GI: Illuminated Rear Name Plate

[Ben]

Originally Posted by surfer8

Can you post a picture of one of the rejects/experimental plates? You don't need to put it on a car. A picture from about 4 feet away would be good. I just want to see how they look from a normal viewing distance.

The "reject" plates are cut and assembled properly, the only defect is paint. Unless you were to get close and really look at it, you wouldn't really notice. The defects are mainly scratches, chips, and overspray.

Here is a pic of a reject plate:









You can't really tell from more than 3 feet away - they aren't horrible, but they are not perfect. They were simply experimental plates....... The one in the picture above has a small chip under the M

[surfer8]

Originally Posted by Ben

The "reject" plates are cut and assembled properly, the only defect is paint. Unless you were to get close and really look at it, you wouldn't really notice. The defects are mainly scratches, chips, and overspray.

Here is a pic of a reject plate:


http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3.../MR2001-18.jpg


http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3.../MR2002-18.jpg



You can't really tell from more than 3 feet away - they aren't horrible, but they are not perfect. They were simply experimental plates....... The one in the picture above has a small chip under the M

For that kind of savings it doesn't look like a reject to me. I want one with blue lights. PM me with a paypal address.

[Ben]

PM'd

[miracleman89]

Hey Ben do those prices include shipping???

[cbulen]

I stopped by Ben's house last night to check out the plates and to drop off my climate controls and hazard switch for Ben to convert to LED for me.

The name plates look FANTASTIC when lit up. Ben did quite a bit of research on the diffuser part (he tried many different materials) to get the diffuser working so that the hotspots were minimized. He is on his way out of town this morning for the holidays, and is going to stop by my place to drop off my new lit up "MR2" plate -- I bought a blue one) and my climate controls.

[metheores]

LOl why do you get special delivery huh? Why can't ben come to my house and deliver one of these. Maybe i can get him to fix my car lol

[cbulen]

LOL, I happen to be on his way out of town. Actually, he does work on MR2's on the side, hourly basis. Mabye if you offered to pay for his plane, his hotel, etc. ? hahaha

[Ben]

Originally Posted by miracleman89

Hey Ben do those prices include shipping???

Yes they do

Originally Posted by cbulen

I stopped by Ben's house last night to check out the plates and to drop off my climate controls and hazard switch for Ben to convert to LED for me.

The name plates look FANTASTIC when lit up. Ben did quite a bit of research on the diffuser part (he tried many different materials) to get the diffuser working so that the hotspots were minimized. He is on his way out of town this morning for the holidays, and is going to stop by my place to drop off my new lit up "MR2" plate -- I bought a blue one) and my climate controls.

Thanks Chris! Post some pics when you get it on!

[cbulen]

check out my new lit tail emblem and Dash LED conversion by TCGT88 (I did my inst cluster, but he did my hazard switch, and climate controls, and the tail emblem of course)

[surfer8]

Hey Ben,
I got the plate last Monday. I had a couple of extra LED's sitting around from a previous project so I decided to add a little to your version.

I've got my car on stands (new struts and springs) so the video loses some perspective. I'll try to shoot better video later in the week.

Thanks again.

[SnowRocker88]

Originally Posted by surfer8

Hey Ben,
I got the plate last Monday. I had a couple of extra LED's sitting around from a previous project so I decided to add a little to your version.

I've got my car on stands (new struts and springs) so the video loses some perspective. I'll try to shoot better video later in the week.

Thanks again.


http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...th_Usethis.jpg

This would be awesome for the people with the 94+ lights and a 91 center...it could be whatever color regularly, but the reverse lights when in reverse...

[Tycoon788]

i should b able to send u cash soon for mine.. prolly right after x-mas... money is kinda tight right now. dosnt help that i work for one of the big 3.. and everyone knows there not doing so hott...

[Ben]

Very nice surfer8! I guess I am going to have to revise my light bars to have them switch colors when on the brakes.

No worries Tycoon, I will probably have a new version available by then

[cbulen]

Hey Ben, I think the color change would be fantastic. If a cop wanted to ticket me for a blue light on the rear, and it changed to red under braking, I wonder how he would deal with that? I did recently have a cop behind me, and I think he was watching me as I took a corner kind of fast, and then noticed him, so I drove conservative. He did not stop me for any reason.


Can I offer some suggestions? I think the leads should be longer. This would allow us to run the wires into the trunk, between the trunk liner and the rear metal wall, in the area with the existing wires. I found two pre-existing holes, and did this myself. I was able to run it off the license plate lights wire. I could not get a good ground on the stud that holds the garnish in place, so I lengthened the wires, and ran it to the pre-exisiting ground screw inside.

Also, I just got a great deal on 94+ tails and center panel (black). Do you want to take a look at it? I'm not sure if you have seen these in person. I am not sure how you could make a illuminated plate for these tails, but I would sure like one, and I bet the other guys with 94 tails would too.

BTW, I finally did some work on my project. I pulled the motor on the 91na this weekend. I am making a temporary adaptor plate for the V8 and the 6speed, and I am hoping to get them stuffed into the 91na during the next week so I can see if the axles clear (which makes or breaks my project).

[Ben]

Thanks for the input cbulen - I will make the wires longer from here on out.

As much as I would like to see the 94 panel, I would need it for a couple weeks for R&D....

[cbulen]

Basically, in the area where the MR2 name plate is, the 94+ tail panel is featureless. The "MR2" letters are individual, and are stuck on with double sided tape. If they are pealed off, and the glue residue removed, the panel would be completely smooth. The panel has some gentle curvature accross the whole panel (matching the car), and in the verical direction as well, so that if the panel were laying on a table, with the reverse lights down, it would resemble a very shallow bowl. The plastic of the panel is about 3/32 (around 2mm) thick. It is essentially a shell that the reverse lights are attached to from behind, as well as the mounting brackets which are separate from the panel, and are snapped on with plastic tabs. Not like the earlier panels where the studs are inserted into the panel itself.









To get your light up badge to work, you could do it a couple of ways:
1) create a small "lightbox" similar to what is molded into the older garnish, and stick the lightbox on top of the 94 panel. A small hole is required to run the wires.

2) cut out a rectangle in the 94 panel that matches the outside of your emblem, insert your emblem into the rectangular hole, and light it up from behind. Not sure how it woud be fixed to the panel. Waterproofing of the LEDs is required.

3) cut the letters 'MR2' directly into the 94 panel, and light up from behind.

Of course, all of the above require permanent mods to the 94 panel. However, with option #1, the small wire holes can be done where the orginal MR2 letters were, so if they were reinstalled, they would cover the hole.

[Ben]

I was going to cut directly into the panel, so I need a donor panel.... I am going to be working on the color switching board first, then transfer that option to the 94 panel (when I get around to it).

[Tycoon788]

ooo color switching? i likey

[SnowRocker88]

Why not just replicate the centerpanel with fiberglass?

[Ben]

Fiberglass would be a little complex of a process for just making a cutout. It would be easier to just cut the letters, or any design for that matter.