Had some spare time this week and decided to finish off a project that I started off last summer.

I already have some diy rear interior lights as below ( taken with flash on ), but due to black seats, grey/black trim and extra tinted rear windows I decided that they weren't bright enough.


So inspired by mattievrs who had already done the mod, I decided to go ahead and do the following job/write up.

Ages ago I had bought off Ebay some lights from a Ford Galaxy which were grey, and I had covered in carbon film.


I did not like the carbon film so wanted to paint them satin black, striped the film off and removed the inside of the switch leaving me with this.


Quickly masked up and sprayed with plastic primer.


Then sprayed with satin black.


I then decided that I wanted LED's in it, but did not have any LED bulbs to fit the unit so decided to make my own out of some 10mm white LEDs that I had.
I first ground a slight angle on the side of each LED, super glued them together and ground the tops flat to diffuse the light a bit.


I then mounted them in the plastic housing using some hot melt adhesive.


At the rear of the unit I soldered the LEDs to the negative pin and also put a resistor to the positive pin and secured the back with hot melt.


Fitted the front plastic lens and powered it up to see if it all worked.


Next I needed a template to cut out the correct size hole in the headlining, so using some plastic card from another project I came up with this.


The template was positioned in the centre of the grab handle and some pins pushed in to make sure I was not going to hit the sides of the metal cutout behind it.


A rectangular hole was then cut using the template as a guide with a scalpel leaving me with this.


I had already made up a lead which I had soldered to the original connector, to go back to the front interior light unit.


This lead was then fed behind the headlining through the new hole that I had just cut, and then plugged into the light unit.


All reassembled and looking quite smart.


The front interior light was removed and the ends of the wires were connected to the points shown below. The red circle being positive and the black negative.


Picture with flash.


Without flash ( doesn't really do it justice ).


Hope this will help some members who are interested in doing this mod.

Thanks for looking

Karl

Another awesome guide!

Cheers Karl.

I bought some light units last year but haven't got round to doing it yet. I think cutting into the headlining has been putting me off.

Cool

Think I need 2 do this, good guide

Looks great Karl, good work with the guide.

There is another interior light which you can use which is slightly easier though. I've had them sitting around for a while but never gotten round to doing it.

These are from a VW Sharan

They're good because they don't need a plastic housing (no need to spray), they just fit into oval holes that you cut.

They also take standard 501 bulbs so you simply just buy some LEDs and pop them in!

Nice guide. I plan on doing something similar to this but maybe using mk4 golf lights

I may give this a go but find some with a switch as I often turn the interior light off in the dark any how. I'd hate to think who's looking in while I can't see out haha!

Another awesome guide!

Cheers

Cheers Karl.

I bought some light units last year but haven't got round to doing it yet. I think cutting into the headlining has been putting me off.

Cutting the headlining almost put me off too, thats why I created the template - lucky I did - first time I pushed the pins in they hit metal - had to be lowered about 3 mm lower than where I wanted it.

Cool

Think I need 2 do this, good guide

Cheers

Looks great Karl, good work with the guide.

There is another interior light which you can use which is slightly easier though. I've had them sitting around for a while but never gotten round to doing it.

These are from a VW Sharan

They're good because they don't need a plastic housing (no need to spray), they just fit into oval holes that you cut.

They also take standard 501 bulbs so you simply just buy some LEDs and pop them in!

Thanks Tim,

Yes there are other types available and the ones I used also take 501 bulbs, but I just used the 10mm LEDs so that I could get two LEDs in the housing to increase the light output.

Nice guide. I plan on doing something similar to this but maybe using mk4 golf lights

Thanks, basically the same install.

I may give this a go but find some with a switch as I often turn the interior light off in the dark any how. I'd hate to think who's looking in while I can't see out haha!

The Galaxy lights did come with a built in switch, but I disabled it - could have left it in so that they could be switched off.

Cheers

Karl

Any chance you could bring the template/pins to Combe in April, then i can mark up with chalk or something else where needs to be cut please??

Looks brilliant Karl. Would love to do this at some point

Any chance you could bring the template/pins to Combe in April, then i can mark up with chalk or something else where needs to be cut please??

Yeah no problem John, even cut it for you if your worried.

Looks brilliant Karl. Would love to do this at some point

Thanks Charlie, makes a big difference at night and a cheap mod cost me less than £10 to do.

Cheers

Karl

Yeah no problem John, even cut it for you if your worried.

Cheers

Karl

That would be great, cheers.

A Little Update

As usual went a bit mad with the LEDs, a little too bright, as were the front W8 interior light when I fitted it.

So to tone it down a bit I covered it with a dark tint, like so

So to keep every thing the same covered the rears as well

Still gives out enough light

Karl

What front light is that Karl?

What front light is that Karl?

W8 light mate out of a passat or superb

Thanks. As above but never seen one in black, you can pick one up off ebay and also the extra connector to fit it, but you'll have to paint it or cover it.

Also change the colour of the LEDs if you want it coordinated.

Karl

How do the come as standard? Bulb colour wise?

Pot luck really, seen them in orange, green and red

Karl

Where did you get the black connector that plugs into the rear light units from?? I've literally only got the units.

Sorry John can't help you there, mine came with the plug and some lead attached

Had them off Ebay £9 for the pair

Karl

Cheers. Don't suppose you can see a part number at all on them or am i too late in asking??

How have you managed to get the units to stay in the headlining??

Where did you get the black connector that plugs into the rear light units from?? I've literally only got the units.

just get some spade connectors from halfrauds and push em on, faliling that just soulder em

Cheers. Did think of that but thought the proper connectors would stay in place better. I suppose i could put spades on and solder to keep them in place.

Cheers. Don't suppose you can see a part number at all on them or am i too late in asking??

How have you managed to get the units to stay in the headlining??

Will take one out tomorrow and see if there is a part no on it, but even if there is I doubt that you will be able to just buy the connector. You might be better off looking in a scrap yard.

As for fitting the unit into the headlining its a tight fit and clips in, so far they have not moved.

Karl

Cheers Karl.

I messaged someone on eBay selling just the light unit but they said they don't have the connectors. I'll keep hunting until i'm ready to install, then i might just go the spade connector route if none found.