Will, I know what you mean about the LED spot effect on the exterior lights. I see new cars with LED's on the taillights, and they just don't have that glow that incandescent bulbs do. Maybe I'm like a bug (don't look into the blue light....zap!), but I love the glow of Z taillights at night. Let me know when you've got something figured out.

Jason

hi everyone,

its good to see that this project hasnt been forgotten.

any ideas on the sort of prices we might be looking at for a full kit?

Tom.

I can't speak for Dave, but I am still not satisfied with the versions I have made. I haven't even sent Dave a version to evaluate because the results have been less than my expectaztions. Every damn one(7 actual attempts) has points of light.

It is too difficult to put out a price before the product is finalized, but the price will in now way reflect all of the trial and error that has gone into this-If I weren't doing this for my car already, no way I would put anywhere near this much time, energy and effort into it to sell-no break even point. I still have a couple of ideas to try-but I am waiting on materials.

Will

PS. When I get the example I am looking for, and I will, I'll send it to Dave, and get his opinion, then he and I will work out the details of a basic kit with instructions, a complete kit with instructions, and a bolt on swap-or some combination of the above.

ok sounds good, cant wait to get something to fix some of the silly little niggling problems i have with the car.

Tom.

Hey Will,

Maybe if you post up a description of what you've tried so far (and some photos would be good), then the rest of us can put our minds together and think of some ways in which the design can be improved.

Justin

Have you ever considered the smt style l.e.ds? My cell phone has them in the keypad. they are flat, the seem to be diffused. I think you could easily put a diffusing lens over the top of them. Just an idea- I think you've all been pretty much focused on the T-1 type l.e.d.s with wire leads.

see attached.

Surface mount will be too small, too weak an output per LED and much more fiddley to work with.

Here are the major milestones(what actually made progress toward the result I want) in my development of this led conversion.

1) a plate array to fit the reflector housingwith leds on 3/8" centers-plenty of light, no easy way to add turn signal functions(dual voltage adaption for the switches for the leds).Leds are too close together to add a seconfdarray

2) An array to fit the housings on 1/4" centers-set up as two seporately switchable arrays on 1/2" centers. One array for runnig lights, one for turn signals. Individual arrays work great(just arse a led flasher to the pigtail), but 1/2" is too far apart for the leds(highly "pixelated) Pinpoints are way too aggravating

3) Place a diffuser between the leds and th lens-points are still present, butlight is dimmer overall.

4) Replace lens reflector housing with a flexible sheet that conforms to the complex curve of the lens-better clarity! Still inpoints-sand the inside of the lens, sand the leds-light output drops, points remain-sanding the inside of the lens spreads the light to the edges of the lens, but still not uniformly. I power up a stock combination light and verify with Escanlons gallery image:

http://www.classiczcars.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=8952&sort=1&cat=500&page=2 that even in the stock configuration the lens is not lit all the way out to the edges.

The next set of attempts will be based application based on fiber optic technology and light diffusion.

1) Sending all of the light into the lens from the rear edges, and playing with the finish(sanding and painting) the inside of the lens to send the light out to the front. With out getting into the theory behind all of this, I believe this will be an integral part of the final product.

2) Casting a clear insert for the lenses with leds imbedded in them, using a cast in fressnell lens pattern to diffust the leds.

I feel like either or a combination of both of these two (sanding and painting the back of the insert) will actually be the answer that makes my view of the way it should be, a reality.

I am waiting for more materials to be able to make the insert, and more leds to imbed and wire up. These assembledges I will take pictures of.

I am very optimistic that the answer will be in these two ideas, they address the problems as I see them head on.

Once the light is flowing as I have envisioned it, I will work out the fit details to keeping the stock look(fitting everthiing in the reflector housing-and a plug)and pass a set to Dave for review.

Will

Surface mount will be too small, too weak an output per LED and much more fiddley to work with.

did you know you can get square smd l.e.ds in a 10 x 10mm size? I don't think that's small.

What is their light output, and actual package size?

Will

I haven't looked into them for a while, (I was using them on r/c trucks, cars & ships), But I know you can get red, yellow, blue, and white. up to 10 x 10mm. I'm still looking for the best kind, but here's something to get you started:

http://www.hebeiltd.com.cn/?p=led.smd

Using the supplied converter to go from MLM to MCD, their super bright white variety has a MCD of 110.3, the leds Dave and I are using are 15,000+mcd, in visiting the suppliers site again They are now selling leds that are 25,000mcd and 50degree-I have some on the way-they may make the difference!!!

Will