I'm checking to see if there's anyone would like to attend a lighting MODs clinic at this year's MOTD? The organizers have asked me to put up this thread seeing if there's any interest in such an event. If we have sufficient attendees, I'll have this added to the event calendar. Because of the nature of the MODs in question, I'd recommend holding this in the late afternoon either right before or after dinner, but it's not crucial.

If held, I would do a brief (1 hr.) clinic on basic lighting MOD techniques, including the use of LED and cold cathode illumination in the MINI Cooper. I'd also talk about some of the lighting MODs installed on my car, including my LED door-sill puddle lights, my blue front/rear cold cathode cabin lighting, my rear seat LED spots, LED boot lighting using LED strips and my grille/engine bay cathode/LED illumination. I would also discuss how to make a custom switch box to drive all this extra electrical goodness. Last, I'd cover basic electrical safety, including proper use of fuses and switches, how to safely run wires through the MINI's firewall/engine compartment, etc.

A complete list of all my MODs, including pictures can be found in THIS THREAD (see post #166 for a list with many How-to links).

Thanks.

PS - I've already spoken to my favorite lighting vendor, www.oznium.com, and they've agreed to provide some prizes/goodies to clinic attendees if we end up having this.

 

Depending on the timing, I might be interested in this. The next things I'm looking at doing are the boot lighting and driving lights.

Hey, need a car to demonstrate these techniques?

 

Well, with only an hour I doubt I'll be able to actually INSTALL anything - I planned to use my car (which already has the parts installed) to demonstrate what's possible and then let people go nuts from there. But I can certainly help you with the install and if we have time it would be great to actually put something on someone's car...

 

I would love to attend a clinic such as this. Any chance you can make it Saturday before the dinner? Friday is kinda booked for me with the Brew Swap.

 

Noted. Anyone else?

 

Saturday sounds GREAT to me, too!

 

I'd be there on Saturday

 

It's looking like Saturday folks... Anyone else want to chime in? I'll give it another day or so and point the organizers thisaway...

 

I'm interested in this.

 

Sounds like a good idea. I'd like to see my mods next to yours to see the difference between the two installs. I've got blue 90 deg LEDs in the footwells as well as in the puddle lights, 2 orange oznium prewired LEDs in each door pocket, and 2 9.5 LED strips in the boot. I'm hoping to add blue 9.5 LED strips under the seats before the dragon.

 

Oooh... do it. The trick to underseat LEDs/cathodes is hiding the wires. I had to run them outwards from my center console and tuck them beneath the actual seat rails... be sure to leave enough slack so that the seats can slide back and forth without snapping the wires...

It's the only place on my car that you can see the wires on the surface, and I'm still looking for a better way to stealth them - I might just go crazy one day and pull the seats totally out then run them completely under the carpet.

 

Sounds great to me. Saturday works.
I'm really interested in learning how to install my own driving lights as a starter, but would love to learn more!

Annette

 

Annette, did you see my DRIVING LIGHT HOW-TO?

Of course, I'm not saying that I don't want you to attend my little clinic, though...

I finally get to see El Kabong (and his driver) in the flesh! All these MINIS that I've been following for nonths and months... how exciting!

 

Matt,

Count me in I'd like to pick your brain on some of this LED stuff. See you there!

Gage

 

I have tickets for the banquet (at 6:30) so unless there's a drive planned at 4:30 or 5:00 how about we do it then? That way, anyone that wants to come back after dinner (and dark) can REALLY see the full glow effect. Of course, I'll be running my car in the Midnight run (with all my lights on) so people can see them there too....

 

I say 4pm. When we MINI folks get together we tend to talk...a lot. You'll be surprised how fast time flies. That'll give us 2 hours before the banquet. We should do it close to the banquet area if possible.

 

I'd be interested in checking it out too. We have only changed all the bulbs in Soulfire from the white to a nice blue, but I would LOVE to do something else. But doubtfull that will really happen, but I'd drag Jay and come and check it out...Any excuse to see what someone else has done to their MINI!

 

Matt,
Thanks for the link to your write up. No, I hadn't seen it before (kind of nervous about getting the whole thing started) but am psyched to see that maybe I can do this. What brand are your lights?
I'm really interested in some additional lighting as well, so am glad you will be there to show us the finished product.
I'm really looking forward to it, and can't wait to meet you and Nano in person! (Love that HO, just wished it came in a tin top ).
Annette

 

Can't make MOTD but would love to see a summary of the lighting (best perhaps rather than all??) options in a single thread/sticky. Trying to correlate all the mesages and bulb types and sources has given me such a headache. Boot, footwells, puddles, etc...

I can be patient (in fact I HAVE to be patient becasue my budget is commited for the next few months) but this would be truly useful. Shame you're not coming to AMVIV!

 

They're Hella "Optilux" 2500s with LED "angel eyes" ring lights. I installed them using the supplied 3-way switch, not wired into my high-beams.

I love the Hellas, but they DO require a set of specially made brackets to mount to the Outmotoring bonnet light brackets (the stock brackets have TWO mounting holes and the Outmotoring brackets have but one). Luckily, I found someone here that could fabricate a set for me out of simple, bent steel, but I did ascertain that drilling a center-hole in the stock brackets would have worked just as well...

Of course, unless you MUST have angel-eyes, there are plenty of other aftermarket lights that are far cheaper than the OEM ones...

 

Dude, I had already planned to hunt you down
So I guess that means I'm in... I just have to find the Frau something to do

 

Yeah, the missus isn't thrilled that I volunteered to do this, either, so maybe we can hook 'em up and they can go off and make fun of us for an hour or so...

 

count me in. can't wait to try my hand at making 'BABEY' shine.

 

Count me in. Do you have a time reserved. Do you need a mini-guinea pig with lights that are not installed yet???

 

I feel the need for an Oznium order! That was my thought also, I don't want exposed wires. I wonder if I could get the wires under the carpet using my "wire fish"? Might work. I'll have to get it out and play around with it.

Looking forward to meeting you.