DIY - ABL using EL wire, and 3/16" tube - Page 20 - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

FwyFlyer · 03-11-2010, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkikuchi

I've started looking at this mod again... and I'm very, very tempted to follow through now. Seeing how perfect those of you with the standard ABL got everything to come out almost makes me regret getting the IO trim... almost

After seeing the pictures of those who have attempted this with the IO trim I'm just not 100% sold on it yet.
FwyFlyer: You mention that you're not 100% happy with the red EL wire -- how close would you say the match is? Think the orange would be too much?

Has anyone had any brilliant revelations on how to make the sanded line not look so noticeable during the day with the IO trim? It doesn't look that bad from what I've seen but it's certainly more noticeable than with the silver installs.

I would really love to find the perfect solution to Dash ABL with the IOM trim -- especially at this price point... I'm not just entirely sure that we've found that here just yet.

My dash ABL with the EL wire looks good (It could be polished a bit more). The color match is close to the doors but not exact. I used the red wire but the color is orange-ish. I will be trying the same as others here and switching back to the light tube and using an LED at each end of the tube on the passenger side. I had tried the light tube before the EL wire and the color was perfect, but it faded to pink the last 8 inches at the passenger door side. If the EL wire was more of a red color I would stick with that. Most people wouldn't even notice though.
As far as the sanded area goes, I have some more experimenting to do. I only sanded an eigth of an inch strip, but you can see it durig the day. Some on this thread that have the IO trim didn't sand at all. Once I have the 2 light option in place, I may have to re-paint (lightly) the sanded area to get the color to match the doors perfectly, which will also address being able to see it during the day. Right now the DRL harness project has me pretty busy so the EL wire will have to do for now.

*TAG UR IT* · 03-11-2010, 01:30 PM

Your tube will be proper color when you have two light sources at either end.

The lights in the doors are going to be the same as the dash....nothing changes.

Sanding....

Once you have sanded 800 up to 1500 and it looks pretty good, USE A RUBBING COMPOUND! Get a drill with a circular polisher pad and add that rubbing compound to it. It will make that plastic clear as day....no scratches, no cloudyness....NADA.

I did this and it's obvious there is a line there. But, the line is so PERFECT that it looks how it should have been made....and with the top being so clear...looks normal.

skuttduck · 03-11-2010, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TAG UR IT

Your tube will be proper color when you have two light sources at either end.

The lights in the doors are going to be the same as the dash....nothing changes.

Sanding....

Once you have sanded 800 up to 1500 and it looks pretty good, USE A RUBBING COMPOUND! Get a drill with a circular polisher pad and add that rubbing compound to it. It will make that plastic clear as day....no scratches, no cloudyness....NADA.

I did this and it's obvious there is a line there. But, the line is so PERFECT that it looks how it should have been made....and with the top being so clear...looks normal.

TAG,
Are your panels blue, or did you go back to the factory gray color?

eneuen1199 · 03-17-2010, 10:26 PM

I just finished this mod on my car. I had to tap into the wires on the passenger side as i had no plug on the driver side nor behind the speedo cluster. I noticed that if i have the lights set on the first setting of the dimmer or full bright the light is solid. Anywhere in between and it flickers a little. Is this normal or is something wrong. I also can see some fine sand marks during the day.. will rubbing compound really get rid of that? BTW it looks awesome..! 5 hours of sanding sucked..! But the end result is worth every minute..!

FwyFlyer · 03-18-2010, 12:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eneuen1199

I just finished this mod on my car. I had to tap into the wires on the passenger side as i had no plug on the driver side nor behind the speedo cluster. I noticed that if i have the lights set on the first setting of the dimmer or full bright the light is solid. Anywhere in between and it flickers a little. Is this normal or is something wrong. I also can see some fine sand marks during the day.. will rubbing compound really get rid of that? BTW it looks awesome..! 5 hours of sanding sucked..! But the end result is worth every minute..!

You said that right, sanding does suck! I have polished mine by hand with Meguires ScratchX and it helped a lot. I still want to try a buffing wheel with a plastic polish compound to see how that comes out. I only have about an eighth of an inch wide strip that I want sanded clear. Masking it off is no problem, but leaving the tape edges in tact when polishing it is another story. As soon as I get some free time I'm going to go at it again and not worry about 'staying in between the lines' cause once I get it clear as glass I'll use 1/8" pin stripe masking tape on the clear and touch up the rough edges to get it straight. That sounds easy enough in theory

we'll see............

*TAG UR IT* · 03-18-2010, 01:57 AM

^as long as your paint matches, you should be okay. I would be careful as much as possible, though...$89 for a new passenger part is steep!

The polishing wheel REALLY DOES WORK. TRUST ME!

I"ve sanded so many times that it's not even funny. I've done 3 passenger and 3 driver side trim pieces thus far. I used the electric sander w/ 200 grit...moved to 800 grit by hand, 1000 grit, 1500 wet, and 2,000 grit. But, when I finished, I used plastic rubbing compound on the drill buffing wheel. Yes, it really does work. It will polish it out to a CLEAR shine. HUGE difference.

I think the flicker is an issue that has to do with length of the wire vs the actual inverter box deal.

wyomingssrs · 03-30-2010, 11:00 PM

So I read that new cars dont have the plugs from the factory, but does anyone know an approximate cutoff day or even month? My car was built in January but I dont want to tear apart the dash looking for hidden plugs that aren't there.

FwyFlyer · 03-31-2010, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wyomingssrs

So I read that new cars dont have the plugs from the factory, but does anyone know an approximate cutoff day or even month? My car was built in January but I dont want to tear apart the dash looking for hidden plugs that aren't there.

Mine was born on 09/29/09, #51234, and I have them. There was a post from someone awhile back that had a build date a few weeks after mine and didn't have them.

*TAG UR IT* · 03-31-2010, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wyomingssrs

So I read that new cars dont have the plugs from the factory, but does anyone know an approximate cutoff day or even month? My car was built in January but I dont want to tear apart the dash looking for hidden plugs that aren't there.

solution...

take off the fuse box cover which is between the drivers side door and the dash....very simple to do and believe me, ot is one panel that snaps inplace... If the plug is next to the ac vent, then you will have both plugs.

scythezo6 · 04-09-2010, 06:38 PM

Is this mod possible on a 1SS since it doent have the stock ABL? If you give me an honest yes, this will be my next mod :crosses fingers:

Thanks guys

sparaz · 04-09-2010, 06:53 PM

I'm compeltely doing this, only thing I have to ensure is that I dont have too much extended difficulty with rewiring into a purple wire as a result of not having the plugs.

Imjaybird · 04-11-2010, 11:10 PM

So I started this and tested the el light and it looks like crap! I have used this before on other projects but the orange does not come close to matching the IOM interior. The orange EL is too fluorescent. It looks like red would be better. I guess I will buy some red and find out?

third1 · 04-11-2010, 11:38 PM

I tried the EL light also. I has getting a high pitch sound when I would plug it in. That was very annoying. I yanked it out and went back to the digilight.

torranosaurus · 04-19-2010, 07:19 PM

I have a Synergy Green edition with the green ambient lights, and removed the fuse panel to find that I do not have the ABL plug where it should be.
If I have the door ABL, I assume, I must have the plug somewhere in the dash.
Anyone know for sure??

04-09-2010, 06:38 PM	#276
scythezo6 Virologist in the making Drives: 2010 VR SS/RS LS3 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: El Paso TX Posts: 2,865	Is this mod possible on a 1SS since it doent have the stock ABL? If you give me an honest yes, this will be my next mod :crosses fingers: Thanks guys __________________ Victory Red 1SS/RS Ordered - 8/4/09 & Joined Camaro5.com family 6000, Delivered to the customer - 12/21/09

04-11-2010, 11:10 PM	#278
Imjaybird Drives: 2010 Camaro RS/2SS Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Fort Wayne Posts: 261	So I started this and tested the el light and it looks like crap! I have used this before on other projects but the orange does not come close to matching the IOM interior. The orange EL is too fluorescent. It looks like red would be better. I guess I will buy some red and find out? __________________ 1100, Preliminary order accepted (01/30/2010) 6000, Delivered to the customer (02/27/2010) YA, she came that quick! $IMJAYBIRD$

04-11-2010, 11:38 PM	#279
third1 speed freak Drives: 2015i Cadillac Escalade,10 IOM 2ss Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Neenah Wi Posts: 1,143 View My Garage	I tried the EL light also. I has getting a high pitch sound when I would plug it in. That was very annoying. I yanked it out and went back to the digilight. __________________ Current:2015i Cadilac Escalade,2016 Lexus RC350,2011 CVO StreetGlide cammed,tuned & loud. 2010 IMO/IO,custom stripes,GFX,sunrf,solo exhaust,JBA shorties,rotofab,Jannetty tune,Pfadt,JLw6 Audison&Hertz,7/4/09 2GIFKIEJ6A9123779Del 7/10/09 Former Camaros 72 LT1 Z28, 86 z28 [SIGPIC]

03-11-2010, 01:30 PM	#268
TAG UR IT www.Camaro5store.com Drives: 2014 ZL1 #705 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: SA, Texas Posts: 26,544 View My Garage	Your tube will be proper color when you have two light sources at either end. The lights in the doors are going to be the same as the dash....nothing changes. Sanding.... Once you have sanded 800 up to 1500 and it looks pretty good, USE A RUBBING COMPOUND! Get a drill with a circular polisher pad and add that rubbing compound to it. It will make that plastic clear as day....no scratches, no cloudyness....NADA. I did this and it's obvious there is a line there. But, the line is so PERFECT that it looks how it should have been made....and with the top being so clear...looks normal.

03-17-2010, 10:26 PM	#270
eneuen1199 Drives: 2ss/rs summit white silver stripes Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 74	I just finished this mod on my car. I had to tap into the wires on the passenger side as i had no plug on the driver side nor behind the speedo cluster. I noticed that if i have the lights set on the first setting of the dimmer or full bright the light is solid. Anywhere in between and it flickers a little. Is this normal or is something wrong. I also can see some fine sand marks during the day.. will rubbing compound really get rid of that? BTW it looks awesome..! 5 hours of sanding sucked..! But the end result is worth every minute..!

03-18-2010, 01:57 AM	#272
TAG UR IT www.Camaro5store.com Drives: 2014 ZL1 #705 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: SA, Texas Posts: 26,544 View My Garage	^as long as your paint matches, you should be okay. I would be careful as much as possible, though...$89 for a new passenger part is steep! The polishing wheel REALLY DOES WORK. TRUST ME! I"ve sanded so many times that it's not even funny. I've done 3 passenger and 3 driver side trim pieces thus far. I used the electric sander w/ 200 grit...moved to 800 grit by hand, 1000 grit, 1500 wet, and 2,000 grit. But, when I finished, I used plastic rubbing compound on the drill buffing wheel. Yes, it really does work. It will polish it out to a CLEAR shine. HUGE difference. I think the flicker is an issue that has to do with length of the wire vs the actual inverter box deal.

03-30-2010, 11:00 PM	#273
wyomingssrs Drives: 2010 IBM CGM 2SS RS Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Northern WY Posts: 7	So I read that new cars dont have the plugs from the factory, but does anyone know an approximate cutoff day or even month? My car was built in January but I dont want to tear apart the dash looking for hidden plugs that aren't there.

04-09-2010, 06:53 PM	#277
sparaz 867-5309 Drives: 2010 CMG RS & 86 black Z28 3rd gen Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Redondo Beach, L.A. County, California Posts: 295	I'm compeltely doing this, only thing I have to ensure is that I dont have too much extended difficulty with rewiring into a purple wire as a result of not having the plugs.

04-19-2010, 07:19 PM	#280
torranosaurus Banned Drives: 2010 orange 2SS Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: USA Posts: 166 View My Garage	I have a Synergy Green edition with the green ambient lights, and removed the fuse panel to find that I do not have the ABL plug where it should be. If I have the door ABL, I assume, I must have the plug somewhere in the dash. Anyone know for sure??