OK, well these are only small projects, but they'll keep me occupied during the dark winter months :D lol

 

They are both to be done at the same time, as they are both from the same area of the car.

 

 

The first one is this......

 

 

For anyone who doesn't know what this is (apart from the back panel ;) ) it is an illuminated back panel. Using the Electro-luminescent sheet and an inverter, and the FAQ from here, I'll be reproducing it in the 99 spec red, complete (if I can work out the best way to do it) with the chrome edges to the reversing lamp clusters.

 

 

The second little project is thie....

 

 

I think this one is self-explanatory, but again I'll be putting my own twist on it by, again, trying to have the inner bezels (surrounds) chromed. I'm also hoping to have the two fine black strips on the inside of each lens.

 

I've orded the EL panel kit from the US today, as all the UK companies that sell this sort of stuff was far too expensive, or the sheets are too small. I've also managed to obtain some flouescent light deffuser for the light panels. I've already got a full set of lights and rear panel to practice/measure from so that I don't have to have mine out or damage them ;)

I'll also take plenty of pics along the way once I get started properly.

 

Thats it for now, i'll keep you posted :D

looks like a good project mate, keep us upto date with progress

99spec rears and illuminated rear panel is the way to go Dave;)

Bling, bling ...

Hi Dave

 

We are all waiting to see how this project goes.

 

I have recently tried heating up and opening a 300zx centre panel. It is very flimsy plastic and because the one I tried had a lot of 'crazing' it split in a few places. I think one of the reasons it split was that the oven was a 'UK standard 60 cm' and was just a bit too small to heat all the panel goo evenly. Once opened I tried sanding the 300ZX sign and that bit seemed to be quite straight forward.

 

Cheers

 

Martin

:D Good call Dave i must say:cool: when you finished if you wouldn't mind doing mine mate...:D

Get good diffuser for the indicators, my main problem when i looked into this was finding a diffuser that actually diffused light as good as the stock diffuser.

For those who have asked about the diffuser, here is a pic.... This one is four foot long by six inches wide

 

 

:DGood call Dave i must say:cool: when you finished if you wouldn't mind doing mine mate...:D

 

Let me see how well this one goes, and has I'll have enough EL sheet left, all I'll need is another inverter, so I just might be able to do that ;)

:D Cheers bud, hope all goes well then :cool::hyper:

hey dave i have got a Green back lit center panel, is there a way you can change the colour say to red or blue, or does any one alse have a red or blue center pannel to swap for mine ???

hey dave i have got a Green back lit center panel, is there a way you can change the colour say to red or blue, or does any one alse have a red or blue center pannel to swap for mine ???

 

 

i doubt you will be able to change the color as its coloured by the iluminecent strip which is made that color i think

i had an iluminescent panel,tried to fit it but it didnt work so that went out of the window still got 99spec though :D

i doubt you will be able to change the color as its coloured by the iluminecent strip which is made that color i think

Totally agree, the only way to change it is to buy a new sheet, and that's the expensive bit.

Dave bit confused TBH (I know it dont take much :( ) but are you doing the rear lights in EL as well? Or just the "300ZX" part? If so let me know where you get all this done as I'm not too far away from you and can prob get all the same done.

 

Ivan

For those who have asked about the diffuser, here is a pic.... This one is four foot long by six inches wide

 

 

 

 

Let me see how well this one goes, and has I'll have enough EL sheet left, all I'll need is another inverter, so I just might be able to do that ;)

 

 

Where di you get the defuser?

Top man!!

 

Keep up the good work dave :bow:

Hi Dave

 

That difffuser looks good. I have made some rear bumper side indicators from Wickes diffuser..... not a good pattern though. I found that if I cut as close to the original with a hack saw and then used a hobby glass grinder to shape the plastic it turns out pretty good. I used a CD marker pen on the plastic for the shape as it comes off easily with Meths and is waterproof for grinding. Sanding just took toooo long.

 

Hopefully we can get another FAQ from you Dave..... so keep at it. If you need a glass grinder then you clould always pop em in the mail.

 

Keep me posted.

 

Cheers

 

Martin

Dave bit confused TBH (I know it dont take much :( ) but are you doing the rear lights in EL as well? Or just the "300ZX" part? If so let me know where you get all this done as I'm not too far away from you and can prob get all the same done.

 

Ivan

Sorry Ivan, I didn't explain that bit well did I :rolleyes:

Although I'd like to have LED's in the brake and indicators it'll end up being bulbs (Red and Orange). An EL panel wouldn't work (or be street legal).

 

Where di you get the defuser?

Went to see my locl electrical wholsellers, company called City Electrical Factors, only cost £14, not bad considering that there is enough for two complete sets of lights.

While I'm sat here at work doing nothing, waiting to be able to go home ;) I thought I'd give you an up-date on this little project.......

 

Well the up-date is........

 

 

I've got all the components, but thats it still. Hopefully will get around to this one soon. Never seem to have any time to myself these days :rolleyes: and I really must finish off the decorating :D

 

But I will keep you informed, and try to do a combined FAQ on both projects, more aimed at the UK market, instead of the US and Austrailian ones. I'll give all the UK suppliers details on the components that I've used.

Any update ?

Ermm, yeah ;) (I think I updated this on a separate thread)

Basically, I built up the EL rear panel complete with the 'Chrome effect' bezels, and it worked very well until the inverter blew! I've since obtained a genuine Nissan green one, which is running perfectly.

As for the rear light units, I'm about to start a new project with these (again as soon as I can find the time/money), but the original idea worked very well although it was red over clear (99 spec) instead of the all clear as in the first post.

I did manage to melt one lamp unit by accident :mac1: so had to start again on that. Anyway the end result was this...

 

Eliza looks a bit different by now though :D