gaz the geezer 0 Posted May 7, 2006 so it's a bit of a 'no going back' type of mod. it does look at home there sat in the headlining, did you take any pics whilst work was progressing ?, .... deffo interested in sticking one of these in my `old bone` 8) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JMC 0 Posted May 7, 2006 Yeah, got a few, because I'd planned on putting something together about how to do it from the beginning. Alot of it was chop a bit off, re-attached, see if it fits, take it down, chop a bit off, etc., etc. There is not much room between the sunroof motor and the front of the trim, and the light itself is a bit wider than the original one. It hasn't been too difficult (although I may take that back after trying to sort out he wiring) just fiddly. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gaz the geezer 0 Posted May 7, 2006 It hasn't been too difficult (although I may take that back after trying to sort out he wiring) just fiddly. it all paid off in the end though mate :wink: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dub envy 0 Posted May 7, 2006 Looks really good, but how do you open the sunroof?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JMC 0 Posted May 7, 2006 Looks really good, but how do you open the sunroof?? Er, with the sunroof switch :? :? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JMC 0 Posted May 7, 2006 Well it's in and all wired up. And I only managed to blow the fuse to the clocks while doing it. Yay. Had to fit it in the other way round to the Passat, just to have the space to do it. Still works alright though. Pic's attached of it working... One slightly annoying thing - unlike the original light, it doesn't stay on for 20s (or so) when you get out of the car. Anybody any ideas about this... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JMC 0 Posted May 7, 2006 Just been out for a ride this evening - I like the red glow from the downlighters. Not too in your face :D :D Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gaz the geezer 0 Posted May 7, 2006 I like the red glow from the downlighters. Not too in your face i bet you left them on all the time you were driving ....... you did didnt ya :lol: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JMC 0 Posted May 7, 2006 Ain't got no choice - the power for the switch illumination also powers the down lighters. If I could be bothered I would power them from the dimmer switch on the lights, but I can't be bothered. All I'm doing is powering them from the sunroof switch, so like it and the mirrors and windows, it's on all the time. Bathes the driver in a nice warm red glow 8) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gaz the geezer 0 Posted May 7, 2006 Ain't got no choice - the power for the switch illumination also powers the down lighters. If I could be bothered I would power them from the dimmer switch on the lights, but I can't be bothered. All I'm doing is powering them from the sunroof switch, so like it and the mirrors and windows, it's on all the time. Bathes the driver in a nice warm red glow :lol: ... just yes would have sufficed :lol: , dont worry, i would have left the feckers on cause deep down i`m just as big a tart as you :lol: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JMC 0 Posted May 7, 2006 :lol: ... just yes would have sufficed :lol: , dont worry, i would have left the feckers on cause deep down i`m just as big a tart as you :lol: Ah, great minds think alike... It's is a bit of a red light zone now though, with everything else lit up red :D :D Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gaz the geezer 0 Posted May 7, 2006 It's is a bit of a red light zone now though, a kind of `kings cross corrado` .....yeah !! ....... 8) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JMC 0 Posted May 12, 2006 For those of you who are interested in doing this conversion, I've created an article in the knowledge base covering what I did. Clicky Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dub envy 0 Posted May 12, 2006 Looks really good, but how do you open the sunroof?? Er, with the sunroof switch :? :? I can only see buttons for the reading lamps and main light....... Where is you sunroof switch? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JMC 0 Posted May 12, 2006 With the early interior trim, it's where it always was. Look down at the picture showing the trim, the small rectangular hole is for the sunroof switch... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dub envy 0 Posted May 12, 2006 Oh, I was presuming that all rados had the sunroof switch next to the interior light like I do... shame, as I wouldnt mind a snazzy new light like the w8. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JMC 0 Posted May 12, 2006 Oh, I was presuming that all rados had the sunroof switch next to the interior light like I do... shame, as I wouldnt mind a snazzy new light like the w8. Sorry mate, was having a look at a few differ 'rados at NoRice the other day and saw that some had the sunroof switch in with the light. I hadn't noticed that before (not really looked at those in other cars). There is a version of the W8 light with a sunroof switch control. However it is a rotary one and about 2 times the price of this one (and that's without the switch :shock: ). I think it would also be too big for the space. One possibility - you could try fitting an early interior sunroof switch somewhere else (if think 33hz has done this and moved it down to the dash) if you're happy playing around with the wiring. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Supercharged 2 Posted May 14, 2006 JMC, nice work! I've got one of these on it's way - any chance of a pic of your hacked trim next to the spare so i can see where I need to cut? - or just the cut out will do... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JMC 0 Posted May 15, 2006 JMC, nice work! I've got one of these on it's way - any chance of a pic of your hacked trim next to the spare so i can see where I need to cut? - or just the cut out will do... Supercharged, thanks for the feedback. The best thing I found to do with this is to firstly widen the hole, and then to fit the trim back up on the car and visually check how much space you have to remove material from the back of the hole (before you bump into the bracket for the sunroof motor). Once you have the side and back sorted then remove what else you need from the front. You know what, a comparison picture is worth a thousand words. I should be able to get a picture when I get home tomorrow night as I still have old piece of trim. I'll try and get some measurements as well, it would be useful to add to the Wiki. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Supercharged 2 Posted May 15, 2006 Nice one, i've not picked the unit up yet anyways... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
24V Renshaw 0 Posted May 15, 2006 Nice work mate. 8) The reason the light doesn't stay on is that the later VW's have a Central convienence module (under the dash) which controls all the interior lighting, windows etc.. If you look on the back of a Rado interior light you will see a load of circuitry which is the timer circuit. The Passat one is just a straight power feed. I have done the complete opposite to you and wired the Corrado interior light panel into the MK4 loom. I had to remove all the components on the back of the light and add a couple of wires, so that it has all the functionality of the MK4 light, the delay and the slow fade :) One thing I can't help but notice is that it looks like it actually overhangs where the corners of the panel are. Does it? Or am I seeing things. Luckily for me the red down lighters come as standard in the TT dash on the underside of the ashtray, which I finnally got round to wiring up at the weekend. So I now have the nice red floor glow too :) Jay Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JMC 0 Posted May 15, 2006 Your dead right Jay, there is a very slight overhang around the front edge, mainly because of the curved front edge on the trim. I am going to fix this by putting some the the 4mm thick sticky back foam from Audioscape (which they use for soundproofing) around the unit on the trim and retrimming this whole thing (when I get round to it). Thanks for the perspective on the dimming as well. I may well take out the old circuit from the original light and fix something up to the new one. Quite like the idea of red lighting lower down - does the ashtray one make a big difference?? Was thinkin of setting something up in the footwells. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
randal 0 Posted May 15, 2006 Ah nice one, glad you got it fitted in the end. It's a bit of a nightmare getting it to fit isn't it? I had a nightmare with mine last year, but I think it's well worth the effort. Coupled with red dash illumination (thanks dave!), I think it looks superb. Very pleased with it. I do like the idea of running it from the dimmer, I was toying with dropping a rheostat in line and having a seperate control for dimming the ambient light but decided against when I couldn't find an OE switch that'd work nicely. 8-) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
24V Renshaw 0 Posted May 15, 2006 The TT downlighting is very nice. Really subtle, but enough to make a difference. Its focused slightly more on the passenger side footwell than the drivers side, which makes sense. If I get chance I will take a couple of night time piccies tonight of the whole TT dash in a rado. :) Jay Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JMC 0 Posted May 15, 2006 randal, in theory running it off the light sitch dimmer circuit would work, but I really can't be bothered to lay another wire to it from the dash (just lazy). And yes, it was a bit of a nightmare to fit, but it was more fiddly than anything else. Thank you for advice while dioing the install. Cheers Jay, look forward to seeing a picture of your subtle lighting effect. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
