third stop light---safety factor

Hello all--today I spect some time trying to wire up a third light to my Vintage Speedster. I got a lcd light and mounted it on the top of the air inlet grate on the engine hood.

I struck out trying to find the positive and negative wires that would make this third light work when the brake pedal is pushed.

I believe I located the positive wire---this was the wire that goes into the center of the bulb socket--at the bottom of the socket inside the engine compartment. I think I messed up locating the ground--I thought I had It and that it was the tiny nut that holds on a wire that goes into the back of the bulb fixture. I put a wire onto the threaded screw that came out of the back of the light ---but the third light didn't come on when the brake pedal was pressed.

I sure could use some advice about how to wire this third light.

I got the light that J C Whitney sells---trimmed the edge away where the holes for mounting were and mounted it on my engine grill with 3 m two sided tape. It is really stuck in place and is permanently mounted. This is a great way to mount it.

But how is it wired?

Thanks to all on this great site! Jack, Hot Springs

ps---why the hell does Vintage spray all the wires in the engine compartment---behind the license plate light with that black gummy paint stuff??? What's that about?

you could ground anywhere on the chassis or tranny/engine, but i would ground at the tail light. You can just splice the taillight wire at the light, make sure you trace the right wires. As for the undercoating, it's kindof a good thing, makes the car alot quieter, and protects from the elements. But it's a pain when you have to work on the car, espically if it's the tar based stuff, that's a pain to get off your hands!!!!
martin.

Hey Martin--I appreciate your reply to my Newbie plea.

Yeah--it is tar based. I just clean off the spot where I'm working with Goof Off or similar and it's ok.

To clarify---the tail lights on my VS have the taillight that is on all the time when the light switch is on ---this is on the left----and on the right is the brake light.

The tail light has two wires going into the bottom of the light socket. The brake light has only one wire --I guess it gets it's ground from the same negative wire that goes to the taillight. I did try to goround it elsewhere without success. I guess I'll try to locate the ground wire to the tail light and use that one for the ground for the brake light. I haven't tried that yet.---Jack

Try mineral spirits, that stuff takes off that undercoating really eaisly.

Your tail light housing is actually grounded, typically it's grounded to the housing of the tail light by one of the mounting screws, this is where you can take your ground from, or it could be grounded internally, but you should still get a ground from the mounting screws. The 1 wire at the brake light is the + wire, and the bulb base of the socket grounds to the body of the light.

martin

Martin--many thanks for your help---I truly am so glad I found this site---there are a lot of great folks like you who unselfishly give us newbies help---withouit making us feel as stupid as we mutst appear!

Thanks again--I'll try your tip.---Jack, Hot Springs, AR

i agree with you on haveing painted wires. That can be a pain.

I have found a a rag with a light douseing of lacquer thinner clean them up.

But why they didn't just put them in a split plastic loom sleeve ?

You got me!!!

Heres my third brake light. Its a 61 beetle front turn lamp with candy apple red painted lens. I like keeping the ad ons german when I can.

Im sure there is a Porche engineneer somewhere saying. Why didn't we think of that.

My hypothetial responce is ,I don't know, Why didn't you?

Hey Barry---I tried to email you at zigfredgrummin@earthlink.net but it was returned as undeliverable.

Anyway I was complimenting you on your great third light---nice job!

I asked you to tell me the exact wires you used to wire your third light ---I know the one that goes into the center of the break light socket is positive (right??) So where did you ground yours---seems to me that the best place is to wire it to the ground going to the taillight.

Thanks for a report!---Jack, Hot Springs

Anyone else know? Thanks---Jack, Hot Springs

Ground is common ground, any clean metal chassis object will suffice as a ground, trace where the ground for the two tail lights are and add your 3rd brake light ground there or tap into a ground wire that is closer to the mounted 3rd tail light position.

Alan--many thanks, friend---Jack

Jack,
Newbie here as well :)
I just purchased the 10 bulb red LED brake light from JC Whitney as well. What gauge of wire did you use to extend the leads to your brake light/ground?
Hopefully I can tackle this project this weekend..
Thanks!

Hi Fred---I have the same J.C. Whitney third light--it is a perfect size and has a factory look to it.

There is a rim of plastic that sticks out 1/4 " or so from the body of the unit and I removed that rim so it's now just the body of the light.

Use the double sided stickum tape from 3 m--Scotch brand sold at all auto parts stores. Some cars use this stuff to attach trim pieces--it really sticks. Place the light on the top of the engine grate---the top[ cross piece plus some tape stuck in the middle of the light---stick it to the paint. It's removable without harming the paint---for a while anyway---buy I don't intend to remove the light.

I haven't wired mine in yet--I did manage to blow a fuse fooling with it though! I'm going to see what wires to use to wire the light. I believe the wire going into the bottom of the brake light is + and I'll use the ground wire going to the taillight next to the brake light. I'll stick some straight pins into the wires and use alligator clip wires from the pins to the third light wires --then push the brake and see if it lights up.

The wires I'll tie into the existing wires are a bit thicker than the tiny wires on the third light. I don't think it's a big deal. I'll solder the connections and heat shrink wrap the connections.

Let me know which wires you attach your third light to!---Jack, Hot Springs

Post some pics

I'll definately post some pics as I go along.
Jack - Are you planning on mounting the light above the grill? I was thinking to remove the grill and put the light below it, angled up so that it is still effective. I'd rather it not be visible.

Fred--man--it's a safety light--you WANT it visible!

Mine looks looks "factory" and sits on top of the grill--not under it. I don't think it could be sen if it was under the grill. Really--mounting it on top of the grill and leaning back so it faces traffic behind you takes nothing away from the appearance.

I heard from a friend this am with a black Speedie and they used black tape---mi yar is Ivory (white) so I used white two sided tape and you can't see it.

If I ever get my thrid light wired I'll start on the loud "bad boy" blaster horn I got from J.C. Whitney.

Good luck with your ride!--Jack, Hot Springs

Jack....how about a picture of your third stop light?

My computer has been in the shop this week, It had issues. The email has changes a schose Change the (i) to a (e) in Zeg

My brake light has a red + and a black - I just ran the black to any place on the metal frame around the compartment with a ground. the red ?
I ran it to the the brake lights mine are not wired into the turn signal system they are seperate I was thinking that was period correct for these cars???

My 2 cents says that this 3rd brake should be wired (powered) from your brake fuse or fused separately and ran from term 81 on the brake light switch at master cyl. 3rd brake light now becomes a backup (failure) in case your standard brake lights fail.

That there is a dang good tech tip, Rocky. I learn someting everytime I visit this web site!

Mine are a row all across the grille at ~same location. QUite visible in the dark, a bit less so in daylight. Can send pics, just have to go out there and take a couple. Not sure how they are wired, but would suspect a jumper from the rear brake lights. Having separate line from Mast Cyl swithch sounds like a good idea. I'll put that on the list, but kinda far down right now.

Rocky
Where do I find terminal 81 on the brake light switch at the master cylinder? I like your idea, Thanks!

Ditto, where is it? My brake lights tend to flicker with light pedal pressure.

I bought a set of two long narrow rows of LED from Auto Zone, stuck them on aluminum bar mounted behind the grill at the top. I just leached power from one of the tailights. It's kind of a PITA to get the focused bulbs aimed at the right angle, but they're bright.

In order to make Rocky's recommended change.....There is only one "terminal 81" on each of the two brake light switches; one switch is for the front brakes, one for the rear brakes. Usually both "81" terminals are jumpered together, then one wire from there feeds the two rear brake lights.

Similarly, there is one "82a" terminal on each switch. This is where power enters the switches. They are usually jumpered together, then one wire from there goes to a fuse.

In order to have the third light wired totally independent from the normal brake lights, you would need to remove the two jumpers, add a second fuse/wire for the "82a" terminal that you disconnect when the power jumper is removed. Then wire your third light to the "81" terminal that became disconnected when you removed the "81" jumper.

Most people seem to have put "third lights" inside if the grill opening. I'd realy like to see more examples/photos of "third lights" that are mounted ABOVE/OUTSIDE of the grill.

Brian---I prefer the third light mounted outside the grill---that's the way mine is. You can see it so much better than under the grill. I used 3-M two sided tape---which is used by oem to attach moldings and such. It does hold tightly!

I have been away and still have not wired mine but will wire it with the stop lights at the rear---the positive that goes to the light and the negative too.---Jack

Anybody ever use -- or hear of someone using -- a single-lens brake light assembly from a school bus or 50s-era overland truck? The kind with the glass lens with "STOP" painted on the inside?

Duesenbergs used to have those. I imagine one of their's might be kinda pricey.

I am trying to locate an "ET" third brake light from a late 80's earlier 90's 911... if I don't melt first. geeze louise is it H-O-T!!

cory, "stop" lights found cheap on thesamba---cool looking.

Thanks, Bruce! I almost always overlook the Samba.

-- HIJACK --

Hey, od, the heat index is supposed to be a brisk 119 today.

-- END HIJACK --

and it is not a DRY HEAT Either, so shade does not help you one bit. UGH!

Same heat in Arkansas---just not as humid as you SC guys. That;'s why I haven't wired that third light yet! The garage is like an oven and I can't imagine the fiberflass of my Speedie likes it a bit!---Jack, Hot Springs

Boy, I'm so glad that I migrated North to nice, cool, Massachusetts for the Summer instead of that nasty mugginess in South Carolina.

Headed to Lowe's for porch lumber this morning and the truck thermometer said 71 F at 10:30am. Got up into the upper 70's during the day, but I was working in the shade of the house so it was damn near perfect.

Shoulda been out riding in my Speedster, but NO! Still haven't fixed that broken rocker shaft and have to work on the porch, instead!!

Supposed to rain tomorrow, so maybe it'll be a "fix Pearl" day!!

Gordon - sleeping with the windows open and the A/C off tonight!!

Now we return to our regularly scheduled topic, Stop Lights:

Cory: That light was an after-market light from Sears, Montgomery Ward and (probably) J.C. Whitney. You might find one at car flea markets (I seem to remember seeing one at Carlisle) or watch for one on eBay.

I always thought that some of those shallow-curve, built-in led sets like seen on Sebring convertibles and in some of the Taurus models might look good built in to the cowl just above the engine cover. Mine is siting on top of that cowl, but I always thought a built-in would look really cool, especially if its SUPER BRIGHT!!

Last post (from me) about the heat - Gordon, my thermometer reads 87.9 at 9:00pm. The heat index is probably 95 or so. So it's 71 up there, huh? Have I mentioned how much I hate you lately?

Jk, of course.

Re stoplights - I really like the simple application that Gordon has, but I:
- wanted to retain the original look, and/or
- was too cheap and/or lazy to bother with painting an external one like Pearl's.

I would imagine that it's much more visible in the daylight when mounted externally.

My brake lights are wired to a 84 S10 truck switch mounted be hind the brake petal on the floor . NO flickering and it comes on perfectly every time. I got fed up the cheep aftermaket fluid switches that last less than a year.