Why not try with cardboard first?
*** Bob, I'm an obsessive DIY'er. I just tried doing what you plan with cardboard. It doesn't work. I realized you need a LENS to focus the light into the pattern you want. The cutouts just end up diffusing as the distance increases from the surface. With LED strips you get a bunch of shapes that overlap each other, but no recognizable letters. Try it yourself and see. I in no way mean to be a wise guy here, just like to experiment with stuff.

 

Is this Navigator image not being projected from the side view mirror? You can see the gradient light falloff to the rear - if it were coming from the rocker area would not the light falloff (if any) be along the outer edge of the artwork?

To throw an image out to the side of the rocker area that distance, the image at the projector end would have to either be extremely distorted or use some type of complex prism I am guessing?

 

In a commercial I saw earlier this year for the Lincoln MKZ, the actor in the commercial pressed the key fob.
He was about ten feet from the vehicle, and the light came from under the rocker panel of the MKZ, not under the door, or projected from the side mirror.
Naturally the Lincoln vehicles are built higher off the ground than the Corvette, so perhaps they need some sort of projector, but I don't think that would be necessary for the Vette because it damm near sits on the ground as it is.

I am so looking forward to this project.

I haven't done anything off the wall like this in a long time.

Bob.

 

Is this not what you are referring to? Just found this...

 

Just found this one too - projecting from Side Mirror...

 

The video with the maroon Lincoln is closer to what I want, but in the commercial I saw, the light did not come from the side mirror like that one, but under the rocker panel.

Unlike those in the video, the one I build, will only show the word corvette, in either red, or white, with no background.
As suggested, I did a cardboard cutout to see how the letter would look with light behind it.

I used my flashlight and pretty clear for just a flashlight,but the hid strip I am sure would make it look even clearer.
This is going to look great when I get it built.
Designing the letters is the tough part.
I like just the letters showing, with no white background like those Lincolns have.

My two samples are a good representation of what the letters would look like on dark pavement at night.
The letter was sitting on a piece of wood.

This practice letter is 3" tall, and 2" wide.
The actual size will be closer to 5" tall, and 3" wide, and the entire length of "corvette" when finished will be about 24"


Bob.

 

This will be an interesting project. Just don't see how you will be able to get that to throw that distance from what I am guessing is underneath the rocker panel without some optic trickery (i.e. the projection unit would not be mounted on or cut through the body panel... right?)

If something electrical is mounted that low, would not water intrusion also be a concern? Also keeping the lens clean may be fun?

 

Mustangs have had them since 2013. They're available on Mercedes, Land Rover, Audi, Lexus, etc...

 

Bob, how far was your cardboard from the wood?

 

Seven inches., and the flashlight about 2 inches above the cardboard.

Bob.

 

I don't know why your laughin' so hard. You got a SC hood that's probably worth as much as you whole car, and no SC.

BTW, Bob, I've got chrome letters on my black Z, and love 'em.

 

Because the Corvette is so much lower to the ground than the Lincolns in the video, I don't think it will need any kind of projection.

I expect the project when finished would have the light under the rocker panel as opposed to being projected outward as in those videos
Hopefully I can place it close enough to the body edge, so that it will project a bit outward of the rocker panel..


My goal with this is to have the "Corvette" name light up when the key fob is pushed to unlock,and lock the car.
Really doesn't have to be used for illuminating entrance to the car, but obviously it will to some extent

About water, the unit will be sealed with silicone, and fabricated rubber gaskets on all joints. so water would not be a problem.

The Plexiglas would not be hard to keep clean, as the Vette is never driven in inclement weather.

I went online last night looking at led lighting strips, and have not seen any in the length I am looking for .
Most seem to be only a foot long, or shorter.
I would need 24", and hopefully can find them somewhere.

I will have a much better idea about this project once I jack the car up later today, and get a look at the area I want to mount this unit, and just how I will be running the wires to connect to the existing wire harness for the interior foot well lights.


Bob.

 

Might check out Oznium.com That is where I bought most of my LEDs.

There is also an LED Ribbon out there somewhere, but I never found it for sale anywhere to the consumer.

You can also wire your project to the interior footwell lights as they also come on when you unlock via FOB - that is where mine are wired in.

 

Nice job Choreo, where did you get the sill letters? Mine is wired the same way.
Bob, if you want a consistent glow from the light source you will need a COB LED strip, which I'm not sure is available. What IS readily available is a 'regular' LED strip which you can buy in a roll and cut to length. It does involve some touchy soldering but it is very doable.

 

The point of a projection lens is to disperse light evenly from a point source. Otherwise, the farther from the point source you are, the dimmer it will be.

However, if you are using some sort of light bar, then the need for projection greatly diminishes. Morimoto has solid white LED strips, but super expensive at $85 for a 24" strip.

 

I can't remember where I bought them - they have been on there for 17 years! That came from one of the well known vendors, but have not seen them lately?

 

Yep, did all mine that way. Also, they make end now that crimp on so no soldering needed.

 

Not with raised letters and features like yours.

 

I spent a few hours today measuring and looking for parts for this project, and there is no way this can be done.

The Vette is just to low.

I only have 4 & 1/2" clearance.
For the letters to be seen and projected onto the pavement below, they need to be a minimum of 5" tall, and 3" wide, and the only way they can be projected clearly in a little over 4" clearance, is to have the light source 9" above the letters.
The only alternative would be to modify the side view mirrors, and I don't want to do that.

Well, it was a great idea, but just not doable.

Bob.

 

If your goal is ONLY a logo or letters, I agree, that's why those examples with the logo have a lens. However, if you want puddle lights so the ground is lit up when you hit the fob, it's very doable and fairly easy.