So, something occured to me today.. I sell transformers and custom neons for pinball games. These transforemers run on 12VDC, are rather small (4 sq inches). Yeah, they'd be perfect for something in-car. But, I have no idea WHAT, if anything, I'd use it for. Obviously, I would NOT want 'ground lighting effect' on the outside. (The MINI is not a ricer, nor would they last long - if the windshields get busted up that fast, the neon tube wouldn't last a mile!)

So, would you do anything? If so, what?

 

I know some have done neon in the doors and on the footwells (including a few concept MINI cars

 

I had leds (but neon would work too) under my seats and dash.

and I had ricey underglow- i LOVED it!!!

 

No real need for neons (fragile, etc.) when there are superior products on the market now (LED strips, million-color LED bars, cold cathodes, etc.).

 

... "and the car looked pretty, too!"

 

..man.. whjatever ya'll wear underneath... I don't really need to know.

But, in either case, I know from experience that neon can't be 'dimmed', so I'm tempted to hook up a transforem and a piece to the cab lights, and see what happens. It WOULD be neat with a nice green underglow, in the cab, when the real cab lights are on.

 

Why don't you use LED's for the same effect - can be dimmed, easier to get in tight spots for total lighting, last a lot longer, less power/heat....

 

No matter what, LED's just dont give the same effect neon does.

Neon has a nice warm glow to it. I have yet to see any LED that gives that effect.

I run 10 inch white streetglow neon under my dash tied into the dash illumination lights. They can be dimmed easily with the factory switch. No problems whatsoever.

 

The quality of the light IS different, it's true - LEDs have a harsher, more "artificial" glow, mainly because any neon color except blue (tubes are bombarded with argon) or red (bombared with red) has to be made with a coated tube - the coating diffuses the color in a very plesent way. But, LEDs have so many other benefits (lower power, no tranny needed, practically indestructable, etc.) which make them better suited for use in a car IMHO. Please don't think I'm an LED snob - I actually studied neon fabrication in college and LOVE the medium, just not so much in cars.