Custom lighting in my Civic

[gsteffens]

Well I got my 04 Civic back from the body shop.

Here's the deal, I'm considering doing a little more customizing to the lighting on my Civic. I am a volunteer firefighter where I live and we are allowed to run blue only lights when in district and responding to a station for a call. Right now I have one blue LED light that is suction cupped by my rear view mirror.

I would like to have two lights of this type on the front, on the extreme far sides of the inside of the windshield, and also have two small lights on either side of my third brake light, and possibly some behind the grille.

I'm not too bad at running wiring for stereos and the like. My question is what exactly will I need. Are there any stand alone lights I can install with just power, or is there a special module I need, is there a basic module that will work for a few things or do I have to spring for a more expensive one? And for switches, I guess that would be a full custom location and install too, correct?

Any info on how to set these up would be helpful. I've looked through www.galls.com and www.firehouse.com and just have seen a ton of parts.

Need some advice and direction, thanks!!!

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[DanJ]

Where are you a volunteer at? I didn't realize you could run lights on the way to a station in Illinois.

 

[gsteffens]

Millbrook, IL. We are tied in with Plano, we are a volunteer setup like I said.

I don't go crazy with them. The rule is they are courtesy request lights. People don't have to do anything, they don't give us special privileges, it just lets them know what is going on. Every time I've run mine on the way people pull over for me, I just would like a few more in the car for function and also for some show.

 

[DanJ]

Damn, i didn't realize Millbrook was that close. Do they have to be just blue? have you considered putting strobes in your headlights? I've used www.oznium.com for some lighting needs before if you want to check that out.

 

[Mook]

gonna move this over to general car

 

[Lord Tin Foilhat]

not that hard to wire at all. you could have them all to one switch aswell. basicly you would run them all together to a switch thats connected to a 12 v source. when u turn it on all go on. you could also add a strobe effect

 

[Spicy McHaggiz]

Blue lights have been legal in illinois for ages.

I agree about wiring them all up to one switch. Very simple to do. It would all really depend on how much your willing to spend and the quality you want. You can't go wrong with Galls.com

 

[gsteffens]

Well I saw a neat kit for like $60 that adds two lights behind your grill that flash back and forth. One of our Assistant Chiefs has that on his Ranger and it looks pretty slick. I was thinking more realistically today and I'm going to keep the one by the mirror and add some behind the dash, and then hard wire them to the car. It will take time but it could be worth it.

And yes Aurora is pretty close to Millbrook. I have a Wednesday night welding class at East Aurora high school!

BTW sorry I didn't know which section this would be in!

EDIT

here is an expensive one

http://www.galls.com/style.html?assort=general_catalog&style=GR183


cheaper one


http://www.galls.com/style.html?assort=general_catalog&style=GR186


Leaning toward the second one, as like I said that's the one my Assistant Chief has and it works well.

 

[Spicy McHaggiz]

So now it really depends on if you want LED's or Halogens.

Honestly LED's would get my money, though they cost more in the unit they overall look better (IMO). Their brighter, and last longer

 

[gsteffens]

That's what I was thinking, and the window light is LED as well it would match nice. I guess I will save up for those then.

I may have to look closer but I don't see many installation accessories at galls. I'm also wondering where I should put the switches. One way was to use all the 'blank switches' I have on the console because I have an LX and less options, or to put the switch "panel" inside the arm rest box in the middle to be hidden.

What would you guys think of me getting a magnetic blue rotator for the Impala? Never know when I would have to respond in that car lol.


EDIT;

Took another look at my grill and on a second look the grill is actually skinnier than I thought. May have to rethink what I do, maybe add more dash lights or add some strobes to the head lights, or maybe a wig-wag setup??