The Slowest Project: Part 3 - Mini-Tutorial: How to Install Simple Lights

I finally found work - and lots of it so now I'm going to be busy - so with that money, the project will be moving quickly. Although I took Sunday to rest for my first day of training at my new job today, I did put together something that I thought was pretty unique.

I knew I wanted these lights somewhere but I had no idea where to put them except somewhere on the front. Pretty vague. But then I realized I have two holes already drilled into my bumper that match the thread and diameter of these lights. Perfect. The location?

But wait don't worry. They're not going to be ugly, ugly orange. Actually during the daytime, they will look like two electric boxes of some kind. At night, I can turn them on and I now have 6 fog lights total... Not bad... Fog is dead to me...

No but check this out. I tinted them so they will blend in during the daytime. I think they came out great despite me dropping one before it was completely dry on the table. Oops!

I think it will compliment everything so perfectly at nighttime. It will make for some great shots. And who has done this? Anyway, I would like to say that I will scrap this if it looks bad but I'm sure it's not. Maybe Lexi will be a Cyclops. Remember also that I can flash these lights. So much cooler than flashing your highbeams! Ha!

And yes, if there is any miscommunication, both will be installed there. See the bolt with the washer in the other hole in the first image? It was actually for a front license plate. These lights I found have the same diameter bolt that sticks out of the back so you simply screw them in.

Tutorial
I'm going to run through this quickly and simply. I am getting my power from a switchboard. It has a set of seven inputs for your positive and negative and corresponding buttons. The unit runs off of your cigarette lighter. It can not out put more than 3 amps per button/terminal. Don't try it. I don't know what happens.

(Editor's Note: I am picking up from where I left off a few months ago due to life problems so please keep this in mind as you read.)

If you have a handheld 6v or 4v battery (up to 12v), figure out which places are positive and negative. I think the bolt type piece on the lights I have are the negative while there is a piece of wire sticking out that is positive. Whatever light you're using, make sure you hook up the leads correctly or at worst you will blow your bulb or at best, nothing will happen.

I think you can see how the install goes. Connect the wires to your main wires going to your switchboard. I would measure it out but leave extra that you can roll up and ziptie. Splice them together by winding them together after cutting off some rubber on both pieces of wire. Wrap it up with electrical tape.

When you press the button to turn this on on your switchbiard, all it does is allow current to pass from the source (I prefer cigarette lighter) to the accessory which in this case is these two lights. I think as long as they're in the right location, a couple extra small lights make the LS400 look better. Now, sad but happy to report...

That Lexi2 died a terrible electrical gremlin death where it seemed the ECU wasn't working right at times, it killed the battery cause it would only hold a charge of 11.6v. You can get more from a jump start but once you take the wires off the alternator, the car dies in seconds.

The alternator had gone out so this was the replacement. Not only did it take a very long time to get it replaced at a certain big name auto store (it took 4 different people at 4 different times to see that indeed, it is under warranty except it's listed under a 2009 Chevy Spark for some reason. I'm glad because I would've wasted money.)

So this new alt didn't work right away. I re-did the connection by breaking the connector and slipping each wire on. This worked fine for my '95 and seemed to work for this car.  At least, no more battery light. But I might have finally killed the battery. And the car was overheating for some reason.

With all of this done to it, not to mention putting a new timing belt, water pump, fuel pump, spark plugs, spark plug wires and a whole bunch of sh#@.

It honestly kind of makes me mad. Hear me out. I definitely got my money's worth out of the car (maybe $1,500 because I did most things myself). Only I expected better. Let me go farther back.

Before I got Lexi2, you guessed it... There was a Lexi - a banged up 1995 LS400 that I was set on restoring. Got about a year out of it and spent a grand more than Lexi2 but it got me into these cars. The V8 was intoxicating. I've never owned such a fast four door sedan - a big one too! It smoked the majority of cars that want to race you... Especially from 40 mph! Whoooo-wee!

Yes, I love the 1990-2000 Lexus LS400 but you cannot maintain one anymore if you're broke. I sold mine because I was being given a new car on one condition - that I sell the Lexus to pay to register it. Yes, I am BROKE. Me and my wife right now - it's been hell. So yes - I traded a cool non running car for a reliable "uncool" car.

I have seriously stared at this thing to think of something I could do to it that's cool but there is seriously nothing much unless you lower it, put new rims, tint it, the whole treatment.

But we're driving broke here at Driving for Broke so my new project is getting a frankly really ugly economy looking right. Without spending a lot of money. Post your ideas! Oh and yes I do have the different rims which I will be switching out. (Did anyone catch that in the photos? 2002 vs 2005 rims.)

First thing I want to do is tint the top of the windshield. I need to look into the engine to see if it's worth, you know, working with. I'm also planning on a lot of upholstery work! I am definitely re-doing these crappy seats. Probably either in an original color like burnt orange or beige or black. Any would match the gray and black. I will probably do the dash in suede so adding a trim like the burnt orange I mentioned would look nice. I can even paint some panels in similar colors!

I think the Ford actually has a LOT to customize. And everything is super easy to remove. For example; you know the center console? Where your shifter is and maybe some cup holders and a storage compartment? In this Focus, it's one piece that just lifts out. It is SO easy to work on the interior.

I never thought I would be excited about a Focus.

To be continued...

The Slowest Project: Part 2

I'm back with some good progress since the last article. I was stunned at how good these LEDs look. Have a look yourself...

They are definitely brighter than my floor LEDs and now that they're in there, I realize I've never seen anyone do this before. I'll tell you one thing; Lexi2 was turning heads! Every other person was looking as I was cruising down downtown Kissimmee.

I knew from the very beginning that subtleties is what was gonna set the car off. Now, these blue LEDs are probably the opposite of subtle (and make me worry if some rookie cop is gonna pull me over) but now that that's in there, notice how the license plate is lit in yellow. I know I'm totally biased but I've stared at that picture - not gonna lie. Anyway, the yellow IS subtle but adds a lot.

That button (red) looks cool but not very useful. Oh - that's my floor lights. They change colors and it just happened to be blue in this picture.

So yes, I successfully transferred my shitty battery-to-button fog light setup into a 7-button switchboard that actually runs off a cigarette lighter. It's perfect for things like this - especially in an LS400. TRUST me - these cars are super sensitive to any electrical changes. Having everything run off the cigarette lighter actually seemed to smooth out my super mild misfire and also helped with my new small problem.

That is now installed in my car but I haven't been able to install it exactly how I want yet. Expect to see that in the next article.

When I start the car now, the battery light comes on. It started doing this seemingly randomly. Actually, it started doing it on the road. Initially the car would start up like this but upon putting it in drive and driving for a couple minutes, the light would go away. When it lit up as I was driving, I realized it was getting worse so I started looking around.

I did notice that one of the electrical connectors to the alternator wasn't pushed in all the way. Seems like it may have wiggled out a little bit. I pushed it in and now the light usually goes off within 30 seconds or as soon as I drive. I'm still wondering what's causing that, though. I figure getting power from the cigarette lighter is better so I did that as well.

These will be in the front for more visibility or messing with people... I MEAN being safer.

Moving on, I'm adding two small yellow/orange lights to the front that I can flash and I will still have a couple terminals left. I greatly recommend the switchbox. It's no good if your accessory needs more than - I believe - 3 amps. And yes, that's per button. But it handles everything I have fine. LEDs use less than 1 amp anyway unless it's a huge array.

Interior
Besides all of this, I am thinking of re-doing my seats. I've said this before and I'll say it again. Seat covers really suck.

The covers look nice but they don't want to stay... Adults will take it off getting out of the car. Kids? Forget it. 

I'm going to stop pretending the car is good and dandy and kind of work up from the bottom. I've been doing the opposite - working my way down from the top so I won't have a good base. I need to get rid of the seat covers.

I don't even care if it looks worse for now. The fact is, seat covers will come off every time your friend gets in your car. You have three people in the back? Oh it's going to be wrecked completely. And that is the definition of a cheap fix. I think seat covers are supposed to protect them - not refurbish your interior for free!

I'm going to leave the ones that simply lay on top and connect to the headrests. Those are actually very good. In the summer, they stop your butt from being burned when you sit down. And they cover the majority of the rips because they cover the problem areas. And they move around freely instead of slipping off of the edge.

Wiring
With the covers off, I can make sure I tuck all of the wires for the lights in the original way the car was built. It's the best way to do it. I'm going to have the 7 buttons to the left of me on the B pillar. This may seem strange but actually it lets you turn things on and off by touch with your left hand and is also positioned in the best spot I could think of when it comes to hiding the bundle of wires coming out of the thing while taking into account that I can't just put it anywhere because it has to be in that location the way I'm wiring everything. Holy run-on sentence. Anyway, finally the control unit for the floor lights will be hidden in the seat pocket. Right now, it is ziptied to the rear AC vents on the center console. No, it doesn't look good.

My biggest challenge will be hiding that bundle of wires coming out of the switchboard. Wish me luck.

By the way, I will be posting a tutorial on how to hide the numerous wires that come with installing strips of LEDs. It's simple; the guide will be short.

Please have patience. I've been doing this for two years and I haven't stopped. However, like I said, this is again one of those times where life is kicking me in the balls but nonetheless I will do my best to bring good content as fast as can be. Keep checking back every once in a while.

- Rokas K.

The Slowest Project: Part 1

I apologise to my previously constant readers. Ever since I moved, not only has life been busy and a constant struggle (in a good way) that I haven't even had, say, $30 to spend on the car!

Alternate high beam. Handy to flash people to move, too. 

I mean, I kept it moving forward. I did get the exhaust tips and I fixed a problem with the Coil Pack. Now I have some money and boy - I'm so behind on my plans for this project. That's why I'm calling this series The Slowest Project. I will be posting new parts to this series whenever I get something big done. Life and being broke in general has kept me from doing anything.

No more. No more being lazy or procrastinating. When I have money. Which I do... Now.

If my thoughts seem disorganized then I apologise - I'm literally in a manic state planning three things out in my head - mainly. I'm going to paint the car completely. That's going to be the last thing I do.

I need to change the front brakes which I'm doing tomorrow. Whoever installed the last ones did something wrong because they're not evenly worn. I swear, some people don't have any sense when it comes to fixing cars. I'd rather figure it out myself than let anybody I don't know do it.

I've needed this for a long time. This unit actually plugs into a cigarette lighter for power but lets you hook up 5 12v accessories! You can get it at WalMart - I couldn't find it in any car store...

Anyway, the first thing I will probably do is connect all of my lights to one 5-button unit. I finally went out and got something I can connect all of my aftermarket lights to. I have fog lights, a yellow spotlight that I am deciding where to mount (probably right in the front!), floor LEDs that change color, and I have two blue strips of LED.

One of those blue strips will go in the very back to light the back up in a nice blue at night. You will be able to see the VIP curtains and such. Normally, you can't see anything.

Maybe I should get a complimentary red one and say screw it!

I will be installing the other blue LED strip probably on the grille. Why? I know it's one step from impersonating a Popo but I'd use it sparingly... Yeah, with my inhibitions.

No because I will have the middle headlight which is what I'm going to call it. It's a super bright square yellow tinted spotlight. The car will need to be renamed Cyclops or something.

To be honest - don't hang me at the stake - I think Lexi2 should be called Nagasaki Nightmare. This car is comfortable but if you're in front of me driving slow, you should get the feeling you need to get over now. That's kind of what I want to evoke with this car... Is that bad?

There is also another thing that needs to be done. The floors are completely dirty. I don't know how it's possible to get them this dirty but it is. What I will have to do is probably re-paint the carpet with beige vinyl paint after getting as much dirt as possible out.

This is as clean as I can get my baby with normal cleaning products. Not very clean... At least not the carpet. 

Also - I've been toying with some more expensive materials. I got a little bit of alligator hide, ivory beads, and things like this and while I can't imagine what can end up in the car (besides a new cross - a Knights of Columbus rosary), something probably will.

Beginning to set up the panel with multiple buttons.

Guys and gals - I will have more resources when I find a job and/or start making money with my business. While I did sell auto parts, I had to get out of the business honestly because of eBay's ridiculous policies. What happened?

Warning to everyone. I had been selling parts as "Will Take Returns" for months and didn't have a problem until one day I was asked for a refund. I was testing everything. Well, long story short, the guy returned my item in my original packaging inside his own (he didn't even open it). I gave him the hundred bucks back for the sake of positive feedback.

Farther along; I have added the power source for the floor lights and also have the spotlight ready to be hooked up. I have one more LED strip to add and I need to exchange my one button for my fog lights for these five and hook those lights up as well.

Like I say, I tested all my parts. I also started designating "No Returns" in all of my auctions. Now that option they should leave out completely. Want to know why? Because people can still return items to you even if it's in perfect condition, just as described, exactly as in the pictures. And eBay, through PayPal, will go right in your bank and snatch that money. Oops, now you overdrafted.

This is what inevitably happens. You will be doing good but one day you will need to take out all of your money. This is what happened when I was moving. Man... That's when everyone wants their $100 back. After paying back a good $500, I stopped responding to eBay and PayPal. However, I know that will go on my credit history until I can pay it and eBay just charged me another $40 just two days ago when I haven't been on there.

Needless to say, I can't support myself like that so I had to dig deep and your man is becoming a jewelry and gemstone salesman specializing in vintage and antiques. I am also flipping silver for cash but that's a secret.

This electrical box will finally be hidden. Also, that's not where the set of buttons is gonna go; it's going to replace the button on the dash. 

Why did I just rant about something that apparently has nothing to do with cars? To show you that there's another way besides sitting at a 9-5 your whole life. Find what you like doing and find out how to make money doing it. Hell, cars is one of the best things to do it with but follow your true passion. Cheesy, I know. How low have I sunk?

This is what I'm using for my blue LEDs if you're wondering. They're very cheap at Walmart. Twice as cheap as AutoZone or Advance... Why do they do that?

I suppose I'm just happy that life is finally moving along. As for Lexi2 and this article; there will be at least 3 more. Articles, I mean. One for each thing I want to do to the car. Thanks people!

- Rokas K

@rokask1

norgin@gmail.com