Expanding on Ford's 2010 factory...
Expanding on Ford's 2010 factory introduction of illuminated scuff plates, InterLum-a subsidiary of the company that developed and patented this LED-based technology-now offers custom-lettered or logo'd versions for any '05-'10 Mustang. (There is a possibility of SN-95/New Edge versions to follow). This particular set is destined for our editor's Shelby GT500, aka Project Vapor Trail.
This product won a Society of Plastics Engineering award for Performance and Customization in November 2009.
Times have been more than a little challenging lately, and for most of us, our automotive discretionary spending funds may have dwindled somewhat as a result. Even so, preserving one's mental health (tenuous as it may be) must remain a priority, and there's nothing better for a gearhead's state of mind than pimping his or her ride-even in some small fashion. In that regard, we'd like to present an affordable mood brightener for you S197 owners ...
One of the interesting and stylish new factory options for 2010 was illuminated door-sill (scuff) plates-either 'Mustang'-lettered, or 'SVT'-lettered in the case of the '10 GT500. These cheerful door-greeters are manufactured to Ford's demanding OEM standards by a specialized Michigan supplier Innotec. Now a subsidiary of that same supplier, InterLum, is offering personalized versions for any '05-'10 Mustang. Yup, you tell 'em what you want spelled out on your personal scuff plates, and they're built to those specs.
Assembled in the same facility as Ford's factory versions, these plates are, for all intents and purposes, identical in construction. Except, that is, for their way-cool custom lettering and logo choices, which are individually laser-etched before being sealed and fitted into the scuff-plate assembly.
As the only one of us around here currently having an S197 in his stable, Editor Turner decided to order up a set for his '08 Vapor Silver Shelby, known in these pages as Project Vapor Trail. So we packed up and headed off to the Plymouth, Michigan, headquarters of InterLum to watch Steve's PVT scuff plates being crafted, and to learn a bit more about the process.
By the way, installation is literally a snap, especially if you have a 2010 car with the Ambient Lighting option, in which case the kit's wiring simply plugs into a factory harness. Otherwise, a harness is supplied to tie into the existing wiring in the A-pillar.
At only $199.95 per pair, these custom scuff plates are a great way to individualize your S197's cabin without seriously depleting that discretionary budget. For those with older 'Stangs, SN-95/New Edge versions are under consideration.
For your minimal $199.95 investment,...
For your minimal $199.95 investment, you get a pair of LED-lit scuff-plate assemblies, plus the wiring appropriate for your particular S197 and its factory lighting options. The injection-molded polypropylene surround can be had in either black or light stone (the latter apparently only for '10 cars.) On this example, the illuminated portion comprises the large script in the center, but note that tse non-illuminated lettering on the ends is customizable as well.
This graphic shows some examples...
This graphic shows some examples of available fonts and logos for the left, center and right portions of the plate. More are being added all the time.
These are the various elements...
These are the various elements of the illumination unit (in this case, using a factory GT500's "SVT" logo as an example.) The LED electronics are at the lower left, beside the clear acrylic "light pipe" that laterally distributes the illumination. The aluminum-finish panel in the middle is actually a multi-layered piece, with a protective polycarbonate layer on top and a translucent diffuser beneath. Up top is the shell into which everything is assembled.
This is the actual light generator-a...
This is the actual light generator-a red, green, blue LED circuit, protected and sealed by a clear-plastic, 3mm-thick overmold. It will be attached to and shoot down the light tube of the same thickness. This RGB architecture (rather than a single-color LED) can generate almost any desired hue, depending solely upon how its harness is wired. In fact, for customers having the factory Ambient Lighting package on their '10-and-up Mustangs, the color on the scuff-plate display will change with the color of the car's lighting setting. Otherwise, you can pick from eight available colors when ordering.
This is the backside of the...
This is the backside of the assembled lighting shell, ready for attachment on the back of the scuff-plate molding. Don't worry-it all comes pre-assembled.
And this is the underside...
And this is the underside of the complete scuff-plate assembly-the way you'll receive it. The lighting shell is heat-fused at the factory to the molding surround. Notice both the clips along the top side of the molding, and the strips of two-sided tape along the bottom-cloning Ford's method of mounting the scuff plates.
Let's delve a bit into the...
Let's delve a bit into the mechanics of the creation process. For our set, Editor Turner chose to have our magazine logo on either end of the "Project Vapor Trail" script. The chosen design is then sent from the computer to a laser-etching station ...
A blank that will serve for...
A blank that will serve for both driver and passenger sides is inserted into the laser station. The laser then etches away the aluminized backing layer (obviously done with the panel upside down), creating a clear window wherever etched. The blur here is the movement of the laser head doing its work.
For photo purposes, we pulled...
For photo purposes, we pulled our partly finished laminate off and turned it right side up. We say "partly finished" because the laser still has to cut it into two pieces, one for each side of the car, and create some holes around the perimeter for the heat-fusing process.
This mock-up shows how the...
This mock-up shows how the LED circuit attaches to and emits light down the acrylic light pipe. A patented process of laser etchings on the pipe "bends" the light 90 degrees in a fashion that creates even illumination across the desired width.
Here is another mock-up with...
Here is another mock-up with our etched section laid in place. A layer of translucent plastic goes behind the laser-etched lettering to diffuse the light. For contrast, patches of black backing go behind the non-illuminated logos or lettering on either end.
We were in Michigan but Project...
We were in Michigan but Project Vapor Trail was in Florida, so we simply grabbed a handy '10 GT to illustrate the installation process. This GT already had the factory adjustable Ambient Lighting system, so it was an outrageously simple procedure. Removing the old scuff plate involves nothing more sophisticated than yanking its clips out of their notches and peeling the narrow strips of double-sided tape off the rocker.
The old plate's harness is...
The old plate's harness is then disconnected. As we mentioned, there's a bit more wiring involved on earlier S197s, specifically tapping into the factory A-pillar harness and then routing a wire under the dash to feed the plate on the opposite side. The necessary wiring and connectors are provided.
Once wired, peel the backing...
Once wired, peel the backing off the double-sided tape on the new plate, and seat its clips into the holes visible in this shot.
As we also mentioned, this...
As we also mentioned, this particular GT had the variable-hue Ambient Lighting system, so we could display any of the car's available system colors.