The current list is on my new thread, and you are on the list. I am making one list:
http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=120107
http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=120107
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NSX LED Taillight conversion?
- Thread starter apkarian100
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Just wanted to share my experience real quick. Chris worked on my taillights as the first set. I finally got a chance to put them in last night.. and they look fantastic!
Hi
That sounds very good. I am looking forward to getting mine.
I had my NSX out of hibernation last monday. But it went in to the garage again as snow came falling down again.
If I am lucky I will have mine mounted not long after the season begins.
Regards
I'll be pulling your taillights apart probably tomorrow night.
Hi
Thanks. We will work out the details on pm. But I just wanted to say that I would like this:
Full Replacement Taillight Weather Stripping: $100
LED brightness controller: $50
The weather stripping is that what I think it is the rubber thingy around where the "bolts" are? You'll be the judge if that is something I need.
What you got is all that I have. I have one set on the car already. But I am not sure what that stripping is or if I need it.
Regards
The weather stripping is the foam backing that slips right over the bolts in the back. I'll have to check your lights and see if they have taillight gaskets. I usually recommend replacement taillights gaskets because the 91-01 taillight gaskets get sun-dried pretty bad.
What options did you go for? Please share your insight (and pics) for those of us that have some decisions coming up.
Any chance of using light bars in the tail lights instead of all those LEDs? I think the dot matrix look of the LEDs are looking ancient already. Integrating light bars like I have on my BMW will look better IMO and not be too bright.
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Any chance of using light bars in the tail lights instead of all those LEDs? I think the dot matrix look of the LEDs are looking ancient already. Integrating light bars like I have on my BMW will look better IMO and not be too bright.
+1
And I think that this will cut down on the number of LEDs you need. It appears that they just use 1 LED at each end of the fiberoptic bar.
The question is where can we find the fiberoptic bars and can we apply it to our needs? I mean, we would need a specific length.
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I think you can just buy bulk length and cut and bend it the way you want it. I googled it the other night and found several possible sources. Here's one of them... I think the side beam solid core stuff might be similar and there are other types if you search around enough. I remember going to a plastics store years ago and seeing all kinds of acrylic rods being used in lighting. You'd probably want to drill a small hole in each end and insert an LED. Depending on how you implement it into the NSX tail lights, it could make it serviceable instead of having to take apart the tail lights if something goes bad.
The hard part with this type of lighting is trying to find out which LED that is bright enough to use. You can't just use one small LED on one side because it won't be bright enough. If you try a high powered LEDs, then you will have to worry about large heatsinks, and still, the light across the acrylic rod won't be even light distribution.
But from what I can see about the BMW LCI taillights, is that the fiber optics aren't illuminated by LEDs. I could be wrong, but it just looks like a regular light bulb playing light games on the fiber optics. Notice the picture:
Now when it comes to the NSX, you would still have to take apart the taillight to get that plastic diffusion sheet out and there is still a lot of diffusion to deal with in the taillights.
But from what I can see about the BMW LCI taillights, is that the fiber optics aren't illuminated by LEDs. I could be wrong, but it just looks like a regular light bulb playing light games on the fiber optics. Notice the picture:
Now when it comes to the NSX, you would still have to take apart the taillight to get that plastic diffusion sheet out and there is still a lot of diffusion to deal with in the taillights.
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You guys think LED's look dated? I am not all that fond of this fiber optic thing because it looks like regular lamps for the most part. Really, is it that different than an old school bulb other than the fact that its a fancier shape?
It's basically just a different way to spread light. It creates a cool effect. Many are for the effect of lighting. LEDs will not get old, they are a growing technology. In the future, many new cars will have LED headlights that will be bright enough. I guess you can call HID headlights old technology too, but how many people want HIDs now?
They are definitely LEDs, one on each end. On my M3, we have ambient lighting in the doors which use the same technology. I have taken the door panels apart and have seen the LEDs. Here's a pic of the ambient lighting on in the door panels. You can see in the picture of the fiber optic that it looks like tiny little bulbs in the bar, but it's actually just sections in the rod itself designed to light up when the LED shines through.
I think the array of LEDs looks dated. It reminds me of those old jumbotron screens you would see at the ballpark. Next time you see a BMW E92 coupe or 1 series, take a look at the tail lamp, it really stands out. That pic I posted earlier of my car I'm not sure how you can say that looks like an old school bulb. I can spot the tails of an E92 out a mile away, not just by it's shape but by the type of light it puts out. BMW has been using the light bars for a few years, but the best implementation of it is on the E92 (3 series coupes) and 1 series.
The videos posted of the NSX LED conversion look way too bright IMO, maybe it's just the camera or video. But I like the idea of less points of failure using less LEDs and not having my tail lights light up like a Christmas tree.
I would agree if all the LEDs were evenly spaced out, but I think the way Chris has arranged them in horizontal bars makes them look good.
Malibu, I don't think the look of LEDs close to each other is an outdated look, but I think you have a point about using the fiber optic rods. It would create a nice effect. The diffusion lenses could be removed from the taillights and fiber optic rods could be run along the taillights, tapped with LEDs. If you are interested in something like this, send me a PM with your ideas and we could possibly make this a reality.
I sent you a PM about the L.E.D tail lights did u get it? I was thinking your mail box maybe full....
No, I don't think so. Send it again. I didn't get it. Sorry
Check your pm box again..
some new vendors are doing this now.. I would probably avoid apkarian100 at this point.... read a few pages back and you'll get it.
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