00+ Center tailight mod

[zamjohn]

As some have installed the LED lights for the center (trunk part) light mod, I'm wondering which LED's have been used. I'm looking at Oznium flexible strips and am wondering whether these are bright enough etc. or what other source would have LEDs that would work well. I'm presuming that it would be white LED's used for this mod. Any comments or recomendations. Thanks.

[xrob]

do a search and u will find different led options

[zamjohn]

Mod is done on my 04 SE and worked out nicely. Used bright red LED's. Very close match to corner stop lights. Only thing I wish there was a little heavier electric cable on LED string. Not sure if I trust this in the long run as existing wire is very a thin gauge. To gain access to the clips I cut an access hole with dremnel on either side so that they were easy to pinch with needle nose and remove without damage. The extra access holes are covered later with the carpet liner on the trunk lid. I should have ordered LED's same time to do the rear yellow part to add to signal lights..... Maybe some day. Another thing I thought of is another string of LED's could be added at the bottom and hooked up to brake light wire and you would have your stop lights.

[redzmonte]

pics?

[zamjohn]

Will try to post some pics hopefully tomorrow if I can figure out to post them here.

[nos4blood70]

Would love to see pics. I've wanted to do this for the longest time.

[99BonnevilleSE]

Would love to see pics. I've wanted to do this for the longest time.

Let me know if you need help. This is seriously one mod I'd do right away if i had a 2k+

[theax40]

Absolutely

[zamjohn]

This is the flexible red Led strip either 96cm or 38" which I ordered before I started either from Oznium or Ebay

[zamjohn]

I should have turned this pic before loading on Photo bucket. However you will see where I cut access holes with dremel to access the clips you can't see holding in the trunk section of tailight on the Bonneville. You see the holes are basically an extension of rould hole existing alread that follows the edge of the trunk lid.(sorry I can't mark this as I don't have progarm in my computer for this)Remember to keep this cut so that it will be covered when the rug cover is re-attached later.

[zamjohn]

This is a view of the clip(now removed) as viewed through the access hole. You can see it is now easy to compress clip and remove without damage.

[zamjohn]

[zamjohn]

This last pic of the lit tailight shows how well it all matches as taken at night with flash.
To give proper credit for where I got my initial inspiration I'll refer you to "Bonneville Pro" website
click on advanced search and under author- search for - SamzGXP in general chat forum. Click search and go to last post on page 1 and you'll find description of whats involved in this mod. Cutting the access hole speeded it up and eliminated frustration with removing trunk part of Bonneville tail. Also obviously I didn't us the Catera tailight LED's and the ones on ebay were cheap and very bright. The 96cm or 38" are the perfect length required for installing at the top of the light. The wiring on my 04 SE is a little different with the LED Positive attaching to brown w/white and negative to one of 2 blacks. You can pin prick with volt meter to find which one. I added an actual plug (instead of hardwiring) in case of the need to remove the light. Also because the wiring on the LED strip is so fragile, I added a 2" piece of thicker wire along side led wire end to strengthen the connection and heat-shrunk these individually and then heat shrunk the pos & neg's together. The tailight harness can be accessed at passenger side in trunk after removing carpeting. I also ran the addtional wiring in the loom that runs on trunk lid.

[teerout]

i have heard of doing this, and its on my to do list. you happy with how it turned out? you just slid the led lights in? one strip illuminates the whole back end?

[zamjohn]

Yes one strip of Leds is all you need. Plenty bright enough. You will have to glue them in with whatever glue you choose to use as they are hanging down from top of tail lamp.(anything from silicone glue to urethane used to glue in windshields). I am very happy with the looks of this mod!

[zamjohn]

Should add after I cut the back of the light fixture I inserted some wedges to keep the back open far enough to install glue and then put the LED string in place. Let glue set a while and then you can seal it back up and I installed next day just to make sure lights stayed in place.

[nos4blood70]

Looks good! Mind getting some shots with no flash?

[sethjamesrimrodt]

Looks good! Mind getting some shots with no flash?

X2 please

[zamjohn]

d
These are centre tailight compared to side tails taken without flash. Must have been fingerprint on camera lens.

[teerout]

that looks great. are you still looking at adding the additional turn signal and brake lights?