C32-4ME

I need your help "Q"

Ok...first things first....I am a total nerd.

I grew up in the 70's begging my Dad to stay up late so I could watch 007 on "ABC's Sunday Night Movie". I have wanted a "James Bond" car forever...and my C32 looks like it is going to be it ...for now.

I want to "black out" the rear of the car to get away from the bad guys at night (of course the smoke screen and caltrops will already be deployed).
I know it is dangerous, illegal, stupid...etc...but I just don't care...it is something Bond would have damn it....so I must need it too!

Is there any relatively simple way to disable the rear half of the cars tail & brake lighting system temporarily with a toggle switch? This would be not be any kind of rocket science with a 1990's Ford or Chevy...but who knows what will happen with these cars???

I don't want to fry a SAM unit or God only knows what else!!

Here was my first thought...but it sounds way too simple to work:

1. Do a simple cut of the power/ground (common ground?) wires going into the tail, brake, 3rd brake, blinker, and license plate lights.

2. Splice all of them into a 2 wire (+/-), and route it into area where my hidden switches will be located.

3. Connect the common +/- to a simple on/off toggle switch.

4. Bad guys on my tail? Flip the switch and power is cut to all light sources in the rear of the car (but my dashboard info center starts glowing RED and Orange with warning lights )



I am pretty sure I would get multiple warning / malfunction errors about lamps needing to be "replaced"! I am guessing the warnings would clear after restoring power to the circuits, worst case I might need to restart the car in order to clear the messages?

If somebody can help me out with this I would be as happy as Mr. Bond and a crisp Martini! Shaken..not stirred of course

loungn14

um ..ya...got illegal written all over it

But hey, its your car, would rather see you do it right then f -it up.

A common switch to interrupt the ground or 12v will do the trick.

Actually its common practice on all police cars nationwide.

C32-4ME

[QUOTE=loungn14;2804052]um ..ya...got illegal written all over it

But hey, its your car, would rather see you do it right then f -it up.

A common switch to interrupt the ground or 12v will do the trick.

Actually its common practice on all police cars nationwide.[/QUOTE

LOL...one of my friends that is a Sheriff's Deputy gave me the idea. He showed me how his worked

So....I wonder if anyone out there can save me some time so I do not have to cut every single ground wire..?

Maybe I could switch it through the fuse box? I need to go down stairs and get my owners manual to see what fuse controls what in the rear lighting department...but that could be a bad idea too.

kindafast

Alex Roy did this to his M5

e1000

The tails will be easy. There's one ground to all the bulbs in the tail lights. The 3rd brake light and License plate light wiring both should run through the harness that runs along the left side of the trunk arm. Brown wires are usually ground.

C32-4ME

Funny you posted this, I just read a story about his M5 about 10 minutes ago.

Now that is my dream set up!!!

C32-4ME

QUOTE=e1000;2804460]The tails will be easy. There's one ground to all the bulbs in the tail lights. The 3rd brake light and License plate light wiring both should run through the harness that runs along the left side of the trunk arm. Brown wires are usually ground.[/QUOTE]

Awesome!!

I have not been able to get down to the garage and tinker with it today - but I am hoping that it would not be too hard.

Do you (or anybody else) think doing this can or will damage the electrical system in any way?

I know the obvious things to be careful of when tinkering with basic wiring & switching - it is the Mercedes electronics and sensor system I am worried about [

e1000

Shouldn't. Essentially, what you're doing is breaking the circuit to the bulbs which don't always have current going to them anyway. For example, if you cut all the wires going to your rear lights, they won't throw a bulb out warning until you press the brakes or use a blinker.

c32used

I understand what you would like to do but honestly since you have your headlights on...won't the "badguys" see you either way?

C32-4ME

Headlights dont need to be on when I am wearing my night vision goggles

loungn14

nightvision goggles huh....

hum...let me just give you a little story...

My brother is a cop out here where I live. A couple of months ago they caught a guy who "blacked out" his car like you wanted to and was running with night vision goggles on in his newer dodge viper.

Well,

The cops pulled him over, charged him with a felony (dont remember what for) and took the car. The city of plainfield now has a dodge viper d.a.r.e. car painted police style.

food for thought...

e1000

yes. Other than this being possible and if done properly, won't necessarily harm your car, it's a TERRIBLE idea.

c32used

+1

Is it worth it if you get caught.....GL!

C32-4ME

Yikes.....sounds like he might have had a little "cargo" in the trunk / glove box??

Thanks for all the concern about getting in trouble...but this is just a goofy hobby of mine. I guess you could compare it to guys who spend 10K on stereo systems and car "theaters"....only I spend it on geeky electronics, stealth devices, and radio equipment.


I have not ordered NVG's yet, as I want to use the $$ to see if I can get 400 hp to the rear wheels. That sounds much more fun anyway.

I promise I wont get in trouble!

frimmelnojerz

he went to a place in connecticut i believe.they do a lot of that kind of custom work over there. i will try and find the shop name.

jgsx

Any link to this? It seems like it would be a high profile story. News.google search didn't find anything for Viper+Plainfield. Neither did Lexus-Nexus

phatmitzu

Then why the switch? Just turn off your lights....

loungn14

I will have to dig up some stuff for you. I called my brother and he was more than happy to snap these pics with their new toy.

Apparently he was speeding pretty good, and the car only had 17,000 miles on it.

My brother said that they were all laughing when they dropped the guy off at jail and told him thanks for the new car!

boohooramblers

Was he able to keep his night-vision goggles?

S5LorinserF1

first of all that guy in the viper is a moron.


He doesnt deserve to drive since he got caught driving that fast and couldnt getaway from the police. especially in a blacked out viper.


number two reason is you never have your car on your own name..just in case **** like this happens no one is allowed to take "your car"

loungn14

hum....

As i commonly hear from my cop friends and brother...you can definately out run our cars...

But you cant outrun the radio.

on the other note....

So you run in a car not yours....they cant take the car because its not yours. But, the registered owner is responsible for the car, so if they say that the car was borrowed without permission you just got another felony on the belt? Its a touchy subject and can go either way im told as they can repossess anything directly responsible for creating the infraction.

But...good idea nevertheless.... props for that

S5LorinserF1

my brother is an FBI agent. and i have alot of family in the NYPD and throughtout the government in washington.

Here is a free tip to any of you married people out there


If you have the car on your wifes name.. there is no way you can have your car repossed in any way.. even if you were drunk...driving 200mph...or just being reckless.


on this topic i think i got it coverd.


though i would never recommend any of those things its just straight facts.

S5LorinserF1

Loung yea those radios suck haha lol.


especially if you try and outrun a cop on a straight highway with no exits for miles...your screwed lol

loungn14

very good to know....hum....what to do....

bmjdevelopment

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Quirks/..._to_dare/8824/



See page 18

http://www.illinoismoose.org/ILLINI_...07Illinois.pdf