and that was 30 seconds after starting the drive, at a light.

Prior, it only happened when my lights were on, and randomly at that. On the way to the car show, and back home, I had a ton of errors. I’m going to keep testing, and I may add another led strip to the other side, for added load. I still get the error on startup, only.

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Shadow Lights / Under Door LED Logo

Last night I started the shadow lights LED installation. There are a few threads about this topic, but none of them actually contain correct information, or at least complete information. The (-) side connected to the door ajar sensor (purple) so it comes on when the door is opened, but there is no 12V+ constant. The door locks are constant power, but only put out +2V, which is not enough to power the lights. I connected the 3 doors to accessory power (orange wire with blue stripe) and I’m running a dedicated constant power lead to the driver door. People are going Ape-Shit over these on FB – and I can’t believe how bright these are glowing! They are 7W, and they use Cree bulbs – I had them custom made with my logos.
front doors:


back doors:

I finished the remaining 2 shadow lights, one logo for the front doors, and the Record Label logo for the rears. FYI – there is a 12V+ constant hot in the driver’s side door. It is a red wire that runs up to the mirror – plain red, no stripe. The door ajar (-) is still purple, but now the door will show the puddle lights when there is no key in the ignition, and there were no wires to fish through the door! Shazam!

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