mercedes E320

[rmg313]

insane

[bigfrit]

Now that is just absolutely ingenious!
I also am think about making this hapening, but as you said, you need a big car to cover this all up, especially the battery.

I would like to thank you a whole lot for the clear and in-depth information , thus making it easier to do this ourselves without risking to injure our braincells by thinking too much.



only thing I don't really get in your circuit layout (mind you, I don't know about the lighting in the real car), is the reason why you made three pairs of lights... assuming the two front leds and the incandescent bulbs ligth up at the same time (which by defintion they do when hitting the switch) , won't the white leds be obsolete ?


Anyway, I will print this how-to out and keep in my projects folder!
Thanks Appleseed !


Olivier

[Guido]

"Always good to see a Benz being build!"

[appleseed]

Olivier:

what the incandescent bulbs actually do is pull more current through the circuit. with the white and red LEDs, the more current going through them, the brighter they get. in this circuit, i don't think the incandescent bulbs actually get the rated voltage that they should get... which means that they are much much dimmer than if they were just hooked up to a 1.5v source by themselves. this circuit actually lights up the front white LEDs very bright with a brownish/yellow light being emitted by the incandescent blubs. kinda mimics the 1/1 car quite closely. i'll post up a few pics when i finally do mount the lighting elements so you can judge for yourself.

a.

[Nrbumgard]

Wow so far the car looks awsome. Your lighting plan is amazing.

In that set of amg 50 pics the only thing that i see that looks odd is the seats. I think those are aftermarket seats.

And I drive a C32 amg and I have no clue what head lights come on when. I keep my car set to automatic lights and I think for just driving in the day that your center headlights are on but I really I have no clue I will have to look at that.

[Nrbumgard]

Ok on the lights from the best I can tell from looking at my car today it seems like the center set of lights has your daytime driving lights, and like your normal lights for night driving. Theri are 2 bulbs in the center sets of lights. ON the out side set of lights it seems to be your highbeams and your turn signals. And of course on the bottom in the lower grill area you have your fog lamps.

[appleseed]

thanks Nrbumgard! just so that i am clear, the center lights do not come on with the headlights? call me dense but i had a bit of trouble determining that from you last post. if so, i'll need to modify the circuit. thanks!

here's a pic of the body polished and after a quick rinse.



a.

[Nrbumgard]

Im sorry I think i was a bit unclear.

Well the center lights are whats on. In the center set their are 2 light bulbs 1 for daytime 1 for night.

The outside set has the high beams. And turnsignals.

[fredo]

I don't 100% agree.
First, in Belgium (and in Germany) we don't drive with lights on during the day.
As I don't know the english words, I'll tell this :
you have 3 intensities of head lights, that I'll call (from lower to higher intensity)
1. position lights (they are also left on when the car is parked in a dark street)
2. Normal lights (these you ride with during the night)
3. High beam lights (you have to switch them off when anyone is coming in front of you).

AFAIR (I will check at home tonight) :
- the inner set (small one) has the position lights
- the outer set has the normal and the high beam + the turn signals.

When you light the normal lights on, automatically you also have the position lights on also.

I"m just not sure about the position of the high beams but for the rest, I'm pretty sure.
Look at that pic (it has the fog lights on also (in the bottom)) :

You clearly see that position lights (inner) are on at the same time as normal lights.
Hope this helps.

[Nrbumgard]

You know I have looked at my car a few times about the lights thing and I'm still not sure what comes on when. I think the lights control them selfs for the most part no matter where I have the switch for the lights placed. And when I pulled it in to the garrage after looking at them out side a diffrent set of lights was on than was on when I had it out side. Darn automatic lights.

[reveller]

Gotta love that shine!

reveller

[fredo]

Originally posted by fredo
AFAIR (I will check at home tonight) :
- the inner set (small one) has the position lights
- the outer set has the normal and the high beam + the turn signals.

When you light the normal lights on, automatically you also have the position lights on also.

I"m just not sure about the position of the high beams but for the rest, I'm pretty sure.

I checked and the high beams are in the inner set (with position lights). For the rest, I was right.

[appleseed]

not satisfied with the results of the lights so far. as it turns out, the battery does not provide enough current to power the center bulbs. they turn on but dim over time. very disappointed with the results so far. i'm not about to go back and pull everything out and rewire everything as i already cut the leads for the LEDs. i should've left the lights on longer while i tested the circuit to see if the battery would be able to take it or not. oh well... live and learn eh?





a.

ps. thanks for the info on the lights guys!

[bigfrit]

Still, it looks great like that , albeit that the center ights are not working properly, it seems very realistic.

And the paintjob! flawless!

Oh, and did you change anything on the grille, because it looks so shiny (was thinking about BFM? )


Olivier

[chipanggo]

wow! that is gorgeous! i love it.