Grille Backlighting

[mbstude]

Anyone know how I could accomplish this on my '58 Commander?

I love the look...



More can be seen in this video.

http://www.videoranch.com/html/jaylenosbuicklarge.html

Matthew Burnette
Hazlehurst, GA

[mbstude]

Oh yea... I'd forgotten about Jeff's "boom shocka locka" lights... [)]

Pics, Jeff?

Matthew Burnette
Hazlehurst, GA

[Lenny R2]

Hey Matthew i think it would look real neet on your car.Kind of
like the Green Hornet,I think it was before your time.Thanks
for the message to Peter.

Lenny
Atlanta Ga.

[PlainBrownR2]

Easy enough, some 12V lights that are bright enough with a reflector behind it, yet can be concealed behind the grille out of the way somewhere. I'm thinkin like auxililary lamps up under the "tray" where the hood latches. You will probably want to do what I did with the Lark in my signature, except the lights need to be out of the way. And you might not want to use some high wattage stuff, just something to illuminate the grille. You might also want to remember not to go overboard with the illumination as you could blind the oncoming driver!!

[img=left]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t102/PlainBrownR2/My%201950%202r5%20Studebaker%20Pickup%20with%20turbocharger/P1000137-1.jpg[/img=left][img=left]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t102/PlainBrownR2/My%201950%202r5%20Studebaker%20Pickup%20with%20turbocharger/P1000145-1.jpg[/img=left][IMG=right]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t102/PlainBrownR2/Ex%20Studebaker%20Plant%20Locomotive/P1000578-1.jpg[/IMG=right]
[IMG=right]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t102/PlainBrownR2/My%201964%20Studebaker%20Commander%20R2/P1010168.jpg[/IMG=right]

[Johnnywiffer]

quote:Originally posted by mbstude

Anyone know how I could accomplish this on my '58 Commander?

Can we say "bonfire"?

John

[52-fan]

While this makes for a cool looking photo, I would wonder about the legality of driving with it lit up. It would probably work for cruise nights where the police are not as picky about things like blue dots and such.


1952 Champion Starlight, 1962 Daytona, both w/overdrive.Searcy,Arkansas
"I may be lazy, but I'm not shiftless."

[Dick Steinkamp]

quote:Originally posted by 52-fan

While this makes for a cool looking photo, I would wonder about the legality of driving with it lit up.

It was "standard equipment on the early Sables...



I'm old enough to remember colored lights in the fender wells.

A "thing" today is neon under the car...



Dick Steinkamp
Bellingham, WA

[52-fan]

I know, at least in Arkansas, that blue lights under the car are illegal although sometimes not enforced.


1952 Champion Starlight, 1962 Daytona, both w/overdrive.Searcy,Arkansas
"I may be lazy, but I'm not shiftless."

[Mike Van Veghten]

Forrest Gump speak..... -

"My momma told me, if you can't say anythin nice, don't say nuthin at all".

Mike

[tutone63]

Well, I have red neons under my lark. The bonus is that when they are illuminated, the grille lights up red as well. (but then you can see my backup electric radiator fan[B)]) I like that particular look, although I try not to do too much driving with it, as the cops frown upon it. I had two younger guys in a riced-up honda checking me out as I was cruising down the highway. It was dusky, and I noticed their stare, so I reached up under the dash and turned the neons on and their faces totally lit up. Both of them gave me a big thumbs up with huge grins when I did that. My wife noticed the sudden change in their demeanor and asked me "what did you do?"

"I flipped on the neons"

"Well, turn them off before we get pulled over!"

I did, but after a few blocks

Boy, Matt, you are really trying to turn this thing into a Christine aren't you. Just be careful, if she starts healing herself, run fast![}]


1963 Lark, 259 V8, two-tone paint, Twin Traction. I can't wait till the salt is off the roads!!

[PlainBrownR2]

That's right, while the lights might look nice, they might be left to using them at the show or the middle of nowhere because they might be seen as lighting that was not originally intended for the stock vehicle when they are used on a municipal street. Around here, if the lights are colored blue, red, have strobes, they are lights that don't appear to be stock, have excessively bright lamps(or are not a spotlamp), and are on a non emergency vehicle, they are an invitation to a fix it ticket.

I should also reserve my feeling on neons as well, but they do make for a chuckle when one very low placed neon meets one very high standing chuckhole.

[img=left]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t102/PlainBrownR2/My%201950%202r5%20Studebaker%20Pickup%20with%20turbocharger/P1000137-1.jpg[/img=left][img=left]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t102/PlainBrownR2/My%201950%202r5%20Studebaker%20Pickup%20with%20turbocharger/P1000145-1.jpg[/img=left][IMG=right]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t102/PlainBrownR2/Ex%20Studebaker%20Plant%20Locomotive/P1000578-1.jpg[/IMG=right]
[IMG=right]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t102/PlainBrownR2/My%201964%20Studebaker%20Commander%20R2/P1010168.jpg[/IMG=right]

[vintageblueoval]

I bet the challenge will be in getting uniform illumination throuhout the grille opening. The lights dont have to be bright at all to create the effect. Once you unbolt the cover plate between the radiator and the grille (which houses the hood latch) the space in there is enormous, which gives you plenty of options for mounting your lighting. Maybe you could mount a single PepBoys type foglight in that opening just behind the front bumper. If you mount it backwards facing the radiator, you could project it against a piece of aluminum sheet or something else reflective to give a nice even glow to the whole grille opening. I bet if you play around with the angle and convex/concave position of the reflective sheet it would work great!

T.J. Fletcher
North Atlanta, Ga
1958 Champion 2-door sedan

[tutone63]

I don't know how you would pull it off, but could you get a row of bars or a screen of some type, then place an LED every square inch or so? Imagine the wiring behind that! For cooling reasons, I can't say this sounds like a good idea, however.


1963 Lark, 259 V8, two-tone paint, Twin Traction. I can't wait till the salt is off the roads!!