led strip lights
 

I am looking to add led strip lights to get the effect of an audi s4 or porsche. I would love to integrate into headlamp assy, but fear that this is extremely custom therefore big $. Has anyone installed up front on the lower airscoop? Ideas for what to buy? I want them super bright so you can see them in the daytime.

Thx
2003 MCS

You can find the strip lighting at Autozone or Advance Auto. It's actually nice. I have mine mounted in the lower grill and looks cool. You can add the strip inside the headlight assembly, but it would require you to open it up. I didn't add it to my headlights because I have the halo ones. I'll get you the name of the company that makes the LED strips tomorrow. Oznium.com also sells LED strips, but they are better used when the LEDs don't want to be seen.

Thanks. I would love to see some pics if you have em.
I also found this link. http://5thirtyone.com/archives/892
This is what I am shooting for.

Now that is sweet. Unfortunately the time and money needed to invest in actual Audi lights would be insane. You'd be better off just getting a set of aftermarket LED strips and mounting them in the bumper. The strips I mentioned in my first post are really thin. If you go into the driving lights aisle at Advance Auto, they actually have LED driving lights and this might be more up your likings. The strips are located in the aisle with all the neons and stuff and are made by a company called Alpena. They are called Alpena FlexLEDs and they come in an assortment of colors and lengths. They can also be cut as well. Do a google search or just go to Advance or Autozone. I have my front bumper off right now, but will get some pictures as soon as I can.

I'll be that guy...

This mod would have to be really nicely done, without it looking just like what it is; tacked-on Autozone LED's. It could end up badly, looking low budget.

Don't get me wrong, I like the new LED lighting coming from Audi/VW, etc., but they're on the cutting edge of design, and have gobs of money to throw into design and development of these headlamps.

Proceed with great caution and care, lest your MINI look ridiculous.:sad:

^^^ Yup they are cool, and I would love to do the same, but these too will soon go the way of windshield washer nozzle lights and those port-hole fender vents that gangstas are putting on every damn thing these days.


We already have too many lights up there.... headlights / fogs / seperate parking lamps / arch lights... need to get rid of some of the others to look proper, like if you got no-light euro arches and made the existing parking lights or fogs into brake ducts...

Currently, I'm not running the front parking lights.!as for the strips, just so Jonny Boy knows, you don't even see them where mine are located. Not until night time when they are lit up. And besides, a cording to numerous NAM experts, my car already looks ridiculous because she's murdered. But, fortunately, people like Jonny Boy don't employ me or have anything to do with the decisions in my life, so if wants to think a car could look like an Auto Zone show car, that's him. Again, I'm not one for light bars mounted in the lower valence, but that's my opinion. And, to the OP, I might be able to get a shot tonight while the bumper is in the garage.

This thread should help you out. ImagoX had a huge amount of LEDs on his previous MINI.

They used OEM Audi S6 LEDs. With normal consumer LED products, you'll have a very hard time finding anything bright enough for the daytime.

http://oemplus.com/index.php?main_pa...roducts_id=451

This is a link to the audi led's which is the level of light that I want to install. I appreciate all the other posts on leds, but I want something really bright and professional.

I just am curious as to the amt of customization required to retrofit these to the cooper.

I do like the idea of putting an led in the hood scoop, for me the one in this thread was not near bright enough.

I totally agree, no slap on craziness.

Here are some day shots (on and off). After I piece the car back together gain, I'll get some shots with it on the car. As you can see, even in the daylight, they can be seen lit up. You can cut them shorter or place them some place else. This was just where I wanted them at. The choice is yours.
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a0...D550/ry%3D400/

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a0...D720/ry%3D480/

^ pics on the car at night!

I'll get them tomorrow night. Be ready!!!

I'm more interested in seeing them in a challenging circumstance -- on the car in bright daylight, and photographed not straight on but slightly off-axis.

I can get some bright day shots off-axis this weekend. I'll shoot the night shots tonight.

loosk good..

Thanks!

Sorry guys, camera has a busted LCD screen, and I can't get a decent shot tonight. I'll try again when I bust my new camera out the package.

You mean like this? :wink:

Any luck with pictures yet? :popcorn:

Nah Man, sorry. I'll get them soon I promise.

hey fatherdeth..thanks for the new pics of your LEDs...love them on your car! question...how did you hook them up to your parking lights? i would like to do the same...but am having trouble getting to my parking lights to unplug them and jack into them. Or is the parking lights fuse somewhere in the engine compartment? suggestions please? thanks.

Thanks man. First off, to anybody who wants to see what they look like, just check out my gallery. I put some crappy iPhone pictures in there.

Well Swoosh, once you disconnect the parking light connector, you can pull the wiring up through the hole. It has a protective wrap around it and it will need to be carefully cut back to expose the wires. I used simple wire taps for both the positive and negative wires. The negative will be the brown wire. Putting the ground wire on a chassis nut or attached to the metalnof the body will work also, but it's easier to just tap it into the parking lights ground wire. You can then wrap up the wiring with electrical tape. If you put the LED strips down on the bumper, you are going to need to remove it to run he wiring behind it. I placed mine in the lower portion of the radiator grill. There are already holes in the corners so I didn't have to drill into the bumper to run the wiring. Another thing to remember is that there are 2 bulbs in the housing. A large bulb and a small bulb. The large bulb is the turn signal and the small one is the parking light. You want to tap into the small one.

Cant wait for the pics at night, did a search would love to do something like that, what would be the easiest way to get them hooked up so when i turn on my lights they turn on as well, gotta be as easy as grabbing the arch wires and splicing them in?