need ideas on my original lighing effect

[rockin_rick]

I've had this idea for a few years, and now that I have the radiator and condenser out, I'm considering doing it.

I want to put a neon (or more than one) light in the grille mounted to the back side of the bumper (shown in the pic in yellow) where the tube itself can not be seen. It would be off all the time except for when you are at WOT, then as the rpms hit about 3000 it would start to slowly (low duty cycle, like on 5% of the time) flicker on, and as the rpms go up, the flickering would get faster (high duty cycle, like on 95% of the time). As soon as the throttle is let off (the rpms start to drop) it goes completely off. This would all be controlled by a dedicated microprocessor (microcontroller) based electronics circuit.

I'm trying to figure out the color or colors that could look cool. I'm thinking 1/2 red, 1/2 orange (as shown in pic), then the intended effect would be that the engine bay is making so much power that it is glowing fire red hot. Of course, the on-off control of the lights is extremely important. I think this color selection and contol came from (in my head) mixing the images of a glowing red hot exhaust header with the fire burning out of the exhaust of a Top Fuel dragster. Thoughts on color selection?

I'm going to have a new Fluidyne and no condenser, so it would probably reflect well off the radiator.

Now, I'm not really down with automotive neon, but perhaps I could make an exception for a cool effect.

ANY AND ALL COMMENTS or SUGGESTIONS are desired! Like color choices, tube selection, operation, whatever.

Thanks,
Rick

 

[nmcgrawj]

hmmm sounds cool to me. I did something similar on my v6 i had 2 or so years ago in my hood scoop. (cobra r svo hood). I put a red light at the back of the engine compartment and it was sound sensitive. So i set the sensitivity of it to only glow red when i was at full throttle. Looked kinda cool....

But yours sounds much more advanced. You are gonna have to post some pics and more details of the electronics involved. Might look good if done right.

****im sure some guys will consider this rice so LOOK OUT****

 

[Zero Signal]

Not sure how you would get that to work, but I'm sure cycling the light will kill it pretty quickly. Those lights can only be turned on and off so many times before the electronic ballast takes a dump. Sure it's ALOT, but if you'r talking thousands of cycles per minute, it may not last (assuming it can even keep up).

It seems like alot of work for something you would really only see on the dyno (in the dark on the dyno that is) since you would have to be moving otherwise. I do like the color combo.

 

[rockin_rick]

****im sure some guys will consider this rice so LOOK OUT****

Yeah, I hate the rice look, so that is conflicting with this idea, but electronics is my other hobby so whenever I can combine cars and electronics, it's cool to me.

The electronic circuit (black box) would be something that I make myself. So I could have it work any way I want or need it to.

Rick

 

[rockin_rick]

Not sure how you would get that to work, but I'm sure cycling the light will kill it pretty quickly. Those lights can only be turned on and off so many times before the electronic ballast takes a dump. Sure it's ALOT, but if you'r talking thousands of cycles per minute, it may not last (assuming it can even keep up).

Yeah, I was kinda wondering about the life expectancy of the neons. Perhaps this is something that I should ask the manufacturer before attempting.

Rick