xoSubieLegacyxo
03-23-2011, 10:38 PM
Hey guys. I have been watching "davewilson" and "Lord Flashheart" with their lightbar projects, and I decided to make my own. I purchased 2 4 foot long pieces of 1/8" metal, and I then purchased 2 brand new Hella 700s. Just a heads up I really didn't use any measurements, and I free handed every piece. Using Lord Flashheart's idea of molding the lightbar around the grille, I used two bolt threads that were on the radiator support to mount the bar. Heres the top part of the bar:
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/185784_10150111101272476_652632475_6772481_6278048_n.jpg
Since this was a first attempt, I messed up fabricating the pieces. I made a two piece bracket to mount the bar, but you should only have one. For the base of the bar, I mounted the bar to the grille, and again it was a mistake to do because the lights shake a little. I would consider mounting the the bottom of the bar to the lower bolt for the headlights. I'll describe in the picture below....
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/190087_10150116437517476_652632475_6817069_4241718_n.jpg
After I made a mock for how the bar would be mounted, I cut the piece that held the lights. I doubled the metal so that there was enough strength to hold up the heavy lights. If you want to do that you don't need to. Remember this is just my project so you can change and adapt this to your car. Heres how it looked:
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/195825_10150116437357476_652632475_6817066_2667907_n.jpg
After a little welding thanks to my Uncle I made sure nothing was altered when welding the pieces together. Everything looked great and I painted the bar and grille black. Gotta love spray bomb!!!
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/188783_10150116437582476_652632475_6817071_2020483_n.jpg
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/196117_10150116438202476_652632475_6817082_2689496_n.jpg
While the paint was drying, I did a little bit of wiring. If you purchase a Hella light kit, there directions are very simple. I mounted the relay on the bolt for the stock fuse box, and with a little splicing, I made the wires short enough to run around the vehicle. The directions ask for you to wire a 12V (hot) connection to either the high beams for driving lights, and/or low beams for fog lights. I really didnt feel like cutting wires for my headlights, so a friend told me that he used another 12V connection from his stereo. So thats exactly what I did. The connection comes from the switch and I spliced it to my stereo "ignition" power wire. I also used the ground from the stereo for the switch as well. Heres some pictures to help you out.
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/199757_10150121750057476_652632475_6863529_4407458_n.jpg
After I wired the lights, I tested the connections, and I found out that my switch that came with the kit did not function ,so I drove to Radio Shack, and purchased a toggle switch. Lights up red and is really cool!!!!
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/198617_10150121754007476_652632475_6863617_7488798_n.jpg
After wiring the lights, and the paint dried, I put everything together! One problem I faced was finding a place to ground the lights, so I drilled two new holes to put ground screws in the bar. The light bar looks amazing on my car, and heres the last of the pictures!!!
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/189415_10150121753452476_652632475_6863603_681385_n.jpg
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/188863_10150121753777476_652632475_6863611_7289554_n.jpg
If your wondering what the black mesh is in the grille, I purchased some cutter guard from home depot and cut it out to fit in my grille.
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/200817_10150121750147476_652632475_6863531_4435154_n.jpg
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/199945_10150121753822476_652632475_6863613_8112027_n.jpg
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/190451_10150121753937476_652632475_6863615_2685670_n.jpg
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/190659_10150121754107476_652632475_6863622_7987589_n.jpg
So there it is. If you have any questions feel free to reply a post, or PM me. This was my first DIY so I didnt really know what to write about. Thanks for looking and hope yours turns out as great as mine did!
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/185784_10150111101272476_652632475_6772481_6278048_n.jpg
Since this was a first attempt, I messed up fabricating the pieces. I made a two piece bracket to mount the bar, but you should only have one. For the base of the bar, I mounted the bar to the grille, and again it was a mistake to do because the lights shake a little. I would consider mounting the the bottom of the bar to the lower bolt for the headlights. I'll describe in the picture below....
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/190087_10150116437517476_652632475_6817069_4241718_n.jpg
After I made a mock for how the bar would be mounted, I cut the piece that held the lights. I doubled the metal so that there was enough strength to hold up the heavy lights. If you want to do that you don't need to. Remember this is just my project so you can change and adapt this to your car. Heres how it looked:
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/195825_10150116437357476_652632475_6817066_2667907_n.jpg
After a little welding thanks to my Uncle I made sure nothing was altered when welding the pieces together. Everything looked great and I painted the bar and grille black. Gotta love spray bomb!!!
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/188783_10150116437582476_652632475_6817071_2020483_n.jpg
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/196117_10150116438202476_652632475_6817082_2689496_n.jpg
While the paint was drying, I did a little bit of wiring. If you purchase a Hella light kit, there directions are very simple. I mounted the relay on the bolt for the stock fuse box, and with a little splicing, I made the wires short enough to run around the vehicle. The directions ask for you to wire a 12V (hot) connection to either the high beams for driving lights, and/or low beams for fog lights. I really didnt feel like cutting wires for my headlights, so a friend told me that he used another 12V connection from his stereo. So thats exactly what I did. The connection comes from the switch and I spliced it to my stereo "ignition" power wire. I also used the ground from the stereo for the switch as well. Heres some pictures to help you out.
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/199757_10150121750057476_652632475_6863529_4407458_n.jpg
After I wired the lights, I tested the connections, and I found out that my switch that came with the kit did not function ,so I drove to Radio Shack, and purchased a toggle switch. Lights up red and is really cool!!!!
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/198617_10150121754007476_652632475_6863617_7488798_n.jpg
After wiring the lights, and the paint dried, I put everything together! One problem I faced was finding a place to ground the lights, so I drilled two new holes to put ground screws in the bar. The light bar looks amazing on my car, and heres the last of the pictures!!!
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/189415_10150121753452476_652632475_6863603_681385_n.jpg
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/188863_10150121753777476_652632475_6863611_7289554_n.jpg
If your wondering what the black mesh is in the grille, I purchased some cutter guard from home depot and cut it out to fit in my grille.
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/200817_10150121750147476_652632475_6863531_4435154_n.jpg
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/199945_10150121753822476_652632475_6863613_8112027_n.jpg
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/190451_10150121753937476_652632475_6863615_2685670_n.jpg
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/190659_10150121754107476_652632475_6863622_7987589_n.jpg
So there it is. If you have any questions feel free to reply a post, or PM me. This was my first DIY so I didnt really know what to write about. Thanks for looking and hope yours turns out as great as mine did!