LED taillights???

[wikkedGTS]

So I had an Idea on adding LED taillights to my tercel. I just got it and love it. Wish it would've been a 4WD though but for 900.00 and only 182000 Km who can complain much. It was undercoated since new so hardly any rust. Needs suspension badly though....probably factory still.
I am not the best computer user as you can see and have very limited programs on my computer so I did what I did here using the paint feature for Win7. It's just a mock up anyways.
I know I can come up with something very similar since I did some pretty nice lights for my 90 celica. I also put a rectangular LED on top of the hatch handle to resemble the European look for the fog/snow tailight warning light as seen on Audis, Saabs, etc. since we have that kind of weather here in Ontario. That might actually go where the back up light is located depending on how much clearance is behind the handle.

Anyway guys let me know if you like it or hate it.

[dlb]

there was a huge thread on LEDs recently, not sure how much of it applies to you but you might want look at it:

https://tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7686

[wikkedGTS]

Hey Buddy, I bought the rear taillight and headlight bezel from you. Now I an starting to mess around with the car......ha ha ha

[dlb]

i know, glad to see you on the forum! keep us posted how this goes.

[EliRush]

Hey, I am also thinking about LEDs for the rear...and the cheapest way I found is this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/130608442611
They are really bright, and there are lots of styles that fit. I don't think you would find a full tail light lens unit...but if you do then post it here!
Those SMD 1157 bulbs go up to 60+ LEDs per unit! They get way brighter than stock incandescent.

Let me know what you find!

[wikkedGTS]

Yeah I saw those but I am thinking more of a custom look. Maybe even do a clear lense with CF back of color coded backing. I am pretty good at coming up with ideas ..... just gotta fing the time.
I'll keep you posted though

[Petros]

please do not cut up a good set of tail light assemblies to do this, I have some damaged ones you can have for shipping cost if you want to experiment. finding good used tail light assemblies is becoming more of a problem, dealer prices are just way too high.

[wikkedGTS]

That would be awesome! That way I don't ruin mine. Just looking around for what the best light/lamp would fit. I am thinking Cadillac style with vertical lights and a red or clear lense or maybe rectangular lamps in all 3 colours. We'll see what the prices for either or are.

[Petros]

It would save shipping cost if you ever get to this side of the boarder if you have someone within the US I can send them to. Or in june we will have a local meet, I can give them to one of our Canadian contingent to ship to you once back in Canada. should also be much less shipping cost since it would not be crossing the boarder.

[dlb]

peter, i mailed wikkedgts a few things (a tail light and an '87 head light bezel, i think) last year and it was $37. the roof racks tom sent me last year were $43 to ship and they're much larger and heavier so i'm curious how much shipping from the US to canada would be. probably comparable, at least. either way, i'm happy to ship them from here if that's preferred.

[Petros]

I can likely ship a pair of tail light across the US for about $15, to Canada it would be at least double.

WkkedGTS, give use your postal code and we can compare shipping cost. I have no idea where Hamilton ON is located.

[wikkedGTS]

Hamilton is just south of Toronto and north of Niagara Falls. We are actually at the lower tip of lake Ontario if you can visualize it. Anyways the postal code is L8H2P8. I am sure they fit in one of those flat rate boxes from USPS but if not then we can figure something out.
The LED lamp search looks promising as well. There are so many combinations that can be done it's just crazy plus my boss has a caddy SUV and I was looking at the lamp and I think I will try the mid vein that looks like fiber optic wich is just a plexiglass rod with leds at the ends. Plus I have to search for red plexi..... Well it's all inside my grey matter for now anyways.

[Lil Beast]

This is interesting keep posted! I was thinkin of some like that for mine! Taillights are pretty much impossible to find for the hatchback! But I'm not sure how I would make the casing! Maybe make a mold of the one I got and work from there! Last year in a parking lot someone broke my rear light and looked forever I couldn't find S**T so used the one of my parts car but I'm gonna put it back on the road but need a set of taillight for the 1st gen hatchback!

[wikkedGTS]

Well let me give these ones a crack and maybe I can try making a set for yours later. In the meantime I will find a picture of the rear end of a tercel and try my crappy chopping magic for a visual idea.

[wikkedGTS]

So I decided to go to the wrecking yard today to see that I could find as far as LED brake lights was concerned. Lots and Lots but still nothing like what I wanted. Still I was able to pull some strips out of some GMs Fords and Mazdas I think. I know the guy at the counter so I was able to pay very little for them. I also picked up a 1W flashlight for the back up light. This thing is super bright. I might actually make a lamp lense for my celica's driving/fog lights.
Anyways here are some pics of the bar lights I picked up. Oh I also saw a crushed Tercel........Almost cried