Lights/Wiring help! on the Stepside 67-72 - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

MISTERSHOTGUN · 05-03-2005, 10:27 PM

Hey guys. I am a manufacturing engineer for a plastics company in Clearwater Florida. I have come up with a design of a tailgate for the stepside that is flush or smooth. There is lexan (bullet proof glass) that is on the inside of the tailgate. What it looks like is a smooth tailgate with a giant chevy bowtie on the middle that is flush with the face of the gate. The entire rim of the Bowtie is supposd to light up and the sides are supposed to blink for your turning signals. I don't have any pictures yet because it is not welded up and it is as the shop. I am willing to make 2 of them and give the other one away if someone here can install led lights to light them up the way I talked about and send one of them back to me. If it works out I'll post some pics and try to sell some of them. I am using sheetmetal with lexan for the glass and CNC Machinery to manufacture the parts. I just need led help. I'm clueless on those things. Or even what is needed.. I might even need to make mods to the design for the lights. I can send blueprints if needed as well.

big blue 72 · 05-03-2005, 10:49 PM

Interesting?
shoot some pics this way!

68LSS1 · 05-04-2005, 01:47 AM

I could help you out also. A question though: Will the tailgate be set up for the stock latch and chain? Or is it going to be possible to get a unfinished version so as to use hidden latches? LED's are too much different than light bulbs except that polarity matters and you usually have to use a electronic flasher as the LED's don't create enough of a load for the thermal flashers.

sneakysnake · 05-04-2005, 10:32 AM

this might help.

http://www.theledlight.com/light_bars.html

MISTERSHOTGUN · 05-04-2005, 01:28 PM

going smooth.. that means no chain.. I don't know about the hidden latch. Are you talking about the pins that go in or a handle inside tha gate? I was going to use a push button pin. Is there a link or something to investigate the hidden latches?

Sillyoldman · 05-04-2005, 01:39 PM

How about fiberoptic cable for the light?

sneakysnake · 05-04-2005, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MISTERSHOTGUN

going smooth.. that means no chain.. I don't know about the hidden latch. Are you talking about the pins that go in or a handle inside tha gate? I was going to use a push button pin. Is there a link or something to investigate the hidden latches?

http://www.pros-pick.com/tailgates.html
http://www.mar-k.com/tailgate_closure.html
http://www.mrtruck.net/droptail.htm

MISTERSHOTGUN · 05-04-2005, 08:35 PM

I dont know what to do for lights.. that why i'm askinf for help. I am making two for payment of light instalation. They will probably be worth a lot when they are done.

sneakysnake · 05-04-2005, 10:10 PM

[QUOTE=MISTERSHOTGUN]I dont know what to do for lights..QUOTE]
The website I posted above has different colors and can be hooked together to make them any length.
other wise you might look into light strips from out of the rear fin or trunk of some cars

68LSS1 · 05-05-2005, 03:16 AM

The one I liked was from MAR-K:

The outside looks like this:

And then use two of these in the roll pan from HitechledProducts.com:

That would give me the turn , brake, running light and back up in one unit and can be purchased in various lengths.

I think I understand what your trying to do but some pictures or drawings would help. It sounds like a neat idea. I would say you want to lock down the led's you'll be using as they will have to be able to be removed and/or replaced if necessary. I would consider beveling the Bowtie and angling the led's towards the Bowtie as opposed to straight out.

05-03-2005, 10:27 PM	#1
MISTERSHOTGUN Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 95	Lights/Wiring help! on the Stepside 67-72 Hey guys. I am a manufacturing engineer for a plastics company in Clearwater Florida. I have come up with a design of a tailgate for the stepside that is flush or smooth. There is lexan (bullet proof glass) that is on the inside of the tailgate. What it looks like is a smooth tailgate with a giant chevy bowtie on the middle that is flush with the face of the gate. The entire rim of the Bowtie is supposd to light up and the sides are supposed to blink for your turning signals. I don't have any pictures yet because it is not welded up and it is as the shop. I am willing to make 2 of them and give the other one away if someone here can install led lights to light them up the way I talked about and send one of them back to me. If it works out I'll post some pics and try to sell some of them. I am using sheetmetal with lexan for the glass and CNC Machinery to manufacture the parts. I just need led help. I'm clueless on those things. Or even what is needed.. I might even need to make mods to the design for the lights. I can send blueprints if needed as well.

05-04-2005, 01:47 AM	#3
68LSS1 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Tampa Posts: 1,191	I could help you out also. A question though: Will the tailgate be set up for the stock latch and chain? Or is it going to be possible to get a unfinished version so as to use hidden latches? LED's are too much different than light bulbs except that polarity matters and you usually have to use a electronic flasher as the LED's don't create enough of a load for the thermal flashers. __________________ '68 Short Step LS1/T56, Hydratech, Fatman Fabrications Stage III, Baer, Hot Rods to Hell, US Body, S&W, etc

05-05-2005, 03:16 AM	#10
68LSS1 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Tampa Posts: 1,191	The one I liked was from MAR-K: The outside looks like this: And then use two of these in the roll pan from HitechledProducts.com: That would give me the turn , brake, running light and back up in one unit and can be purchased in various lengths. I think I understand what your trying to do but some pictures or drawings would help. It sounds like a neat idea. I would say you want to lock down the led's you'll be using as they will have to be able to be removed and/or replaced if necessary. I would consider beveling the Bowtie and angling the led's towards the Bowtie as opposed to straight out. __________________ '68 Short Step LS1/T56, Hydratech, Fatman Fabrications Stage III, Baer, Hot Rods to Hell, US Body, S&W, etc

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05-03-2005, 10:49 PM	#2
big blue 72 Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: hamilton,ohio,usa Posts: 1,499	Interesting? shoot some pics this way!

05-04-2005, 10:32 AM	#4
sneakysnake It's a catastrophic success. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 2,077	this might help. http://www.theledlight.com/light_bars.html

05-04-2005, 01:28 PM	#5
MISTERSHOTGUN Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 95	going smooth.. that means no chain.. I don't know about the hidden latch. Are you talking about the pins that go in or a handle inside tha gate? I was going to use a push button pin. Is there a link or something to investigate the hidden latches?

05-04-2005, 01:39 PM	#6
Sillyoldman #16876 Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Auburn WA Posts: 12,266	How about fiberoptic cable for the light?

05-04-2005, 08:35 PM	#8
MISTERSHOTGUN Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 95	I dont know what to do for lights.. that why i'm askinf for help. I am making two for payment of light instalation. They will probably be worth a lot when they are done.

05-04-2005, 10:10 PM	#9
sneakysnake It's a catastrophic success. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 2,077	[QUOTE=MISTERSHOTGUN]I dont know what to do for lights..QUOTE] The website I posted above has different colors and can be hooked together to make them any length. other wise you might look into light strips from out of the rear fin or trunk of some cars



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