DIY - ABL using EL wire, and 3/16" tube

[TAG UR IT]

Originally Posted by torranosaurus

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??

You won't have it. If there isn't one behind the fuse box, there won't be one behind the dash panel. The reason you have them in the doors and not in the dash is because all 2LT and 2SS models get the lights in the doors. Absolutely no models get the dash or side hook ups since GM couldn't complete the ABL on the dash. GM figures, "if we can't do it on the dash, why continue to spend money on adding the connectors." So, they pulled them out. I can't remember the vin range, but it was somewhere around 65k. There will always be other wires you can rig it into. I can't remember which ones, but it's posted somewhere in here.

[skuttduck]

Originally Posted by TAG UR IT

You won't have it. If there isn't one behind the fuse box, there won't be one behind the dash panel. The reason you have them in the doors and not in the dash is because all 2LT and 2SS models get the lights in the doors. Absolutely no models get the dash or side hook ups since GM couldn't complete the ABL on the dash. GM figures, "if we can't do it on the dash, why continue to spend money on adding the connectors." So, they pulled them out. I can't remember the vin range, but it was somewhere around 65k. There will always be other wires you can rig it into. I can't remember which ones, but it's posted somewhere in here.

Use the purple and black wires in the passenger kick panel, and the drivers kick panel. Follow the wires and make sure they go into the door to know you have the right ones.

If you want to do it on a 1ss, 1LS or 1LT, I suggest tapping into the yellow/black wires that handle the instrument panel lighting. Such as the traction control switch, and in the doors for the lights for the window switch.

I still haven't pulled my car apart to see exactly where/what the "SRK/SRM" is from the wiring diagram.

[verboten]

Originally Posted by torranosaurus

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??

Is it possible to match the green?

[torranosaurus]

I ordered the EL one that just came out in green, I am waiting for it to get here, so we'll see if it is close enough.

[verboten]

Did you try to order through GM parts?

[SouthJerseyGuy]

has anyone documented the needed materials to do the doors? and has anyone attempted to do the bottoms of the two dash pieces and how much material do you need?

[TAG UR IT]

Originally Posted by SouthJerseyGuy

has anyone documented the needed materials to do the doors? and has anyone attempted to do the bottoms of the two dash pieces and how much material do you need?

to my knowledge, only one person had anything similar to lighting the bottom of the front panels. He is from TX and used light tape (which is very expensive). The light tape was so thick, that the light came out of the bottom. No one has tried to light the bottom of the front panels because there is no light that comes out of the bottom of the door panels. It would look off...and IMO, not be what the factory intended it to be.

No one has documented the materials needed to do the doors, but it's easy.

You need probably 5 feet of El Wire (2.5 for each door), clear tubes (2 from petsmart - aquarium tubing) to hold them in place (and the screw hardware). Then, you'd need two 0-4ft transformers wired in line together in a positive line. At least, that's what I'd think.


I think it'd be easier just getting two digikey tubes, two GM light sources, and the clamps to hold them down. Much cleaner and exactly what the factory intended.

[NEGXXIS]

I plan on starting this project tomorrow

[torranosaurus]

EL is the only one I have found to have the green for the Synergy's.
The whole kit cost less than 40 bucks, and I may get started on it this weekend.
There is a post on abl here for all the parts you need.

[wylde1]

here's a question. Has anyone tried this with a 1SS and taken the cloth off the panels? if so is it clear plastic underneath the cloth and you just need to remove the cloth adhesive and polish it?

Did you guys paint the back side or the front side of the panels? Seems to me it would be more durable to polish everything clear like Tag did and paint the back side so no one can chip/scratch your painted piece

[TAG UR IT]

I gave up on my panels because of numerous problems. Really...it became too labor intensive for me and a PAIN IN THE ASS. We had to sand...which resulted in a TON of sanding. But, I actually ended up with a blotched panel. Believe it or not, my panel (drivers side) must have a defect in teh plastic since there is a discoloration in the plastic. The only way to fix that is to paint from the outside and leave that clear strip up on the top for the ABL.

I'm at a loss with them. Then, they developed some sort of weird scratch INSIDE the plastic on the ABL side. Hmpf....I don't know what to do with them...

[loopback]

Originally Posted by wylde1

here's a question. Has anyone tried this with a 1SS and taken the cloth off the panels? if so is it clear plastic underneath the cloth and you just need to remove the cloth adhesive and polish it?

Did you guys paint the back side or the front side of the panels? Seems to me it would be more durable to polish everything clear like Tag did and paint the back side so no one can chip/scratch your painted piece

Same here looking at painting mine as well. Anyone tried this?

[JEFF2010SSMANUAL]

Great job and great info!

If I was keeping my Camaro I would LOVE to do this.

I showed a friend the ones on the door and he thought

they went across the dash, I need to show him what you did.

Simply awesome Job

[TAG UR IT]

Originally Posted by loopback

Same here looking at painting mine as well. Anyone tried this?

A couple people have. There's a new guy who just did fire inserts...looks good. But, I don't see the clear at the top for his ABL.

I need to see if Tom can either ship these back to me or get them done.

You can try to sand and polish out the back of the panel, but it's just a TON of work. I am going to try to paint the front and see what happens.