DIY photo guide for dashboard ABL - Page 13 - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

Jinx · 10-08-2009, 06:05 PM

This is a cool write up

Michael_Js · 10-08-2009, 06:52 PM

It'ss great! I'll be picking up 2 of my 3 ABL lights tomorrow when I get the Service Bulletin handled. I will wait to do the both sides at once since the speedo has to come out for both.

Can't wait!

qbert48 · 10-12-2009, 05:06 PM

got my lights today now off to pull apart the dash and watch my wife freak out

camero · 10-13-2009, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qbert48

got my lights today now off to pull apart the dash and watch my wife freak out

Boy you can say that again!!! Take it from me; wait till she's not home.

Captain Awesome · 10-13-2009, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KTCAM

It just looks that way in the photo.. No sanding or door mods were done to any of the doors.

The panels look to me (I have not removed any yet, so I could be wrong) as if they are made of a clear acrylic plastic and they are given their silver/orange/neutral coloring by a layer of paint applied to the reverse side, with a small area left unpainted on the top edge for the light to shine through.

What you see is a little bit of the light that is shining through the edge that is reflecting off the back of the face of the plastic and scattering around inside the plastic and eventually striking the painted back surface and illuminating it a little bit.

This little amount of light illuminating the painted part is very small compared to the light coming from the edge where it is supposed to come out, so your eye doesn't really see it because it is dim compared to the bright area and your eye compensates for the brightness.

If you use a camera with a long exposure, it will make the dim area more apparent. You can also put something over the edge of the plastic to shield the light from coming out (electrical tape is good for this) you will see the painted parts clearly glowing a bit.

Michael_Js · 10-13-2009, 06:51 PM

I have to take pictures of mine, but I'm not sure I like how it came out. The mods were easy enough though. I did sand the entire dash panel though as I wanted more light to come through. I also taped off the small driver's section end tube since it was letting too much light out the side. I guess we'll see what the pictures come like.

I did use 3 light sources - 1 on the left small section, and one on each end of the larger right dash section. I must say though that it does not match the door panels when there is no illumination due to the sanding. Even though I know the door panels are sanded, since I did it myself, that seems to only show the solid orange, not the clear sanded part like the dash mod show up.

qbert48 · 10-13-2009, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camero

Boy you can say that again!!! Take it from me; wait till she's not home.

at a friends shop to pull the dash that way she does not blow up

qbert48 · 10-13-2009, 09:31 PM

ok pulled apart the dash and the plugs are where they should be but do i need both lights i mean one at each end of the passenger side or will one light do OK?

camero · 10-14-2009, 05:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qbert48

ok pulled apart the dash and the plugs are where they should be but do i need both lights i mean one at each end of the passenger side or will one light do OK?

I think it looks better with only one light by the instruments because the door fades from the rear to the front and if it suddenly picked up again super bright at the cutline where the door opens I think it would ruin that fade effect. With the door and the dashboard fading towards eachother you don't see the break between them at all.

TJ91 · 10-14-2009, 03:41 PM

but then it would look uneven....i guess it depends on the person, but if i go this route, ill be doing the same set up as KTCAM and do the abl on the doors to get the line even across all the panels

95droptopZ · 10-14-2009, 09:33 PM

I noticed while doing the doors that it looks like the door panels were originally supposed to have 2 lights in them. The end that fades towards the dash has a generic holder (LED housing with no wires) and there are extra clips in the plastic for an additional wire harness.

kga10734 · 10-14-2009, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 95droptopZ

I noticed while doing the doors that it looks like the door panels were originally supposed to have 2 lights in them. The end that fades towards the dash has a generic holder (LED housing with no wires) and there are extra clips in the plastic for an additional wire harness.

So your saying it should have looked like this from the factory?(sorry I used your pic tag) Notice the blue light at the bottom of the panel. Mine just may have this look when I'm all finished with my project. Talked to my new parts guy today and we are working on some things.

camero · 10-14-2009, 11:14 PM

that makes sense... the light was probably intended to go across solid and when they gave up on the dashboard they made the door fade towards it so it would look right. That means that the correct way would be to put another light in the door and at both ends of the dashboard strip.

CamaroSkooter · 10-15-2009, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 95droptopZ

I noticed while doing the doors that it looks like the door panels were originally supposed to have 2 lights in them. The end that fades towards the dash has a generic holder (LED housing with no wires) and there are extra clips in the plastic for an additional wire harness.

Do you happen to have a picture to show this?

10-08-2009, 06:05 PM	#169
Jinx Owner of Shunt Drives: 2001 Mustang GT vert Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: In the Trunk, NC Posts: 323	This is a cool write up __________________ Support the "JINX CAMARO FUND" at http://www.zazzle.com/jinxdesign

10-08-2009, 06:52 PM	#170
Michael_Js SoCal C5 Family Member Drives: 2010 Camaro SS/RS - Black w/IOM; 6M Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: San Diego, CA, USA Posts: 5,299 View My Garage	It'ss great! I'll be picking up 2 of my 3 ABL lights tomorrow when I get the Service Bulletin handled. I will wait to do the both sides at once since the speedo has to come out for both. Can't wait! __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2010 Black 2SS/RS; 6M; IOM, GFX, sunroof; ADM Race CAI; Zoomers CB; Viper Alarm; Pdaft F&R sways, Adj Endlinks, Rtrailing arms, Camber kit, strut brace, Front Trailing Arm Bushing; SLP Skip-Shift Elim; Tinted lights/windows; Hurst Short-throw; LoJack; Door & Dash ABL Mods; ********; JBA Shorty headers; AACStyle LEDs; Stillen DS rotors, Hawk Ceramic pads; Havoc Blk Chrome wheels: 20x9s; Lingenfelter Blk Al Pedals; RevXtreme Catch Can; Goodridge SS lines; Ported TB; RK Sport hood; Hotchkis chassis brace; KW V3 coilovers;

10-12-2009, 05:06 PM	#171
qbert48 Drives: 2SS SIM Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: texas panhandle BFE Posts: 1,128	got my lights today now off to pull apart the dash and watch my wife freak out __________________ 2SS RS SIM gray leather stick shift ground FX thank you gary richards @ classic chevy in sugarland welcome home 1100 4-27-09 6000 6-27-09 yes i got to the dance late don't hate me

10-13-2009, 06:51 PM	#174
Michael_Js SoCal C5 Family Member Drives: 2010 Camaro SS/RS - Black w/IOM; 6M Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: San Diego, CA, USA Posts: 5,299 View My Garage	I have to take pictures of mine, but I'm not sure I like how it came out. The mods were easy enough though. I did sand the entire dash panel though as I wanted more light to come through. I also taped off the small driver's section end tube since it was letting too much light out the side. I guess we'll see what the pictures come like. I did use 3 light sources - 1 on the left small section, and one on each end of the larger right dash section. I must say though that it does not match the door panels when there is no illumination due to the sanding. Even though I know the door panels are sanded, since I did it myself, that seems to only show the solid orange, not the clear sanded part like the dash mod show up. __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2010 Black 2SS/RS; 6M; IOM, GFX, sunroof; ADM Race CAI; Zoomers CB; Viper Alarm; Pdaft F&R sways, Adj Endlinks, Rtrailing arms, Camber kit, strut brace, Front Trailing Arm Bushing; SLP Skip-Shift Elim; Tinted lights/windows; Hurst Short-throw; LoJack; Door & Dash ABL Mods; ********; JBA Shorty headers; AACStyle LEDs; Stillen DS rotors, Hawk Ceramic pads; Havoc Blk Chrome wheels: 20x9s; Lingenfelter Blk Al Pedals; RevXtreme Catch Can; Goodridge SS lines; Ported TB; RK Sport hood; Hotchkis chassis brace; KW V3 coilovers;

10-13-2009, 09:31 PM	#176
qbert48 Drives: 2SS SIM Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: texas panhandle BFE Posts: 1,128	ok pulled apart the dash and the plugs are where they should be but do i need both lights i mean one at each end of the passenger side or will one light do OK? __________________ 2SS RS SIM gray leather stick shift ground FX thank you gary richards @ classic chevy in sugarland welcome home 1100 4-27-09 6000 6-27-09 yes i got to the dance late don't hate me

10-14-2009, 03:41 PM	#178
TJ91 :chevy: Drives: 2LT/RS Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Toronto Posts: 13,033	but then it would look uneven....i guess it depends on the person, but if i go this route, ill be doing the same set up as KTCAM and do the abl on the doors to get the line even across all the panels

10-14-2009, 09:33 PM	#179
95droptopZ Chevrolet across the USA Drives: ABM 2SS/RS 66 SS396 Chevelle Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Colorado Posts: 115	I noticed while doing the doors that it looks like the door panels were originally supposed to have 2 lights in them. The end that fades towards the dash has a generic holder (LED housing with no wires) and there are extra clips in the plastic for an additional wire harness.

10-14-2009, 11:14 PM	#181
camero Drives: IOM V6 RS 38808 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: S.Detroit, Ontario Posts: 776	that makes sense... the light was probably intended to go across solid and when they gave up on the dashboard they made the door fade towards it so it would look right. That means that the correct way would be to put another light in the door and at both ends of the dashboard strip. __________________ I've known how to spell Camaro since before you were born.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
DIY part # for ABL (Pictures of Installation included!!!)	2SSRS@Gen5diy	Camaro DIY & HOW-TO instructions & discussions	1028	11-27-2015 08:33 AM
Ambient Lighting (ABL) development summary	McGruff	5th Gen Camaro SS LS LT General Discussions	77	03-27-2012 12:27 AM
DIY: Dashboard Ambient Lighting (ABL)	rharon	Camaro DIY & HOW-TO instructions & discussions	224	07-23-2010 06:05 AM
DIY: ABL Color Change	Tecca	Camaro DIY & HOW-TO instructions & discussions	20	05-18-2010 06:50 PM
UPCOMING CAMARO IMPORTANT DATES	CamaroScotty	5th Gen Camaro SS LS LT General Discussions	125	01-11-2009 12:31 AM