Automotive wall art help

Hey guys, 

Yesterday I was in the garage with my 14 year old and he noticed my spare janky looking 74 REPU grille hanging on the wall. He suggested that I let him have it so he could hang it on his bedroom wall. I pulled it down and said absolutely you can do that. I was planning on helping him mount it today. In thinking about it over night I am thinking it might be cool to try to mount some head lamps in the openings and make them light up somehow. I'm thinking maybe a 6 volt battery might illuminate a 12 volt bulb, but maybe not. 

So my bigger question is how do I go about mounting headlamps in a grille without anything behind it? How might one go about illuminating some head lamps, but in a way that won't make his bedroom look like Kramers apartment from Kenny Roger's roasters across the street? 

This is the part of the grille in question. 

How high do you plan on mounting it? An led push-light intended for a closet might be the easiest. They're battery powered, round, usually are double-sided tape-mounted, don't throw a ton of light, and are available in a variety of diameters, so maybe you can find the stock headlight diameter. 
 

Carson said:

How high do you plan on mounting it? An led push-light intended for a closet might be the easiest. They're battery powered, round, usually are double-sided tape-mounted, don't throw a ton of light, and are available in a variety of diameters, so maybe you can find the stock headlight diameter. 
 

Probably around 4 feet high on his wall. 

A round light like that would have a metal retaining ring like this

Start with plywood painted black to make it disappear.  Cut 2 round holes so as to accommodate the round lamps.  Fasten the grill to the plywood too. Not sure how and not sure what the grille mounting points look like.  Once the lamps and the grille are fastened to the plywood then use addition wood (maybe 2x4) on the backside of the plywood to keep the plywood the correct distance from the wall.  

Regular headlights will stick out from the wall pretty far. I'd be looking for some LED circles, preferably something not too bright and that can plug into 120v outlet.

Edit, like this.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/6W-Led-Panel-Light-Circular-Bright-LED-Recessed-Ceiling-Panel-Light-Bulb-Lamp-Cool-White/415649606

Maybe do some chrome spray paint to spice it up?

Easy button would be battery powered LED tap lights. 

I'd go for mounting it to plywood. Cut space for batteries and wires. Remove the rear of the lights and place a flat reflective material such as flat aluminum foil behind them. You can punch a hole in it to place the bulb in the center without having visible wires. It will do the job and still keep it relatively flat against the wall. Unless, of course you want it to extend far enough forward to fit the whole lamp.

Some people actually cut a hole in a burned out sealed beam with a diamond hole saw in a drill press and use a 12v led lamp inside.       If you could manage to cut the hole off center, you would only have to worry about the depth of the sealed beam itself, and not the wiring sticking out of the back of it adding to the overall depth of the assembly.



There are also some OEM fog lights that are the correct diameter and a bit shallower that can be used if you shop around at the JY.

The aftermarket 12v LED lamps can run off of a "wall wart" and run the lower voltage (and amperage, thus lower wattage) wires that will be smaller than what you would need for 120v, and it will also be safer than running 120V up your wall.  Those 12v wires will a bit less obtrusive than line voltage wiring.

 

To keep it flush to the wall how about some clear plastic in stock chrome rings with a picture of the lights on it in vinyl. It might still look good back lit but you would just have a glow instead of a searchlight in the room.

Mounted, and a couple of hot wheels displayed. 

I dig it without the headlights. Looks great.

Very cool, it looks awesome. For lights, how about have an acrylic "lens" made at a glass shop for the headlights and experiment with flexible glow sticks behind on the edges to see how much light you want. That or LED strips/rope light 12 V or 120V. Looks like it will be fun. great idea!

Tinted Lexan with tiny Christmas lights behind?

You can get headlight stickers from Pegasus Auto Racing.  Stick them on cardboard, aluminum sheet or whatever and put them in the holes in the grille.

How about an infinity mirror setup for down the line?

Skyline for reference

I'd probably just put some pictures in the headlight holes and call it a picture frame.

Some round speakers would be pretty awesome too though