The Latest Jimi™ Mod

[jimi]

I'm sure that like me there are quite a few MK1 owners who would like an LED rear spoiler, I've fancied one for ages but getting my hands on one for anything like sensible money has proved to be like searching for the elusive "hens teeth"
I've looked before at doing my own one, but finding the right LED's or a light from another car that would fit proved to be very difficult and it meant quite a bit of filling /molding and spraying. I even looked at getting the LED's from MR T but they are no longer available.
I've seen a couple of spoilers that other people have done using lights from other car's which looked really good but again involved a lot of work filling /molding and spraying.
Just recently while doing some DIY in the house a couple of idea's about doing my own popped into my head, but I really needed a spoiler to experiment on.
Then I remembered that Graham ( Scottsmale ) had replaced the one on his silver MK1a and we had at the time ( a couple of years ago ) discussed using it for experimenting with a LED brake light. So one phone call later I had this



As you can see it had split along the seam, I prised it open a bit so that I could take a peek inside, then I made a temporary repair to it with super glue.
I spent a some time pottering about with it, thinking through various ideas and plans on how to achieve my goal. This eventually ended up with me doing this.



I then added some LED's to some red acrylic, mixed with super glue and ended up with this



Fitted the light to the spoiler and it now looks like this



and illuminated



In the dark



More pictures here CLICKY
So far I'm really pleased with the way it has turned out the acrylic sits flush with the surface of the spoiler and it looks "factory" IMHO. May possibly be a bit bright but I can adjust that once it is on the car.
Next job is to repeat the same job with the spoiler that's on my car!!!!!!!!
If I'm right, with some care this mod can be relatively easily done to any MK1 rear spoiler without damaging the paintwork for a total cost of £15.58
Once I've done the one on my car and I'm happy with the process, I'll be doing a full write up with all the info needed to do it.
Jimi

[alfiembra]

Superb Jimi looking forward to the write up, would you be be offering aservice to install these? if you are then put me down for one and a Jimi bracket too.

Alan

[Tiamat]

Excellent Jimi, I have obtained a rear spoiler just for doing that myself for my car without risking the spiler on there - glad someone beat me to it though so I can rip off their expertise!

[vashy]

I like it good late night modding!

Are they really too bright?! I can believe it though, you can get some really bright LEDs now.

Are you still selling your throttle brackets? I've heard good things about those.

[jimi]

Are they really too bright?! I can believe it though, you can get some really bright LEDs now.

Standing a car length away from the spoiler and it seems dazzling at night. I'll need to see once it's on the car, it's easy enough to put a current limiting resistor in the supply to reduce the brightness, it's at 150mA at the moment, I reckon 120mA will be about right.

would you be be offering a service to install these?

I did the silver one freehand, but I'm making up a jig, to make it easier to repeat, minimise the chances of damage to the paintwork and spoiler ( and less nerve racking )
So I might be prepared to fit one for you as long as you realise that there is a risk involved ( possible paintwork/spoiler damage ).
No charge for fitting, I've got a couple of spare bits of acrylic so no worries there, all you would have to buy is the LED's and get yourself over to the Kingdom Would have to be after Christmas/New Year

[alfiembra]

Cars getting sorned end of December but I'll remove the spoiler and pop over in the new year, will be in touch cheers Jimi.

Alan

[Tony jinxy froude]

Another class job from the Jimi meister & one that i'll certainly be looking to do, top job mate , Jinxy

[oukie]

Awesome mod mate i to have looked into getting one of these spoilers but as you have said they are just silly money,

My family live in glenrothes so when im up visiting i may take you up on your offer to alan (if you dont mind) i will cover any costs incurred.

Im comeing up for a week at crimbo perhaps we could meet(even show you my old mk1 that lives at my dads in finglassie) ? and when i come back in new year i could bring my spoiler

Chris.

[jimi]

Awesome mod mate i to have looked into getting one of these spoilers but as you have said they are just silly money,

My family live in glenrothes so when im up visiting i may take you up on your offer to alan (if you dont mind) i will cover any costs incurred.

Im comeing up for a week at crimbo perhaps we could meet(even show you my old mk1 that lives at my dads in finglassie) ? and when i come back in new year i could bring my spoiler

Chris.

Sounds good, I'm away back to work on Monday for 3 weeks I'll be home on the 18th of December for 3 weeks, so I'm sure we can work something out

[monkeymax]

Jimi - looks great! Yet another Jimi mod to add to the wish-list...
Saw it on the other forum and had a few questions, but in typical Max fashion, I've forgotten them all... lol. Oh well.

[jimi]

Jimi - looks great! Yet another Jimi mod to add to the wish-list...
Saw it on the other forum and had a few questions, but in typical Max fashion, I've forgotten them all... lol. Oh well.

When you remember............remember to ask Hopefully most questions will be answered when I get the write up done ( may be a while though ) Looks like today is the big day, the spoiler on my car goes under the knife

[Lunarmatic]

Hopefully most questions will be answered when I get the write up done ( may be a while though ) Looks like today is the big day, the spoiler on my car goes under the knife

This looks excellent. Any updates? Is it on your car now? I see the last post was in November.

Andrew

[jimi]

Hopefully most questions will be answered when I get the write up done ( may be a while though ) Looks like today is the big day, the spoiler on my car goes under the knife

This looks excellent. Any updates? Is it on your car now? I see the last post was in November.

Andrew

Yes but Christmas etc kind of brought things to a standstill and I'm back at work now
I made a jig to do the one on my car, but to be honest it was more of a hindrance than a help, freehand may have to be the way to go.
Here's a couple of quick pics of the one on the car












I'm not quite 100% happy with it yet, but I'll get there Haven't had time to take any night time pics or do a write up yet, but I will get to it
Jimi

[MR2IAN]

looks great mate, love the look of it, might hav to do this myself

[Pug_crew]

Jimi, really good, you must do a full write up as I would want to do this mod.

Keep up the good work!

[oukie]

The pictures dont do this justice ive seen jimi's mod in the flesh and it is superb it looks the doggy's just on the car but has a massive impact on the rear(or should i say helps avoid) , when brakes are applied

[Pug_crew]

Jimi,

I know it has been some time since you posted this but did you ever do a full write up for this mod? You seem to have covered most things in the thread so far but I wanted to know if there is anything else I should know before I start.

Come the new year I need a another project to work on and I happen to have a spare spoiler in my garage.

Thanks

[bburn13]

Jimi,
Really impressed and looking forward to your write up.

I had a go at making one myself,
using a scooby LED



It wasn`t very successful though
and made a mess of the spoiler.

Waiting with baited breath
Dave

[PW@Woodsport]

I too had a go at this oh about 2 or 3 years ago,i set an LED bar into a rear spoiler,took a fair bit of effort but nowhere as neat as jimi's effort.

[Swiss Toni]

How much would a genuine Toyota rear spoiler with built-in brake light, in SuperRed, be worth on ebay?