Hey guys, looking for some input on an idea for some lights. Obviously, I could pay money for a proper light setup with some Hella whatevers and some mounting bars, but I've got an idea.

Everyone has seen off-road rigs with massive LED light bars. Not much run time in terms of bulb life, but I wouldn't be using them too much anyways. I remember seeing a lip on the inside of my Mini's front bumper (You can kind of see it on the right side where it begins to go in to give you an idea of the room you have to work with. Go outside and look at your mini if you can't see it. :p)



My mesh in this area is falling apart anyways so I was curious as to if I could cut some of it out and then lay an LED light bar on the inside of the mesh. Maybe a few on the sides, tooo, and then wire them into the high beams.

Anyone have any input / experience about this? Thanks.

***Beginning a new project. Not in this location, but one similar. Read below - will update here with process too. I am going to be mounting a hidden LED light bar by cutting out a portion of the aluminum under bumper support. I will be doing a FULL guide. The guide of wiring, mounting, where to install everything, and answering any questions anyone has. Looking forward to it. Thanks everyone.***

 

I don't know but I would check your state regs. In NY any accessory lights have to automatically turn OFF when high beams are on. Cars and motorcycles are same. Does everyone follow that? Wellll........

 

As long as I'm not using it when there are oncoming drivers the cops shouldn't care too much here. :p

 

Just as an update to this thread.

I put on 4 hella 700FFs with 100w halogen bulbs. They work awesome, but they are very big and very "look at me".

I recently installed a knock off Aero grille set. Upper and lower and when I was cutting my lower bumper (as you have to do) I noticed I could see the aluminum support bar under the lower grille (the tiny one) so I got to thinking...

I am going to cut the aluminum support and see if I can mount an LED light bar under it, a curved one, and then paint the area black so you can't see it. It would be wired into my highbeams. Currently I am looking at a Morimoto Xbar 20. They are in the "closeouts" section on TheRetroFitSource right now for a very attractive price. Almost eBay level prices and Morimoto makes quality pieces (I know from experience) I need to measure the area and see what I can work with, but I am going for a super stealth install. If the lightbar isn't enough for me (55w HID lowbeam and highbeam also to be included) then I plan to mount an OEM light setup with 55w HIDs.

Does anyone know if anyone has tried to mount a bar behind that lower grille or am I the first? I will be posting pictures for the whole guide.

Here is the lower grille I am talking about (the gloss black one)

 

Check out this thread here. Linked to a post where an individual installed lights into his bottom lower grille. Are you talking about the middle section above the lower grille?

 

Yes - I am going to cut the aluminum bumper support and install an LED bar behind the middle tiny grille.

 

That's going to be some serious light if you do a light bar , the 500 hella are the most common for MINI on the top bumper.

I would not perfer to cut the main aluminium carrier bar behind the bumper as its a crash standard for protection. I would do a thinner light strip or strip tape and mounts it under the center grille or lower grille but not too much to block the air to the rad. How much of the main carrier bar are you going to cut ?

51117062866

https://www.ecstuning.com/Search/Sit...h/51117062866/

 

I'd maybe give a shop a call like one of the vendor shops on here and see if there is a light weight bumper beam available. I say this because I know there are for some other different vehicle brands that are much smaller, but if there isn't maybe they can fabricate you one. That way you aren't cutting into your stock one. Just a thought.

 

I am going to cut enough to mount the lightbar (measuring it up tonight) to mount it right behind the little grille on the bottom bumper cover. It's not going to be much. I was a body guy for a year (working on Audis and Acuras, currently a mechanic at Land Rover.)

Honestly the place I am cutting is the part that has the holes in it. In my opinion the amount I am cutting off wont do anything for me. I am the type of driver who if I am going to get into an accident it wont be doing 10mph in stop and go itll be at 80 sliding off the side of a road


If it doesn't work out how I plan and I end up cutting off way too much I will buy another one from a junk yard.

 

(sorry for double post - cant quote multiple places on my phone)

I have no concerns about chopping into the support. Car isn't worth much to me, and I can get a new one relatively cheaply. It would cost way more to have a shop create me one than for me to buy another if I hack my current one up too much! :p

 

ok, sounds like you have done this work before. So you know what you are getting into. Post up when you mock it up, would like to see the work.

 

Will do - picking out my lightbar as soon as I measure it out. I'll make this the build thread and request it to be moved when I get started and I'll post a guide when I am done.

 

Sounds good. Would like to see the work. Are you going to re-weld the cut aluminium. Welding aluminum is a skill in itself.

Light bars linked above in my post by Spyder, but they might be too big for the project as they are used for truck top bars and bumper bar mounts,,, etc/

 

Depending on how much I need to cut off of the bar I might weld a flat plate onto the aluminum (with some help from a friend) to mount the light bar to. I am hoping I don't need to cut that far into it. In an ida setup I can "notch" it just enough to snug the lightbar right up against the grille (going to look for a curved bar) and not need to weld anything. We will see!! Then I'll need to decide what I want to do with my old Hella setup...

All of it will be posted in either this thread or a new one.

The plan is, measure it up, see how long of a bar I can get... and if I can even get light out of that little tiny slit that I cut in the bumper when installing the knock off aero grilles, and then pick out a bar, hold it up to the bumper support and mark it once I mark it from the outside for positioning, and then go hard with a sawzall, and a dremel. If it all goes to plan I will have it done in a day and have a day to dedicate to replacing my lower lower grille (has holes in it from current setup) and redo the wiring (again, from the old setup).

I'll update everyone with some specs tonight and post potential canidates too for anyone who wants to start this project with me!

 

Some rough specs for my eBay grille.

I have a roughly 29 inch opening that is consistently the same size. It tapers off in the corners. It has a 1.25 inch opening (again, roughly) from top to bottom along the whole rough29inch area. So begins the shopping. I would like a 30 inch bar. Might settle for a 20 inch bar. Morimoto makes a 27 inch bar that is new but doesn't have a curved version, and I really need it to be curved to get as close to that opening as possible.

 

I have found my bar. It is really really affordable, and decently high quality.

https://www.theretrofitsource.com/xt...l#.VnNw1PkrJhE

I have decided to buy this bar. It is not curved. I am afraid that the lights in the middle of the bumper wont be able to shine out before being clipped by the bumper. I am going to use it, see what it does. If light doesn't make it all the way out I plan to use a plastic mirror type style on the top of the bar where you can't see it reflect to help direct the light. I am making it stealthy, so I can't install it on the bottom.

Will be a few weeks before I order the bar. Will probably sell my current setup to help fund this new setup. Will update with progress.

 

Old lights are coming off this weekend. Heavy breathing is ensuing.

LightWerkz is doing 15% off Morimoto stuff TODAY ONLY. Buy if you want to follow along guys. These deals are fantastic. I saved 25 dollars ATLEAST compared to eBay or TheRetrofitsource

Project "StealthBar" is a go. Who do I contact to get this thread moved to a DIY section when it's finished?

 

So just as an update.

Got the bar, I am really impressed. It throws light very far, but the problem is the "flood" light reflectors flood the light a little too well. LED doesn't penetrate particles in the air very well at all. So, if it is raining, or misty, or really even dusty, you see all of the particles and it is blinding. I am hoping once I stuff it behind the grille it'll limit the "foreground" a little. If not, then I will modify the light or block them off.

Also, to compliment my upgrades for highbeams, I am upgrading my Helix/DEPO lights. Currently have 55w HIDs. Will be upgrading the projectors to Morimoto D2S units, and installing some "halos" (that are so bright they are almost offensive to look at, debating on actually putting them in)








Just so you know, my kitchen lights were on in the photo of these halos. And from the picture above you can see my kitchen lights are decently bright, just to give you an idea how bright these halos are..

 

thanks for the update look pretty bright on the halos.

 

yeah... me being dumb and buying these after a long day said "oh well if theyre too bright ill add a voltage limiter" little did i know that these LEDs already have a limiter on them at 5v. haha.

got one projector into the headlight enough to call it "good" now i need to mount them with a solid solution, aim them, set the rotation, buy shrouds and joey mod the rest of the headlight and do the wiring. should be fun. (i am doing this in my spare time)

this weekend hopefully i will be cutting the bumper support, installing the bar, and doing the wiring with pictures and measurements to match.

 

Looks forward to seeing it done,

 

Don't think this project is ever going to get done. Today on the highway I paniced braked ontop of water. Sent the back of the car sling shotting. Saved myself from sliding backwards across 2 lanes of traffic, but smashed the mini into the concrete median 3 times. I used to work in a body shop and it looks pretty bad. All of the suspension on driver side front is gone. Wheel is at a 90 degree angle to the body of the car. Axle is popped out. Bumper(s) hood fender are ruined along with associated trim. No airbags deployed. Not even a seatbelt tensioner. I had to on my Scroth harnesses (the legal for road use ones) and the anti submarining technology part didnt even rip. It wasnt that bad but its alot of damage.

Was stuck in the fast lane on a busy highway for 30mins waiting for police. and for icing on the cake.. a 130 dollar ticket for being in a SINGLE CAR ACCIDENT and a 90 dollar ticket for above prudent speed. Worst ****ing night ever. Going to go see my baby tomorrow. Night everyone.

 

WWWWWHHHAAAATTTTTTTTT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Good thing you're not hurt. but single car accident what kind of communist state you living in??????? should throw a few photo's up !!! best of luck mate

 

A communist one, thats Maryland for you.

 

Yeah that's what i love about living in the north woods of wisconsin. haha back in high school buddy of mine had a del-s0l we rolled it over playing around in the snow. all the state trooper did was help us flip it baCK over and we drove it home ahaha.