What You'll Need

Step 3: What You'll Need

My vehicle (and our guinea pig for this) is my cream puff 1985 Buick LeSabre LTD Collector's Edition sedan, shown in the Intro picture. The opera lights have never functioned while I've owned it. After some testing with a voltage meter, I determined the inverter to be dead as well. This is pretty common; after the EL lights fade out and die, the inverter struggles and eventually gives out too. So we will have to replace both.

Here's what I collected together in preparation for this project. I'd make notations on the picture, but adding notes is currently 'broken until further notice' ... Notice that everything was purchased as cheaply as possible, and you likely already have most of it:

1. Fine-tip soldering iron and solder
2. Cheap volt meter (from Walmart)
3. Electrical tape (from Walmart)
4. Dremel tool (replaced with utility knife)
5. Scissors (c'mon, I know you have some)
6. Clear packing tape (from Walmart)
7. Epoxy (from Walmart)
8. Electroluminescent panel and inverter ($27.99 shipped from here *)

* The picture shows two EL strips, but I only ended up needing one for this project.