Mini Project - Lights in the boot

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pontyslapper

Brought a Landy to LZ11. Yay!!
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Was in the process of locating the leak in my disco - found it - it wasn't the alpine seals or the windows under them - it was the blinking roof seam. Was advised to check that by the lads in the local landy dismantlers.

Anyhow - I've quickly noticed how dark the boot is for getting stuff in and out in the night, so I thought how about a little mod.

Lights in the D pillar under the speakers - I've gone down the route of getting some 'spare' pillar fascias, and some of the light fittings from between the rear nets - just to keep it all in keeping. Total cost for each side is about a fiver, plus some wire and bulbs that I had hanging around.

1. Line up the light on the front of the fascia - draw around the rear of it with a whiteboard marker (so you can wipe it off after!) - make sure you check you are avoiding the metal strips on the bottom of the fascia. I found a centimetre or so below the mark the speaker surround makes in the material.

2. With a sharp stanley knife, gently cut to the inside of your line, once you've made some guide cuts around the full shape, make deeper penetrating cuts - I just forced the knife through, then pulled it out, moved it a bit and so on.

3. Line the light back up and check for any high spots and trim accordingly - slowly, little bits and check often.

4. Make marks for the metal/plastic support pegs at each end and carefully trim back to allow them passage through the fascia.

5. Gently push the light fitting into the fascia panel. Mine are nice and tight, stops them wobbling about.

I haven't wired them in yet - plan is to hook off the centre light between the nets in the rear, so they will come on when doors are open. I chose to use the original parts as they are switched so you can use them with the door closed.

I'm going to fit 48 LED 'panels' in the fittings as they light the interior like its Blackpool and don't take too much voltage to do it.

I had two different types of light fitting - the one in the picture and the one that is similar but with a slightly longer face with a 'square' panel on it - I trimmed the square bit off, so both fittings are the same size - I doubt you'd get the square fitting in without it fouling on the metal strips at the rear of the pillar fascia. Again, if you use the 'square' type - slowly is the key to success. I'm going to use the trimmed fitting on the hinge side of the disco - eventually I'll swap it for neater version.

There's a photo of the finished unfitted fascia panel with the light that didn't need trimming attached.
 

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I got them from the bay of E - seems to be the cheapest place - even cheaper than the merchants based in Hong Kong.

Probably coming from the same place as they are posted from overseas and will take a while to arrive.

Already replaced the standard blubs with 48 LED panels in the main and passenger fittings. Just wanted more light!

Plus I wanted something to take the focus off SWMBO watching dancing/talent/hopeless TV - this seemed to fit the bill and 'killed' about 30 minutes per side as I was taking care and going quite slowly, so I didn't hash it up too badly.
 
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