Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

Hi,
I am designing LED Tail Lights for my 87 Firebird Formula, but plan to offer versions of third generation Firebird and Camaros based on feedback and demand.
I attached a CAD drawing of my prototype, which I plan to build over the Holidays. It includes 112 red, 40 amber and 16 white constant current 1/2 watt leds, microcontroller controlled with in-circuit programing, per side. Five circuit boards will be mounted in the existing tail light housing as seen in the attached picture.
Currently the red leds are seperated in to 4 sections matching the bulbs they replace.
While this is a fun project that I am doing on the side, I plan to assemble these units on a surface mount assembly line. So these can be provided for those interested in customizing their thirdgens. My target price is $200 per pair, but this can be easily reduced by reducing the number of leds or wattage. You can check out my company website at www.maceengineering.com for stuff I designed and sold in the past.
I looking for feedback on what type of display modes people are interested in including stock, sequential, or custom modes. These can be pre programed and selectable via dip switch etc. Also, many new cars, like Audi etc have L shaped or square shaped LEDs.
Thanks
Lou

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

IMHO, you'd do better by offering a set for a more popular taillight, like GTA taillights. A very common modification is to replace the style lights you are taillights with the GTA/TA lights.

Like these that only have 4 different bulb sections. 1 Reverse & 3 Brake/Turn/Tails. Of the 3, actually only 2 are Brake/Turns (the 3rd is just a Tail) but the 3rd can very easily be converted into a Brake/Turn/Tail.

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...s/tailight.jpg

Also great for the Sequential Tail Light (STS) conversion. Also why I have 2 spare sets & a spare STS controller. My plan was to complete the LED conversion on a spare set & just swap it over to me car.

I converted my clear Reverse into red & tied them into my Tail/Brake/Turn lights.

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

Thanks for the input. I ordered some extra red LEDs today and plan to build a set for these GTA tail lights. I actually bought a pair earlier so it should be pretty easy.

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

I'd be up for a set to go with my STS I got from BigBadLou, because the last bulb barely starts to light before the flasher cycle resets, so it is barely even visible.
http://www.austinthirdgen.org/sts.html

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

I would definitely be interested in the LED setup and not to stop there but converting all the 1980's technology exterior and interior lighting setups to LED technology to bring the car up to date.

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

These need some finish work buuuuut look ok....

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/auto...gta-tails.html

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

Those Ligenfilter tail lights are awesome. As soon as I have some pictures or video I will post it.

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

Ligenfilter tail lights?

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

Ligenfilter...LOL

Just some guy that threw LEDs behind a 91/92 GTA taillights & put "Lingenfelter" on them.

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

I'd be interested in a set... and I agree that the GTA style tail lights would draw more attention and orders

have you considered something like a honeycomb design?

I think that something like that.. along a center plate illuminated "PONTIAC" and the firebird would make fanatics sigh or curse gm a whole lot

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

I wish the PONTIAC letters lit up on my 91-92 tails.
Pontiac did it on a sunfire sunbird or something..

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

I think it was the sunfire... on our cars that would of looked great at night.

I really hope you decide to make them.. even if you end up having to raise the cost,...
The ""lingenfelter"" ones aren't being build anymore and they were $350 with 2000? LEDs

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

I am definitely going to make them. It will be a fun project. My focus will be reliability and cost. Nobody wants to pay $350.

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

Alright then!.. like me, I'm pretty sure alot of people have been searching and searching for a good while now for a real LED look for our cars which blend great with the modern theme

Here is another video of a different set... I think it's from a member here
Neat 2nd gen look but I think it should be brighter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TorluvI-93I

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

maybe it's the camera or the lense is too dark

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

http://youtu.be/hDryYaN-keE

here are some other cool things to look at.Id love to make my 85-90 tails work like this.I have a sts kit on my car but on the driver side only..the last bulb is always slighty out of sync..it comes on too fast with the middle bulb.I tried changing flashers under the dash and different bulbs.Thinking of just changing to replacement led bulbs for now to cut down on draw from the electrical system and make the lights brighter atleast to match my hids upfront.

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

I would buy a set for my 88 Formula @ around 200 bucks.

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

As soon as you get a Camaro package together, LET ME KNOW!

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

There's a place that already makes them for Camaros... I believe it's called Spaghetti Engineering or something...

:edit: I'd take a set for either 82-84 or TA/GTA tails, but those base/Formula ones are hideous. I'm glad I got rid of mine.

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

Subscribing.. ill buy a set also.

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

also looking forward to seeing some progress on this. my 87 ta would love a set....

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

I disassembled a set of GTA tail lights. They are a lot simpler with only 60 red leds per side. The led pcb board mounting in simpler too. The optics will have to be checked out, since the black grid blocks some light. Here is a blurry picture with one led.
Looks like they're some good interest, so time to build some prototypes. Merry Xmas!

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

Just make sure all lens sections have separate inputs & none are tied together.

You gonna do a clear/white LED for the Reverse section too?

I'm interested in a set if all 4 sections have separate inputs, so that my STS lights still functioned.

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XaGP...eature=related

little research led to these pretty cool.

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

have you seen the led tail lights on the audis that light up as a smooth continuous strip?i want to make a tail light for my camaro with a smooth strip like that with out the led dots, any ideas? http://iedei.files.wordpress.com/201...taillights.jpg

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

Use a diffuser decal

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

Yes, but they are $300....

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

I would be extremely interested if you ever produce a set for Camaro grid tail lights. The deal breaker for the Digitails version is that they don't do anything for the corner markers. I also think they would look best if the LEDs had a staggered arrangement rather than lined up in a grid like so...

Attachment 378229

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

Would be totally down for a set of GTA tails if they went on sale.

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

I like the led they are brighter use less energy I would buy some for my 86 t/a that you can have stock brake sequence and can switch to sts ...maybe front turn signals and side markers would be cool idea

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

:thumbsup:

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

The tail lights will be setup to run exactly like stock, or configured as sequential or user programmed. I would suggest using the tail light built in sequential controller, but I will add the independent inputs for each of the light sections. I plan to use white LEDs for the reversed.
The Digitails are awesome. Currently the circuit is setup to only control the 4 red sections and reverse independently, but this can be added as an option if I have time.

Camaro tail lights are not a problem, just need some sample lights to layout the pcbs. The leds can be placed in any pattern. Let me know if you have any suggestions.

Got a little delayed due to the holidays, a bathroom tile project and work. Should be done soon with the first prototype.

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

Cost difference?

Any plan for a red option? I don't need Reverse lights so I converted my lens to red. I'd rather not lose my red.

There is only 3 sections for TA/GTA so how would 4 sections work? Just not hook up the 4th output? Or are you referring to just the standard Firebird tail lights?

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

The tops lights are very nice. If you could make them for the earlier style lights (black line separating the lights) my interest would peak even more.

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

I took another look at the TA/GTA tail lights and agree that there are also only 3 red sections and 1 reverse section. Also eliminating the red and white stock plastic lens sections will allow the LEDs to be placed in the middle of each black grid opening.

6 x 12 = 72 1/2 Watt 120 degree red LEDs will give plenty illumination. The reverse section can be assembled with red instead of white leds. The reds are cheaper. Right now I am trying layout the GTA Tail Lights on CAD so I can design the PCBs.

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

looking forward to seeing the finished product

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

Since I converted my clear lens to red, I guess it would be fine for all the LEDs to be the same, not 1 section red, other 3 sections red.

One thing I forget is are the red lenses separate pieces? If so, then all 4 sections being the same color LED would work best. Not 1 section red LEDs & 3 sections of clear LEDs under red lenses. What would work best? Red LEDs under red lenses or clear LEDs under red lenses?

Can't wait to see the final product, or at least a first run test item. My flasher resets before the last bulb is really lit, so when the running lights are on, the last section lit for turn or brake is barely seen, if at all.

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

Any updates so far?

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

interested in this for an 87 GTA TA

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

The GTA tail lights are still planned. Work and my bathroom project has been a priority, but I still made some progress. A couple of the electronic parts are so small, I've been unable to breadboard some of the design changes. So I built a small prototype pcb assembly for testing.

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

Keeping this alive.

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

I am still interested. I am going home in June, and would love to install a set of these in my Formula.

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

I'm also interested... unexpected w2 Ftw! :burnout:

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

Hopefully I will be shipping product well before June. I am back revising the schematic for the GTA version after some bench testing.
The good news is these LEDs light up at a lower voltage then their rated voltage. This means I do not need additional circuitry if your alternator dies or running off battery.

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

I still think you should do a Formula version.

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

I'm interested in a set once you have a final product.

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

Still plan to complete both versions.

Just got I notice that I will be losing my job in 30 days at GE Healthcare. This is after I've been working 10 hour days and weekends for the past 8 weeks releasing and fixing the latest GE MR750W MRI system.

The good news is that I will have some extra time to complete these tail lights while I look for a new job.

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

Sorry to hear about yur loss...good attitude however....something will come your way

Re: Firebird LED Tail Lights Prototype
 

I have a company right now making a set for me. THey are based out of the Kansas City area, things look pretty good. as well.