#1 and #3 got me thinking of a solution that is as close as the local
parts place/ junk yard. Many of the new cars have the retractable underhood
lights that can be stretched out like the spray nozzles in kitchen sinks to
provide light to little nooks and crannies in the engine compartment. I am
sure it would not take much to mount one of these in an old truck - even
make it look retro. These same lights could be mounted under the dash. Put
a small hook on the end of it to make it more hands free.
#5 might not be as far out as you think. I got talking to a guy with a
rice burner at a local cruise last summer. They have a conversion kit for
gauges that allows you to change the backlighting color about a half dozen
colors. A small dial about the size of a car alarm clicker wired into his
column and a set of white face gauges. Looked pretty trick.
As for #6 I would prefer an old fashioned flame thrower light show, I
just don't like the idea of having to stall the motor while you're tossin'
the flames.
Eric Brown
1951 Chevrolet 3100 "Christine"
1951 Studebaker Starlight coupe
----- Original Message -----
From: <GremlinGTs@aol.com>
To: <luebkeb@zibsoft.com>; <oletrucks@autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, April 03, 2002 8:36 PM
Subject: Re: [oletrucks] Electronic Gadgets for trucks...some ideas ( long)
> Hi, Brian. Glad to hear bout you...I have a LOT of ideas, some
strange,
> some not so weird. So I'll give it a go to offer up some ideas of things
that
> I would like to see.
>
> 1) Underhood accent / work lights. What I mean is, a single underhood
> light isn't very useful, you can't get much light down by the starter,
> suspension, steering box, etc. What I'd like to see is a "set" of lights
> that's run around the engine compartment to "light it up" and show off the
> engine bay of a restored truck, or a work-horse version for helping work
on
> "driver" type trucks. They could be run along the frame near the engine
> mounts, have some point towards the oil pan, etc. They wouldn't have to be
> 1,000 watt jobbers, just some nice bright lights to help see all the
working
> parts. Maybe along the lines of Christmas light string, but with less
lights.
> But similar, and obviously 12 volt.
>
> 2) Electronic LED Voltmeter - I'm an electronic test technician, and
used
> to subscribe to some of those Electronic hobbiest mags, and they had some
> wonderful gadgets to build and experiment with. What I'd like to see is a
> small, cheap, durable LED voltmeter that has graduated LEDs that come on
when
> the voltage gets over 10 volts. Red for 10 and under, yellow for 11 , and
> green for 12 to 14, then yellow for 15, and red for 16. I saved a bunch of
> LED "strings" off some old scrapped circuit boards from my now-defunct
job,
> I'd be willing to donate them to you for "research purposes" for this
idea.
> They are very small ones, about 1/8th inch size or less, use roughly 1.
5 - 2
> volts to activate. An expensive voltmeter isn't for everyone, and I and
> others could use this as just a quick system checker to verify operation ,
> and it could be mounted to use continuously, or plug into a cigarette
lighter
> for monitoring, etc. Or mounted under the hood near the battery, with the
> pretty lights showing what's up with the charging system. :) I also have
some
> scrapped plastic "boxes" from small electronic items that my company
throws
> away, they can be used to house the breadboard as well. But this is an
> extremely useful tool that could be used by anyone, just plug and play as
it
> were. No fancy digital or analog readout, just lights as indicators. I've
> seen the circuits in the mags, just never got around to acquiring all the
> goods to try to build one myself. Oh well.
>
> 3) Underdash lights ( same principle as under-hood lights ) - Ever
tried
> to work on your truck wiring broken down on the road? Never have a
flashlight
> when ya need one. Need some lights run to shine UP under the dash, run off
a
> switch, to check the systems up there as well. Could be pivoted to act as
> floor lights, and swung up to view underneath as well, so you'd get twice
the
> value for the cost. Not many of the old trucks have floor lights like
modern
> cars ( or trucks, either ).
>
> 4) Miniature AC generator/alternator - I've seen kits to convert a
> standard alternator to tap into the AC potential to run 110 AC devices.
I'd
> like to know if the current ones on the market are worth buying, and if
there
> is a better alternative. It would be VERY HANDY to have access to AC for
like
> a small work light ( those 12-volt work lights arent' always around when
you
> need them, especially if you break down AWAY from your garage, as your
> friends rarely collect such tools which true fanatics of old vehicles
do ),
> and you could run AC accent lights on your truck with them too. Something
> like a small bicycle style generator that produces standard AC power for
> small jobs might be interesting. Not sure how it could be mounted.
>
> 5) FAR OUT ELECTRONIC GADGET - how about some modern headlights with a
> major twist - looks like a standard glass light, but inside it has the
> removeable small replacement bulb, and also a COLOR WHEEL you can activate
to
> turn your headlights different colors at shows ( or surreptiously while
> cruisin' ). This would obviously entail some serious engineering effort,
as
> the lower part of the headlight would have to have a slot cut in it for a
> color wheel to protrude into the housing, or totally redesigned. But that
> would look AWESOME to see red or green or yellow or blue headlights. Not
easy
> to do I'd venture, this would take some serious brain-draining work to
come
> up with a viable solution. But it would be so cool! Or, better yet, how
about
> a Fiber optic solution to take the light to the reflective housing, and
then
> you could color the light at the generating end, not in the headlight
itself.
> THAT might work better, but still alot of work.
>
> 6) ANOTHER far-out idea, for exhaust tailpipe outlets - How about
> putting some small sealed lights in the exhaust pipe at the rear bumper
> exit, so when you're cruising, you can have a red/yellow/white incremental
> effect as you increase speed. Might be strobing or flashing, tuned to the
RPM
> of the engine - would look even better if you have straight-out facing
> exhaust pipes. Obviously wouldn't want them TOO bright, or you'd face the
> wrath of The Man...but some low-light effect would be just as effective.
The
> deeper they're in the tailpipe, the better the effect would be. A 2-foot
> stainless tailpipe with lights in all the way back would look good. Might
> have to make the lights removeable for periodic cleaning. Just snap into
> place, facing the rear of the vehicle. Heat would be an issue, but that
far
> away from the engine , you might make them survive.
>
> 7) Heck, I've forgotten more zany ideas than I can remember at the
> moment, someone else insert a suggestion here! LOL. Oh, wait a minute...I
DO
> have one more...a strobe light underhood pointing at the fan and moving
> pulleys, pulsed off the coil....might give a neat effect at shows, like a
> timing light pointed at the fan blades to show them briefly "stopped" in
> action. Haven't seen THIS put into effect yet by those wonderfully
creative
> Californian citizens. Has anyone else? Ok, I'll leave it alone for now,
I've
> exhausted myself with this creative burst. Good luck with your R & D,
Brian!
>
> Jerry
> '55 2nd project Chevy Suburban, still sitting after 10 years... :(
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