DIY: Dashboard Ambient Lighting (ABL)

[FIREWOLFF]

Originally Posted by TAG UR IT

HEY! DON'T LAUGH AT MY SANDING JOB!!! I fixed it for the most part. It's a wider sanding job, but isn't all jacked up like it was in the pix.

I added the soft side of velcro tape on the bottom and side of the left part of the dash and it quickly fixed the problem of blue light "seeping" out of the bottom of the left applique. I'm going to repeat with the right side. I also put in the foil tape on the left side. I tried it with and without....no real difference either way.

I'm looking at repainting a part of the applique and then "adding" paint to it...

By the way, if anyone needs to repaint the applique, the paint code is.....::::::::



GRAPHITE SILVER: paint code - 3CJ

Trying to find the paint is a B!TCH!....I have yet to find someone who knows what it is and can make it. I might need to get someone to try to match it for me. Might be the only way......since GM knows what it is, but does not make it....and outsources for us to get it town. I called two dealers paint and body shops who said they order the paint from a paint supplier in town to mixes it and delivers it to the GM body shops. But, they have no idea how to make this paint yet. UGH....

If you have a TASCO there in SA they can match anything. We use them here in Victoria all the time. They have matched the Camaro colors already.

[TAG UR IT]

TASCO?

I did a google search and all I get is air conditioning stuff...

[skuttduck]

When I did my ambient lighting in the dash by using the LED lights and using the existing holes, all I had to sand was the corner, sanding the whole top of the piece was not necessary. I did this by hand with some 400 grit sand paper and merely held it to the light. The dark plastic behind the dash keeps the color dark in that spot so you can't tell unless the lights come on.

[TAG UR IT]

I got my other light in. I'm going to see what happens and if I can get it to fit at the end of the passengers side. You know...it's probably not even necessary. I think that if I just lift up the light tube, ...somehow making it fit, then I will get equal lighting all the way across the dash.

Still looking into more paint. Going to call a certain paint shop tomorrow. They claim they can match any paint and even have it made and sold in an spray can. We'll see. I have two types for them to do. Once we get that done, we'll be in business!

[kga10734]

Originally Posted by TAG UR IT

I got my other light in. I'm going to see what happens and if I can get it to fit at the end of the passengers side. You know...it's probably not even necessary. I think that if I just lift up the light tube, ...somehow making it fit, then I will get equal lighting all the way across the dash.

Still looking into more paint. Going to call a certain paint shop tomorrow. They claim they can match any paint and even have it made and sold in an spray can. We'll see. I have two types for them to do. Once we get that done, we'll be in business!

I switched out my El wire install to the GM LED and only used 1 light on the passenger side. I did drill one hole behind the trim piece on the far right for the light tube to go into to hold it in place. I also made a bracket and put in one of the existing holes behind the trim to help hold it back against the dash. Once I had everything in place, I just turned the light and tube till I got the look I wanted and it doesn't fade at the end. I didn't have to use any tape or glue to hold the light tube in place. That was the issue I had with the El wire install. I glued the clear plastic tube in place where the brackets are with only a few drops on each, and after just a few days I could see the white cloudy dust/film on the dash and trim so I took it out. The dash and trim cleaned up and looks OK.

I still would like to try the El wire again, but maybe a different way, because I have an idea if I can get it to work. When I had the door panels off to extend the light on them, I looked at the plastic panel and it would be no big deal to do El wire almost all the way around the panel like they are doing with the light tape, but at a fraction of the cost and a lot cleaner install.

[TJ91]

do you have any pics? Which do you like better in terms of light emitting...the GM leds or the el wire?
The light tape looks great but after seeing the install, if the light tape were to ever burn out or need ot be replaced, it would be one hell of a job and looks like it could really screw up the panels trying to lift the glue off

[TAG UR IT]

Originally Posted by kga10734

I switched out my El wire install to the GM LED and only used 1 light on the passenger side. I did drill one hole behind the trim piece on the far right for the light tube to go into to hold it in place. I also made a bracket and put in one of the existing holes behind the trim to help hold it back against the dash. Once I had everything in place, I just turned the light and tube till I got the look I wanted and it doesn't fade at the end. I didn't have to use any tape or glue to hold the light tube in place. That was the issue I had with the El wire install. I glued the clear plastic tube in place where the brackets are with only a few drops on each, and after just a few days I could see the white cloudy dust/film on the dash and trim so I took it out. The dash and trim cleaned up and looks OK.

I still would like to try the El wire again, but maybe a different way, because I have an idea if I can get it to work. When I had the door panels off to extend the light on them, I looked at the plastic panel and it would be no big deal to do El wire almost all the way around the panel like they are doing with the light tape, but at a fraction of the cost and a lot cleaner install.

Is there any way you can post pix of the right side of your dash behind the panel? I'm trying to understand what you mean. I ALMOST got it to work today...very close. But, close doesn't cut it in my book I'd Love to see what you did.

[qbert48]

Originally Posted by TAG UR IT

Is there any way you can post pix of the right side of your dash behind the panel? I'm trying to understand what you mean. I ALMOST got it to work today...very close. But, close doesn't cut it in my book I'd Love to see what you did.

i would like to see that myself as the light pipe won't stay even and the light fades too much

[Jayhawk500]

Yeah! Me Too!

Post the Pics, Please.

[CASTIG 2010SS]

Heat the light pipe (tube) and it is formable. Just got done, will let you know tonight how it looks. Heated to about 175 F or so, was not to hot to touch and just bent it to the shape of the applique.

[Jayhawk500]

I did the same yesterday. I was waiting to see how it turned out before posting. But yep, 175 is the temp. I used spring clamps to hold it until it was cool. Watch the white stripe. This needs to be 180 degrees away from the applique. The white stripe reflectors the light out of the tube.

[kga10734]

This was my El wire install without the door lights extended. Didn't look bad, just the white dust or what ever it was got on the dash and trim from the drops of super glue I used to hold the plastic tube in place. As I said before, it came right off. The El wire Aqua or blue/ green color comes close to matching the doors, but it's not perfect. I still plan on coming back to the El wire and playing around with it because I would like to use it to go around the door trim like what is being done with the light tape. That way the dash and doors will match exact if I use the same color El wire in both places.





This is my GM led install and the door lights extended up to the dash.

In the one photo below, it shows a homemade bracket screwed in one of the holes already in the dash. The other arrow shows the direction I drilled a hole to put the very end of the light tube in. Do not drill very deep or you will go out the end of the dash that can bee seen when you open the door. I also used a utility knife to cut a lead in slot to the hole, so the tube didn't have to bend to fit. In the second photo without the trim in place and lit up, you can sort of see how I did it. The light strip on the tube is not in the correct position in the photo, it needs to be turn out toward the trim more to get an even light across the dash.

After reading a few of the post above and seeing how the doors were done from the factory first hand, I plan on applying a little heat to make a slight bend to conform to the dash better.

[RickRay]

Originally Posted by kga10734

This was my El wire install without the door lights extended. Didn't look bad, just the white dust or what ever it was got on the dash and trim from the drops of super glue I used to hold the plastic tube in place. As I said before, it came right off. The El wire Aqua or blue/ green color comes close to matching the doors, but it's not perfect. I still plan on coming back to the El wire and playing around with it because I would like to use it to go around the door trim like what is being done with the light tape. That way the dash and doors will match exact if I use the same color El wire in both places.





This is my GM led install and the door lights extended up to the dash.

In the one photo below, it shows a homemade bracket screwed in one of the holes already in the dash. The other arrow shows the direction I drilled a hole to put the very end of the light tube in. Do not drill very deep or you will go out the end of the dash that can bee seen when you open the door. I also used a utility knife to cut a lead in slot to the hole, so the tube didn't have to bend to fit. In the second photo without the trim in place and lit up, you can sort of see how I did it. The light strip on the tube is not in the correct position in the photo, it needs to be turn out toward the trim more to get an even light across the dash.

After reading a few of the post above and seeing how the doors were done from the factory first hand, I plan on applying a little heat to make a slight bend to conform to the dash better.

Nice work

[CASTIG 2010SS]

Do you have a close up shot of just the bracket. How is it holding the tube? Is that the only spot you put a bracket?