Work on lighting lift gate appliqué begins

[zax123]

I'm thinking we can provide white or red as options. Red would work with the brake lights, white perhaps with an on/off controller. But first I just have to get one to two made.

Hi Rick,

While you guys were in there (the trunk lid), did you notice if there is any always on 12V source in there? I'd like to have my rear T and/or the lighted applique always on the way I have my front T always glowing... I was thinking maybe there's power at the trunk popping button just above the license plate?

Please let me know if you guys fished around in there. Thanks!

Rob

 

[artsci]

Hi Rick,

While you guys were in there (the trunk lid), did you notice if there is any always on 12V source in there? I'd like to have my rear T and/or the lighted applique always on the way I have my front T always glowing... I was thinking maybe there's power at the trunk popping button just above the license plate?

Please let me know if you guys fished around in there. Thanks!

Rob

Actually, we checked about that with Tesla. There is no always-on 12v power source in the lift gate lid. One could be run there from another place but it would be a PIA.

 

[zax123]

I wonder how the trunk pop button works then... I guess it's just grounding something. OK thanks for checking!

 

[artsci]

I wonder how the trunk pop button works then... I guess it's just grounding something. OK thanks for checking!

Actually that's a good question and we didn't think about that. My guess though is that it's a temp on-off triggered by the fob or the push device. I'll put a volt meter on it before I re-assemble everything this am.

 

[artsci]

Just tested. Regrettably no constant 12v from that connection.

 

[zax123]

Bummer. Thanks for checking! I don't think I'll route a new wire into the trunk lid... Too much work!

 

[artsci]

After many frustrating and failed attempts to find a shop that has the right equipment to cut the TESLA letters out of the appliqué and insert acrylic letters that will be lighted from behind I think I found a company today, LAI International. They specialize in manufacturing solutions for the aerospace industry and thus have all the equipment and technologies to do the work, including precision laser and water jet machining. Cutting patterns and shapes with tight tolerances is a specialty, which is exactly what we want done.

I've provided one of its reps photos and information of what we want to do and I'm eagerly awaiting an answer. If he says yes, I'll send him the two appliqués I have. If we get the ok and the price is not out of whack we'll make up two prototypes for beta testing. I think safety requirements will require us to light the letters in red so I'm thinking this will function like the rear lighted T: on with the running lights and brighter when the brakes are applied, all in sync.

 

[zax123]

Hi Rick,

That's good news (almost). I hope they can do it.

When I finally get my rear T, I'm going to seriously consider getting constant 12V in the trunk lid. I would like it if those letters could be on all the time -- like my pulsing front T. Makes the car feel alive, just sleeping.

Thanks for keeping us posted!

Rob

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edit: Looks like they are super close to you. That's awesome!

 

[tomp]

This is pretty neat. Personally, I would like to do both the TESLA and T mods at the same time. Seems like it would make the install easier, and avoid having to take stuff apart twice.
Thanks!

After many frustrating and failed attempts to find a shop that has the right equipment to cut the TESLA letters out of the appliqué and insert acrylic letters that will be lighted from behind I think I found a company today, LAI International. They specialize in manufacturing solutions for the aerospace industry and thus have all the equipment and technologies to do the work, including precision laser and water jet machining. Cutting patterns and shapes with tight tolerances is a specialty, which is exactly what we want done.

I've provided one of its reps photos and information of what we want to do and I'm eagerly awaiting an answer. If he says yes, I'll send him the two appliqués I have. If we get the ok and the price is not out of whack we'll make up two prototypes for beta testing. I think safety requirements will require us to light the letters in red so I'm thinking this will function like the rear lighted T: on with the running lights and brighter when the brakes are applied, all in sync.

 

[artsci]

The light now appears at the end of the tunnel. LAI can definitely do the work but it won't be inexpensive and certainly not for the first try. The letters will be laser cut out of the piece. Problem is that LAI needs a CAD file of the TELSA letters in the font, which is called Emblem Bold D. To get a CAD file of the font I had to contact its designer David Occhino, a graphic designer based in NYC. I talked to David for about 15 minutes today. He's a really nice guy and will create a custom CAD file so this can be done. So I'll be working with David and LAI over the next few days to get the right file. Stay tuned, more to come.

 

[zax123]

That's great news! Tesla has no problem with you having a CAD file of their logotype?

 

[artsci]

The letters themselves are in the public domain as a readily available font available for a license fee from David's company.

These are not the same as the Tesla logo, which was designed by the company's in-house design staff David told me. This will be a one-off CAD file for only one purpose: Cutting the letters out of the appliqué so they can be lit. I will pay a license fee for the CAD file to David -- he owns the rights to the font, not Tesla.

I have to imagine that Tesla paid a fee to David for multiple uses of his font.

Can't imagine they'd object to this project. If this works they'll be selling a lot of appliqué's at $150 a pop. My agreement with Davis is for a one-time use of the CAD file -- cutting out the letters.

FYI I paid a modest fee to David's company about a year ago to download the Mac True-Type version of the Emblem Bold D and all the other Emblem fonts.

 

[zax123]

That's awesome. I love the workaround! This will be an amazing mod!

 

[artsci]

Once the letters are cut out we'll need to scan the TESLA letters on another appliqué and then 3D print in translucent red material letters that insert into the cut out space for each. The goal is to recreate the 3D look of the raised letters but in red that can be lit from behind. As always, my car will be the test mule. We'll have a brightness driver like that for the rear lighted T. The letters will be lit when the rear running lights are on and brighten when the brakes are applied.

Some people have said they want the letters in white. Frankly I think that will be illegal in most if not all states. So red it will be.

I'm very excited that we're finally approaching a solution. This goes back a year almost to Aaron's post.

 

[zax123]

Once the letters are cut out, would it not be possible to put a "sheet" of translucent red material behind the letters and not have to insert into the cut out space? Or will it not be waterproof enough?

For those of us that have the rear lighted T, do you think the existing LED driver could handle the additional load of whatever lighting system the appliqué ends up using?

 

[artsci]

Once the letters are cut out, would it not be possible to put a "sheet" of translucent red material behind the letters and not have to insert into the cut out space? Or will it not be waterproof enough?

For those of us that have the rear lighted T, do you think the existing LED driver could handle the additional load of whatever lighting system the appliqué ends up using?

I don't think leaving the spaces cut out is a good idea -- it would look like an unfinished product and, yes, the openings would collect water. The existing brightness driver can handle the load but the extra amperage, as small as it would be, would change the brightness levels of the rear T.

 

[rekoh]

<-- wants to be a test mule too

LOVE this idea!!!!!!

 

[artsci]

I now have found a source for printing of the 3D transparent red letters that will fit in the cut out spaces.

 

[zax123]

I have to be selfish and ask if you think the system would with on my appliqué which is vinyl wrapped in black.

 

[NJ Plugin]

I have to be selfish and ask if you think the system would with on my appliqué which is vinyl wrapped in black.

I was wondering the same, as I have my chrome blacked out.

Zax, on my car, my wrapper (LeeBerbs) used in a few areas (the side triangular turn markers (see my avatar to the left)) spray on black Plasti Dip, and would think this could work well for this application also, after the letters are cut out.