Technical Third Brake Light

I was at a car show today with my friend (that’s his ‘50 Chevy). A lot of people took pictures of that microphone in the back window!

 

Wow ! - that’s bright.
Neat idea.

 

Installed this one on my '29 CCPU. It's usually used in a trailer hitch receiver.

 

Liking some of the ideas here.
I live by Europe's busiest freeway that is always jammed with cars.
I worry about all the drivers I see pretending not to be looking at their phones on their lap when in slow moving traffic, so wanted to have a third brake light higher up.
So mines an old Buck Rogers ray gun on the parcel shelf that I've put an LED up the end of the barrel.




I've wired it so I can switch it off independent of the brake lights, for times if the glare gets irritating at night. (My Mercs not on the road yet, so not used it).
I can also switch it from 'on all the time with the brake lights' to 'coming on with a strobe/flashing effect before becoming on all the time' using one of these -

 

I am not too crazy about the add on brake lights but I have to admit that is the most unique third brake light I have ever seen,very creative. HRP

 

Photo from my car show stash..........

 

The mic is just too cool.

On my truck the 3rd light started out as a joke. But with all the people around here driving and talking/texting I left it on. I've been rear-ended in the past (OT car) and it is no fun financially, physically and emotionally. So better be seen!

 

I'm not to crazy about repeatedly replacing the rear 1/3rd of my car.

 

Mine. D

 

These are some cool third brake light ideas.

I don't care what anyone say's or thinks. I have been rear ended three times in my life and it only proves that the third brake light is only as good as the driver behind you.

 

Fortunately, I haven't been hit in the rear of one of my hot rods,I wish I could say the same about 2 of our late model delivery vans,both equipped with 3rd brake lights.

The only way to insure you never get rear ended,regardless of the 3rd light or not is to leave the car in the garage and there is no way that's gonna happen with my cars. HRP

 

If it gives you peace of mind, go for it.

 

Most interior mounted lights will drive you nuts at night, as they'll reflect back against the glass. A right PITA when reversing.

 

Seal the housing/light against the glass and it will cure that. D

 

Cool idea. can't miss this...

 

Some of my cars don't even have a 2nd brake light .

 

My AD truck has a modern led unit in the back window. I installed it right after I saw a local guy in his International get rammed. My 30 Tudor will get a vintage wigwag i found in my grandfather's treasures.

 

I have one on the rear of my 40 and will have a wig wag light on the 39 when I finish it. the light is apart and at the chromers as we speak

 

Having been hit something like TWO DOZEN TIMES over 20 years, I am a BIG FAN of finding solutions like this that can only help prevent another one AND look right on an old car.

I've got some License plate brackets with lights that I've tried and I'm also looking at this ePay cheapie to run:

 

I have been using these finned aluminum plates with red bezels with a LED grafted into the socket on the last couple of hot rods..old school look with a LED. Ionia Hot Rod Shop makes the piece.

 

Here is what I used in mine. I have 2 wired in series tied to only the brake light circuit. https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...e-lights-super-flexible-led-rope-lights/2959/
they have 2 mounting options, double sided tape, and screw in clamp brackets. With the color selection, and light intensity. I can see these as easily hideable interior lights, oddball accents, let your imagination run free. They are flexible and conform to pretty much whatever you want. Definitely not fully HAMB friendly/Traditional, but...

 

I'd like to put one on that says "STOP", but I think I am giving the brain-dead who drive on the roads nowdays too much credit, thinking that they can actually read.

 

They would get on their phone to look up what stop meant.....
SPark

 

All are great ideas, however if the other drivers are texting or just brain dead, what can you do?
My 34 got rear ended by TWO cars, I had stopped at a RED LIGHT that was visible from a 1/4 mile
away. Luckly it happened right in front of the police, the ambulance was there before I was able to get out of my coupe & back to the idiots. On my 49 F 1 I have 2 third lights, one in the rear window & one in the hitch.

 

With our penchant as rodders or customizers to run small low mounted and sometimes inset from the sides as in the bumper overrider lights it's a damned good idea for all of us to follow our own cars at least once in both daylight and at night to see what other's see when they are following us. I have followed the guys who think that one light is sufficient more than once on the highway and those tail lights are freaking hard to see as a taillight let alone know you are applying the brakes and you don't always see some guy's hand sticking out to signal a turn.
If you are scared shitless to let someone else drive your car so you can follow it at least park it in a spot where you can walk back a hundred yards or so to see what you can see from behind. That might scare you more than having your buddy drive it.

 

4th and 5th brake light

Lights on the AD truck are very low

I remember in the 70’s my dad had lights sitting high on the bed
So I added those and the brakelighter in the rear window thats removable

LED bulbs in the sockets










.

 

Or take a picture of it.

 

I’m glad I’m not alone in my paranoia. It’s not easy to replace two quarter panels and a deck lid. Let alone whiplash from a low-back bench seat.

Some really great ideas here.

 

Pat,

Do you have a picture of that on the car? Looks cool!