fully backlit tail light...

[Amanda]

Hey so here is another crazy Amanda idea… I really wish my whole taillight lit up. Like a true mono-light… I don’t know if that would be too much? I think it would look cool with a nice subtle back lighting to it… do you think that’s even possible… Ok, now once everyone has stopped laughing – feel free to post back.

[JimW]

Thought of it before, its very "Mark VIII"ish of you Amanda..tsk tsk..

It would be nice to see if someone has done it, but it looks to be a daunting task.

[Amanda]

err.... I was waiting for the Mark comment... wellT I think it would look cool! So there... LoL Although this is also the person who if I had the money I would buy another one to turn it into a hard top convertible....

[JimW]

I agree it would be a good "coolness" factor.

The best way to do it would be to string LED's? bulbs would be tough because you would need sockets, running the wires might be an issue as well.

I would get a trunk lid from a wrecker and work on that instead of experiment on my trunk lid

[omegaic]

This sounds very possible. Gall's and Federal Signal both sell slimline (single LED high) sticks of LEDs. They're mainly used in police cars and other emergency vehicles. If you had enough clearance behind the rear reflector you could pop one in and wire it lickety split.

Example: www.galls.com/style.html?style=DL142

[Amanda]

How difficult would it be to install a red neon light back there?

[Amanda]

I would love that

[omegaic]

You could get a red cold cathode tube back there. It wouldn't be that difficult and it already runs on 12 volts.

[Amanda]

omegaic, you are really on to something... I like the way you think...

[omegaic]

Example: www.crazypc.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=120199&Product_Code=PV2-8240

[Aurora40]

How long do they take to light, though? Did you envision them turning on with the brake lights? If so, they'd have to react very quickly. Neon can probably do that, but you'd have to check before you bought it.

This has been talked about a lot on Edmunds. No one had actually done it yet though.

[omegaic]

Cold cathode is instant, much quicker than neon. I've seen it used in computer cases to react to sound.

[Amanda]

If I knew exactly what I was doing, I’d test it out on my car in an instant. Although Jim is correct in I’d test it out on a junked rear end first…

[JimW]

I wouldnt wire it into the brake lights, but I would use the running lights. At night when the twilight sentinel activates the running lights then you can see it clearly. But I wouldnt want it to intensify when the brake light is activated.

I still like the STS 3rd light across the trunk lid

[Amanda]

eh, I could go either way, as long it was already lit and it just got brighter with the brakes that would be fine. But I really wouldn't mind if it was just on as a middle light between the brake lights and came on with all the other "night" lights....

[RADEoN]

omegaic said:

Cold cathode is instant, much quicker than neon. I've seen it used in computer cases to react to sound.

in my case i got an LED stick, which lights up instantly.

Amanda, you gave me a new project.

[JimW]

Whoever does it first has to post a very clear and concise write up on how it was done

[RADEoN]

JimW said:

Whoever does it first has to post a very clear and concise write up on how it was done

it wont matter what my trunk looks like inside, chances are it will be spot-welded shut, sanded, and painted, to avoid woofer theft, but this may not happen too

[Amanda]

I wanted the first fully backlit taillight....

[RADEoN]

you won't fight my fully lighted tail-light

j/k!

and not to mention before we got an aurora, i thought they were fully backlit

[JimW]

I prefer it the way it is, I could imagine a lot of complaints about burnt out lights in that location.

However if that was designed more recently the trend seems to be LED tails (think G35 and new BMW 3 series)

[RADEoN]

omg i know how im doing this

im going to run a 12 gauge wire from my battery to my dash, drill and mount a switch, run the wire back to the tail-light, and ground it in there, that way i can switch control it

[JimW]

You know that the battery is inside the car right?

[RADEoN]

yea i know

i got a huge stereo install ahead of me, one more wire isnt going to hurt

[omegaic]

I'd probably just use one of the empty fuse slots in the driver's side box.

[RADEoN]

not a bad idea

even the ignition wire off of my stereo...

[RADEoN]

i think you had better type it bob

[JimW]

Yes Bob...I would like to see this....forget writing it, since that is beyond your capability, post some pictures, lets see it.

[JimW]

Hostility? based on some of the things you have said? And this ridiculous charade, give it up

[JimW]

Tell me if this sounds familiar, its in regards to the Unabomber

Google it? Too lazy, respectable and understandable.

www.panix.com/~clays/Una/

That is his manifesto, and a manifesto is simply a entire collection of someone's thoughts and beliefs on everything.

Recognize that?

Or how bout this?

The book I read about Kaczynski, I checked out at a library.. I think some uber-supporter of Ted was reading this. There's like, hand-written stuff all over it.

The front cover: by Chris Waits and Dave Shors
Chris Waits is circled and an arrow pointing to it says: FBI Snitch

Then there's a copy of a letter written by the FBI, and all over it in hand-written pen: f**king FBI made this sh** up! Why write yourself a letter- just help the newspaper!

It just goes to show there are people out there who DO actually think there is nothing wrong with terrorizing your country from the inside.