First Ever Modded Front Bowtie with LED's !!

[SSFury]

So, I've been taking a real hard look at our cars, as far as what gets modded, and what doesn't get modded. I've noticed that everyone mods their front bowtie.. either removes it, paints it to match their body color, etc.. but nobody ALTERS it !! I got looking at mine when I took it off the car to body match it, and the gold reflector in it.. I noticed that there was a nice 1/8" gap all the way around it.. thats a great seam for vinyl, or paint.. but why is it there!!?? I got looking at it, and realized that it isnt 1 piece.. they're 2 pieces. The chrome housing (metal plating over a plastic piece, btw..) and the gold reflector insert. So, what if you took the insert out....? What if... ?

This project had 2 goals.

Goal 1: Keep it STOCK looking!! I love my car to much to make it look like a freak show.

Goal 2: Make it UNIQUE!! I myself had color matched my bowtie. But it was time to step up my game.

I want to say for the record that this project took me about a month. A little tinkering here, a little baking there.. The concept changed a few times throughout the process. I'd adjust something, then come up with a better way to do it, then have to go back and fix my previous step. Anyways..
Step 1: Remove the gold Reflector. You can TRY and remove it without breaking it.. good luck with that. Have your heart prepared for the fact that once this project is started, theres no going back.

Step 2: The reflector is about 1/8" thick. I'm using 1/4" plexiglass acryllic as my insert.. you do the math. You have to route out as much material from the housing as you feel comfortable with to allow room for the insert to sit in the housing. (remember it has to be strong enough to still withstand 100 MPH+ winds.... allegedly!!)

Step 3: Make room for the LED's. That means drilling holes. Remember goal #1.. keep it STOCK looking!! So the holes go from the inside of the housing outwards, underneath the lip of the emblem. The LEDs have to be put in from under the lip of the housing. At the top and bottom of the housing.. there just isnt room. I checked. On the left and right side I routed away as much plastic as possible to give room for the LED installation. The LED's get hot glued into place, and after the resistors are soldered to the LED's, all connections are then hot glued providing a barrier from the weather.

Step 4: Make the insert. I used some thin mylar plastic to make a template of the shape I'd need. Then, transfer that shape to the 1/4 plexiglass. Cut it out with your favorite type of saw, then clean up the edges. For light to pass through it.. they have to be clear. For this, I used 220 grit sandpaper, followed by 320 grit.. then 600, 800, 1000, and 2000 grit sandpaper. This is by no means a fast process. Then, I used a polishing compound after the 2000, and after this step.. the edge is like glass. Beautiful. Light will pass right through it now. You can actually see right through the edges after all of this!!

Step 5: Heat the acryllic. I'm not going to tell you how hot, or for how long.. I kind of like the fact that this project is still unique.. lol. After it's hot, you use the plastic housing as a mold, and work the softened acryllic into the desired shape.. our beloved bowtie. After it cools off, the inside of the acryllic gets painted to match the body of the car. So as you look through the clear acrylic, you see the color of the paint.. but at night, you see the lights..

Step 6: Final assembly. You have to drill a hole in the grille for the wire to go though, then just snap the housing back into place. Tap the wires into whatever power source you so choose.. I tapped into the side marker lights.. so when they are on.. the emblem is on. Then, to hold on the acrylic insert, I used double sided tape. (another benefit of painting the inside of the acrylic.. it hides the fact that there is tape stuck on the back of it!!)

Assorted Notes:

If you look at the pictures.. there are 2 holes in the top of the housing. I had originally planned on bonding screws to the back of the insert, then tightening nuts onto it to hold it togethor. But the weight of the insert is so minimal, I came to the realization I had over-engineered it, and was getting far too indepth with the whole fabrication process. Just use some freaking tape!! Muahaha.

Here's a YouTube link for the daytime Video I made today, so you can see it for yourself. I'll take a nighttime one tomorrow.
http://youtu.be/sh3LHGA3TKE

[SSFury]

So.. those are the manufacturing pictures. Here are the installed on the car pictures. Starting without the acryllic insert, then with it.. for daytime photos, then of course.. the ever so critical.. night time photos.

I'm a little dissapointed with the outcome. The center portion of the insert didnt light up as much as I'd hoped. It's lit up enough to tell the shape.. and it is truly unique.. just not as bright as I really want it. I just cant figure out how to get any light source to the top or bottom, without destroying the plastic housing. Any LED experts out there willing to give some tips, I'm all ears.

As I said, I am a little dissapointed in the outcome.. but I am unfortunatly, my own worst critic. I look at it this way though: I dont work for GM. I'm not employed by AAC.. I cant even afford any of their stuff at the moment. (love your work btw!!) I'm just a regular guy, who prides himself on being creative. Is it the greatest mod ever? No. Is it unique? Well.. if it isn't on Camaro 5, it just hasn't been done. So.. yeah, it's unique. Hopefully you guys like it.

I'll try and get a night time video tomorrow night.

[plowxman]

you should make it so the sides work as blinkers also!

[soloknight6]

Very cool! Awesome job! Awesome Idea!

[TripleB]

What about adding LEDs to the top and bottom? Maybe two on top and two on bottom? 3 seems like too many. You wouldn't want to have it be brighter that the sides.

[gelboy1015]

This is awesome! I love DIY's. I actually have a spare front emblem thats cracked where the gold part is. I may have to try doing this when I have time and maybe I can help you out with getting the top and bottom to light up.

[Taintedveins]

Would it be possible to tie it into the head lights?

[SSFury]

Originally Posted by TripleB

What about adding LEDs to the top and bottom? Maybe two on top and two on bottom? 3 seems like too many. You wouldn't want to have it be brighter that the sides.

Did you read my write up TripleB? There isnt room inside the housing on the top or bottom to put LED's.. Take your emblem off, and flip it over and look at the back of it to see what I mean.

Tieing it into the headlights? Its just a wire.. so I suppose you could tap it into whatever power source you so choose. I picked the side markers.. because with either the halos, or the actual HIDs, the side markers are always on! You can have it set up however you like.. headlights for driving, or Halo's only, and it will still be on!! That was my thinking at least.. but your car, you can set it up however you like.

Blinkers.. Yeah, I suppose you COULD.. I really wouldnt want to go that route.. I'd want it to stay on.. But hey, anythings possible.

[BlackIce1066]

Very nice work. Good job

[CamaroIOM]

Needs to be more uniform

[BudMC77]

Did you use a template for your plexiglass or just made your own using the old mold? Also, on the gold part, it may be possible to bake it to loosen the glue before trying to remove it. It may not work but hey it's a thought. Last question, how for you get your bend in your plexiglass to get it to form to the shape? Thanks

[Vengeance Graphix]

thats pretty cool!

[whamslam3]

nice work man

[cslee0811]

WTH??!?!?! That's freaking cool! very......... unique! thanks for sharing!