Write up on how to light up the front bird

[BURNEM]

How to light up the front plate of your Firebird Trans Am

Materials list
1. Afterthoughts clear plate
2.Bird Decal for cover
3.Dish soap (Dawn or Joy)
4.Automotive Prep All (degreaser)
5.sanding sponge or 400 grit paper
6.Adhesive promoter
7. Flexible primer
8.Primer sealer
9.Painters masking tape (2”-3” works best)
10.razor
11.Your automotive paint color base coat
(some paint Jobbers are able to mix your color in an aerosol can, other wise a pint of base coat)
* *You can skip material #12 if you purchase single stage paint
12.clear coat/ hardener (If good with a can you may use aerosol clears)
13.Dual 12” Cold Cathodes
14.15‘ of wire (Thick gauge speaker wire works good)

Start of with your plate, warm water and dish detergent. Wash till becomes sqeaky, then allow to air dry in the sun. Next is to lightly sand the surface that will be painted (not the bird) just enough to clould the surface.

Now you with tape up the bird from the outside, careful to press down firmly and to cover the bird fully. Using the razor trim around the bird as to leave just enough to cover the depth of the bird. (if you choose to only cover the top of the bird and not the sides the light will only pass through the decal here is light through and sides)

so however you want it to look.

Now is time to use the Prep all with a lint free towel. Next is to use an adhesive promoter, I used the aerosol can because it's quicker and less expensive then mixing it up for the paint gun.

With that becoming tacky, spray your first coat of flexible primer on, lite coats works best if using a can to build up because its less sanding. After the primer dries lightly sand any burrs or imperfections, then use a primer sealer which will bring fourth more color for a better match of the paint.(sand again if needed)
Rear shot


Now it's paint time, some paint jobbers are able to put your paint in an aerosol can for you other wise you will need a paint gun. Spary down your color (bird still taped) sand if needed. Remove the tape from the bird after paint has dried, check for any over spray or rough edges. they can be cleaned off with the razor.Once happy with the way it will look clear coat it.
Again two choices for clear aerosol of high quality works great it needs to have this tip for best application.

Now install your decal..... finished


Time for lights take your cathodes mounth them and the box behind the plate going horizontal, for best light displacement This much space will give full light coverage.


Feed the line through the drivers side hole that supports the plate. (I used thick speaker wire beacuse it's together to be easier to manuver plus little current will pass through it anyways.



From there go to your drivers side head light, you will have to remove 2-3 push locks to get the bumper cover loose to reach

With the lights up and cover loose reach in and catch the line you feeed earlier and pull out. Now route them where ever you are to draw power ( fog lights toggle switch, ect.) I used the armed line for Nitrous so when armed i'm lit.

FOGLIGHT METHOD
To wire in to the foglight run your ground ( somewhere near radiator is good)
Now we have 2 options
1st you can splice in one of the purple lines feeding a foglight, crimp tight and use black tape to weather seal.

2nd use a paper clip sliding it down the front of the plug. this will release the wire from the plug. Now with the purple line out strip you power for the plate and attach to the foglights end. Reinsert the end and plug clip back to foglight.

If using cold cathodes or leds the voltage interferance will not be enough to affect the fuse with this method

Install plate check for light displacement and enjoy

Another thing that I have added will get some pics up.

went to home depot and bought some 20 gauge steeel. cut it small enough to fit behind the plate and attached with double sided tape.
This allows all light that is shinning back from the cathode to reflect foward for a brighter apperance.

[Y2KPewterSS]

I added the write up to the Museum and edited the title

Your images aren't working though, I assume its just imageshack being down currently?

[TransDreamer]

seems like alot of work... but it looks sweet

[BURNEM]

It's not that hard I made the one for NHRA-Trans-Am in like 3 days.

[Runn_WS7]

I have done a couple of these now over the years...

[third_shift|studios]

i see frogs

[hutch1999]

frogs suck

[third_shift|studios]

what do i do with these? can i just clip the excess wires and splice the yellow and black?

the yellow/red go to the switch, the red/black go to the inverter

[nhra-trans-am]

I cut off all the extra wires. Then I grounded one and put one to power, but I don't remember which was which, I just used trial and error.

[BURNEM]

Cut the lines before going to the inverter. you need to run power throug it it lite them.

[BURNEM]

Frogs are out

[third_shift|studios]

Cut the red and black ones goin into the blue box. Leave enough to splice in, those will be the ones that lower the voltage to run the lights.
Derek

thanks, man!

[third_shift|studios]

is there a way to power the light from the DRL's? I have after market foglights that are mounted on a fabricated piece of metal. I dont' have any purple wires running to them, i just have a black and white wire to each fog.

The drl's are much more accessable though.

[SandmanWs7]

Finished mine. Just need to install. I wired LEDs. Tested to battery and everything works.

[Runn_WS7]

Looking good...

Here is my ledboard.

[SandmanWs7]

Looking good...

Here is my ledboard.

Wher the hell did you buy that big board? I couldnt find one that huge!!!

[BURNEM]

Radio shack has even bigger ones

[PontiacFan]

Someone needs to sell this as a kit with installation instructions, for a reasonable cost.
I've seen them on ebay, but for an what I thought was an outlandish $100. Is that a reasonable cost? How much do ya have invested in it?

[SandmanWs7]

Someone needs to sell this as a kit with installation instructions, for a reasonable cost.
I've seen them on ebay, but for an what I thought was an outlandish $100. Is that a reasonable cost? How much do ya have invested in it?

i spent 50 on the plate, 30 on LEDs( lighting), plus paint and time. So think about that, I say 100 is cheap.

[third_shift|studios]

yeah, 100 would be like a STEAL!