Topic: Blue light special

[2kwk4u]

Rumor has it santa is bringing me custom gauge faces with blue LED lighting as a belated Christmas present (I wasn't good enough to get it on time, but not bad enough to get a lump of coal again this year).  In anticipation of that, I ordered up some blue LEDs along with a couple of cool white strips, to round out my interior lighting mods - and ensure the blue gauge faces didn't look entirely out of place.

I put blue LEDs in the following locations - wired to the interior light dimmer circuit - with varying combinations of resistors in line to set their brightness as needed. 

- 2 in each under dash panel (with a 2K ohm resistor in-line, and a 470 ohm resistor at each LED, for a total of ~2.5Kohm to each LED)
- 1 in each interior door latch handle (each with a 1K ohm resistor)
- 1 centered and recessed into the windshield trim (downstream from the 2K ohm resistor that feeds the under dash LEDs, with two additional 470 ohm resistors in series, for a total of ~3K ohm)
- 2 each mounted in the remains of the stock rearview mirror (see fun with rearview mirrrors thread) under the tulip panel flaps (each of these LEDs has a 470 ohm resistor)

I wanted the tulip panel illumination to only be lit when the top was up, so I devised a top down sensor, of sorts, with a pin switch.  The rear LEDs get their ground through the pin switch.

Finally, I put a strip of cool white LEDs (18 per strip) in each footwell, and tied those into the dome light circuit.

Here are the results.  I'll get more pictures (i.e. not overexposed) after I get the gauge cluster installed.

dome lights off


dome lights on (nothing new, really... plenty of folks have done this one )


passenger's side under dash panel with LEDs mounted (GM box is my PAL kit)



dome light off


dome light on


remains of stock mirror under tulip panel flap



"top-down sensor"






a different kind of "shift light"


there's more of that stock mirror (used to recess the LED)

[GaryDN]

wow that is nice. Great job

[Arabas]

That s great job!!
Well done!

[Sebast007]

Pretty lights, nice job! I should try to do something similar

[Sly Bob]

I like the light over the shifter. Reminds me of the two lights over the shifter on my 2009 Malibu.

[Critterman]

Looks good Scott

[2kwk4u]

Thanks, all.  I didn't know GM had gotten on board with ambient lighting yet, SLY BOB.  I'm glad they're coming around.  I was "inspired" by the lighting in a couple of cars I rented when we were living in Germany.  One a VW Passat, and the other a Mini Cooper. 

[Sly Bob]

Yeah my Malibu 2LT has, from the factory, blue leds in the inside door pulls on both sides and 2 blue leds above the shifter shining down from the windshield surround.

Pretty cool at night.

No under dash footwell lighting though. I have to fix that...  

[Uranium-238]

My Civic had the ceiling mounted LED shining on the shifter, and I loved it. Am definitely going to consider doing this at some point.

[DeepBlueGXP]

Wow, don't know what to say...

[BigSal]

Sweet. I'm inspired to put my LED's in now.

[Frank I]

Thanks, all.  I didn't know GM had gotten on board with ambient lighting yet, SLY BOB.  I'm glad they're coming around.  I was "inspired" by the lighting in a couple of cars I rented when we were living in Germany.  One a VW Passat, and the other a Mini Cooper. 

Scott:
Really looks great, very nice job.
Frank I

[GXPinKC]

2kwk4u, awesome job, indeed.  Brought back memories of my old 95' Bird as it had the red backlit dash, to go along with the Victory Red Primary on the outside.  Man, it was awesome at night.  Can't wait to see your pictures when you complete.  Thanks for sharing for all of us to admire.

GXPinKC

[BLK GXP]

lookin good.

[2kwk4u]

Update:

I put an additional 1K ohm resistor in line on the rear (tulip panel flap) LEDs to dim them a bit more.  I also put a relay in line with the driver's side one and tied it to the left turn signal switch to turn OFF the flap LEDs behind my head when the left turn signal is ON.  That way, those LEDs don't distract me in my peripheral vision when I check my blind spot to make a lane change (provided I'm being a "good citizen" and using my turn signal )

[idkfa]

Great thread man! Always an inspiration.