The factory buttons communicate to the instrument cluster through the SJB via the CAN system. It might be possible to build a controller to use these signals but I believe that would be outside of my capabilites. I plan on looking more into the CAN traffic of the mustang once i get my carPC going but can't make any promises. I think for those going the non-carPC route an already available aftermarket controller would work best. I would like to find more information on the 08 Ambient light controller though and look at it as a possible option. I haven't seen it so I have no idea how it works.

Phase III is still in the development stage. I have an idea for the circuit board which will be about as thin as posterboard. I have contacted a few hobby circuit builders to see how much it would cost them to build possibly saving me time.


HAHA - Thanks Bill, putting the how-to together took almost as long as the mod. I have a new level of respect for the time you contribute to your mods.

 

Great write up.

 

This is by far the best looking interior mod! Congrats, man!

 

Let us know how they work out.


Thanks for the complements everyone.

FYI - I added a PDF that can be downloaded at the end of the write-up

 

Looks sweet dude - I just got my reds and blues and cant wait to get into that dash!

 

Very nice. If I was only patient or brave enough to do it.

 

Holy cow - that is some serious work! Great write up, awesome mod. Unfortunately, the write is so good that it's convinced me not to try it!

 

I want to see the stereo pic!

 

I had a few LEDS that were bad so I am waiting on new ones to show up so I can finish it.

On another note I ordered my PCB material so I can etch the overlays for the carpc controller.

 

Deric, fantastic mod. The blue looks great.

Now, as other people add this mod in other colors, post pics.

 

CarPC controller?? Can you elaborate?

 

If anyone is seriously interested in this mod, I did this on my old Celica and it's not as hard as it would appear if you use a low watt soldering iron. Also, there's a guy who sold kits of LED's, he's branching out into more than just Japanese cars, he might put something together for a Mustang if someone asked him to look into it. I don't know about controllers, but he seemed to wire all sorts of crazy things together, but he was really good about customer service on the Celica forums I used to read.

Btw, I don't know him personally, and I don't have a stake in this, I'm just passing it along because I liked what I got from him in the past (changed all my led's to blue, changed gauge face). The link is www.ledmod.com

If posting this link violates anything, please let me know.

 

I'm going to attempt a DIY ambient upgrade where I use my carPC to control the mix of RGB to produce the desired color. I figured I will try making a thin overlay board for the switches and wire in RGB LEDs to give a 100% mycolor option for the car. If you google RGB controller you can find a couple DIY plans for controlling via PC. I'm also going to look at aftermarket standalone controllers so you don't need a carPC. I hope to have the boards designed and etched sometime next weekend. I may recreate the mycolor, TC, and cruise control boards since they are single sided and wouldn't be too difficult to reproduce. The AC controls are multilayered but should have enough room for an overlay board.

 

A couple of people have asked how much this cost and I paid $15.00 for the 50 LEDs from Hong Kong through ebay. I did get a couple of bad LEDs but part of it may have been caused by my soldering iron when I accidently had it set to 30W on a few of them. Once I switched to 15W I had no further issues.

 

So are you saying you have plans to make non-mycolor things, such as the LEDs you swapped out - into mycolor-esque multicolor LEDs??

That would **** sweet..

 

That's the plan. I get to take everything apart again next week

I'm going to etch the boards first before I order the LED's. They cost about double of what I paid for the others but the blue LED mod convinced me to give it a try. Plus I've been looking for an excuse to make my own PCB's. I went to school for electronics but haven't really used it in over 10 years .

 

You are awesome, Deric! I can't wait.

For those of you that have a non IUP wheel, or the shelby/bullitt wheel, there is a problem with getting at the cruise control buttons. They need to be pryed out (see pics). This could damage teh leather on the Shelby/Bullitt wheel, but the rubber on the regular wheel can handle it.

Cheers

 

If you get that stuff to work, especially using the ambient controller (I have ambient lighting) I'd be really interested. Also, let us know what colors you eventually come with to switch between. Once you figure it out, and get how-to's plotted out, I'm sure lots of folks here would consider doing this.

 

Would removing the airbag and going in from the inside be better for those wheels?

 

Great job. I always wanted to do this. Shame they just don't sell a circuit board with different color LEDs. Sounds like an opportunity for someone.