I want to share My DIY C5 Auxiliary Halo Snout Lights Project. I saved over $500 with this DIY project compared to the kit seen with various corvette parts suppliers. I wanted to add some lights to my 1999 C5 Corvette and update it a bit with Halo lights for my daytime driving. I always loved the look of rally race cars and the C5R 24 hour of Le Mans or Daytona race cars with their auxiliary racing light setups.

The available ready-made kits that I found offered don’t include a Halo light option so even if my frugality didn’t stop me from buying the kit the non-halo limitation would. The lights in the offered kits also seem to be smaller 3 inch lights and I wanted to maximize the space I had and instead use 4 inch lights.

My Inspiration for the DIY C5 Auxiliary Halo Snout Lights Project

A big part of my early retirement is my automotive hobby. I am a car enthusiast and after a while I just start feeling an itch to do something to customize my rides. An itch to just do a little something to set it apart from the other cars like it. Even if it’s a subtle change that many won’t even notice. It’s all about my enjoyment. Most car-freaks and nuts suffer from this same affliction.

I loved the look of the C5R (C5 Corvette Racing) Auxiliary Racing Lights when in the 24 hour setup. I liked the look of the performance Mustangs (GT, etc.) with their grill mounted fog/driving lights. I was also inspired by all the new cars coming out with halo headlights and driving lights.

As much as I love that Auxiliary-Light look, paying over $650 for the C5 Auxiliary Racing Light kits that are offered is too much for my budgetary taste. Even when considering their easy out of the box installation and finished looking product results. So I set out to create my version.

My DIY C5 Auxiliary Halo Snout Lights Project Parameters

1-   First off it had to look finished and decent. I didn’t want to drive a Corvette with a half-assed looking setup.

2-   The project cost to be under $150

3-   I wanted any cutting to the front bumper to be easily hidden by a license plate and keep the ability of replacing the license bumper plug. More or less totally reversing this project and returning to stock if I or someone else later didn’t want to keep this Auxiliary Halo Snout Lights setup.

 

4-   Install the largest Halo lights I could fit within the above parameters. That worked out to be 4 inch lights.

DIY C5 Auxiliary Halo Snout Lights Project Steps

Parts list and Cost:

Old License Plate. Preferably painted numbers (flat) instead of raised stamped numbers. $0.00

Strap or Metal to make “L” brackets. I had some 1” wide by ¼’ thick aluminum that I cut, bent and drilled. $0.00

 Blinglights kit- BL5000K. Kit includes two 4” halo fog/driving lights, wiring harness, switch, relay, and straight forward wiring diagram.  You will find them advertised for many different auto applications and prices but the BL5000K kit is the same. I found them associated to late-model Firebird/Trans Am for $89.99 (Amazon)

 

Stainless Steel 304 #4 Mesh. 6” X 24”. Project requires 6” X 13.5”.  $15.00 (eBay)

Unpainted Plastic aftermarket C5 Corvette front plate cover/filler license plate. I didn’t want to cut my stock color match painted license plate filler/plug. $29.99 (eBay)

Black Door Edge Guard. This can be found in any automotive section or parts store. $10.00 (Autozone)

Total cost $144.98

Steps:

License Plate for Mounting Lights

I used an old License plate to make my template. I then used some card-stock printer paper to make a paper template including the plate’s mounting holes. I then marked the center and drew 4” circles where there is a 1” gap between them and centered between the mounting holes. This way I can remove the snout lights and run a license plate later if I decide to return to stock.

 

Using the template I traced out the two 4 inch holes on the license plate and cut it with tin snips. I made some “L” shaped brackets based on the light’s mounting hardware and attached them to the plate. I then painted it all satin black. The License plate is what I used to attach the lights to the car by using the stock license plate bolts.  Basically it’s all about Lights to plate, plate to car.

Note: So I could keep the bumper’s stock plate bolt mounts and the upper plate nubs I slotted the bottom template mounting holes to slightly slide it higher. Otherwise the 4″ holes cut away the stock bolt mounting holes on the bumper.

Using the template I traced out the two 4 inch holes on the bumper. I cut the holes using a sharp sheet-rock style knife. I used this method based on CF Forum recommendations from people who have cut their snout open to increase air flow to the radiator. I eventually had to cut a small notch to allow for passing through the “L” shaped light brackets I had attached to the plate.

Warning: Be careful cutting bumper holes as there are wires that may run behind this area. See photo.

Light Cover

I cut the center out of the License Filler Plate/Plug to size. I used masking tape to create my lines and the shape I wanted. After trying the sharp sheet-rock knife, a hacksaw blade, and a dremel tool I found that the tin snips worked very well for cutting the plastic. I also cut the Stainless Steel 304 #4 mesh to length. This would be the time to paint the cut License Filler Plate/Plug if the satin black unpainted finish is not desired. I wanted to stay with the black.

I applied the door edge guard to the cut License Filler Plate/Plug opening to give it a finished look.

 

 

I then attached the Stainless Steel 304 mesh. I ended up using 3M two-way automotive tape. I first laid down some into the back of the cut filler plate/plug and pressed the mesh into it but it didn’t stick well to the mesh. I then pressed more tape from on top of the mesh (sandwiching the mesh) into the lower applied tape and pressed it in.

 

Wiring

I followed the wiring instructions for the lights and mounted the license plate bracket with lights. I attached it to the car using the stock license plate mounting bolts. I also added 2 small screws to the upper part of the plate into the bumper for added support. I then attached the new mesh plate filler cover.

 

Note:  Pay attention to how you mount the lights to the plate. The plate will sit at a back angled slope so the light placement will be mounted where the top of your lights will protrude a good ¼ to ½ inch beyond the license plate and the bottom of the lights will be flush with the license plate. This is so they aim at “level” and not upward to avoid blinding oncoming traffic when the drive lights are in use.  

Additional Wiring/Switch Details

The light kit came with a wiring harness, relay and switch. I did have to modify the end of the harness to accommodate the two lights being so close together rather than split far apart like most driving light configurations.

I also elected to cut the provided switch from the harness and went with wireless off/on control switches. I did this instead of pushing the wires through the firewall to mount the cabin switch provided.

I used Logisys RM 01 1 wireless switch boxes. One for the halos and one for the drive/fog lights. $14.99 each. $29.88 (Amazon)

That did put the project over my initial $150 limit by $25. $144.98 + $29.88 = $174.98. It was still far less than the $650+ kits found and I also got the halo effect that I wanted and they did not offer.

In Closing

It was a fun project. I don’t run a front license plate in the designated area of the bumper so the license plug seemed like wasted space. Sure it says CORVETTE on it but everyone recognizes the car as a Corvette.

I do run the Stow and Show front license plate setup when necessary which sits off to the passenger side of the front bumper. Even when the plate is up and visible the Snout Lights are still in full sight.

Before deciding to do this or a similar project it is important to understand your local laws. If this is a violation it will draw unwanted attention.

I am happy with the results and I am confident that I am more visible on those two lane twisty roads that are so fun to drive. I also think it adds a kind of updating to my 17-year-old car.

I am aware that this project isn’t for everyone and may be a “like it” or “hate it” modification. I did not do it to offend any Corvette purist. It’s just a little subtle DIY modification to my car that I happen to enjoy driving.