Customs 3rd brakelight

I have many of old car with 6 volt and 12 volt conversions with out a 3rd brake light but lately I have started to use them as I like my car without the back crushed in!

 

Because the car is very low, I hid an LED in the upper most louver, this way it only offends people when you're on the brakes.

 

Why bother, by the time you print them, they will be wrong!-MIKE

 

Safety First, regular ones up off the ground where it can be seen, unlike some of those down on the ground so low they just might as well not have bulbs in them. Then the third up higher yet to give the driver that's following a broader view.

 

Here is my 3rd brake light, actually it was the first. Also I have a third brake light in the back window of my A coupe too........would rather be seen than sorry.

 

Sorry Jay. You'll have to write your own rules. Mine are very personal and like the judge said about ****ography...I'll now it when I see it.

 

I see nothing wrong with incorporating a tasteful, authentic looking third light. Back in the day there were many accessory lights sold for - the winky cat was one; there were others as I recall.

Late forties MoPars have trunk handles or trunk trim with a stop light incorporated in. These chrome pieces definitely look traditional, and they might be suitable for some rods.

Here is the rear of my 49 Plymouth. Rear center is the only stop light. Side lights are parking lights and directionals. Technically, I could buy a motorcycle solid state diode pack and with a couple of wires, presto, three stop lights and no one would know that this modification was made. (Maybe I should do this, but I haven't.)

Picture:

1949 Plymouth



1949 Dodge (two like this for sale - check the for HAMB Cl***ified's [hint, hint])



Anyway, some of the ideas shown on this thread are downright creative.

It's your car, Bro, so go for it.

 

This 3rd brake light is useless. The whole concept of the 3rd brakelight is to put it eye level and centered so people can see them easier. Mounting one lower than the stock brake lights, especially on a lowered car, is rediculous and a waste of time.

 

I just put non traditional '39 Lincoln repop LED lights on the back of my non traditional '34. One of my friends, who somehow seem to always be behind me, has said for years he can't see the stock '39 Ford taillights I seem to have had on all my cars. Even us old guys can see these.
To even further alienate all the self professed traditional experts, whom I'm sure all drive A-V8s, I'm putting air/heat/defrost in my '34 because I'm tired of my allergies making life misreable. I love driving my T roadster and T coupe but I'm still paying for a 45 minute trip I took in the T coupe Thursday.
Guess thats why I'm such a grouchy ****er this morning.

 

Hey glendale,
As long as you have room under your package tray, how about cobbling together some sort of retractable third brake light. Sort of like a power antenna, it would only appear when the engine is running. Maybe it could pop up on a hinged trap door or come straight up through a hole. Get creative if you want to do a third brake light without messing up your traditional vibe. And ignore the people who say you don't need one. I'll bet there isn't one person on this board who hasn't been driving in traffic and had to do a sudden, unexpected stop because the car in front of them had a burned out third brake light. I know I have.

 

We frenched in 54 Chevy "bubble" taillights which are the pits. Don't know if it's the angle they are on but you can't see the brake lights come on in the daylight and the running lights at night are not that great either. Tried hi-intensity bulbs but they didn't seem to make a difference.

Before the car was painted, my wife suggested the third brake light. Not sure what it came out of or if it was an aftermarket item but we frenched it into the roof and it works great. Maybe it's not traditional but at least I know the guy behind me can see when I hit the binders .....

 

Seems like you need to pay better attention. I was rear ended back in November in my pick up, '06 Dakota, bright *** red and a third brake light. Didn't stop the 2, yes 2, idiots behind me from plowing into me.

 

I never thought I'd put a third light on my car, but after I noticed how hard it is to see the 47 Chevy lights on my coupe (even with the flat white paint reflector and bright bulbs) I decided to add one. I don't much care what people think, but I wanted it to be pleasing to my eye and decided to use this. I installed some little red LED's inside the clear lens. It's a Licence plate light from an old Chevy. If you scrounge the s**** yards long enough there's something decent looking. obviously, I haven't washed my coupe since last fall.

 

So which members plowed into you?

 

Yep, some times my ADD kicks in.
Seriously though, I think 99% of drivers today, through pure laziness, are self trained to look for a third brake light as the only indication that the car in front of them is slowing down. The fact that I've caught myself doing it is proof enough for me. The truth is, nothing is going to stop an inattentive driver from hitting you. Driving a car with practically invisible tail light's can't help and the clowns driving around with a cell phone in one hand and a McLard burger in the other aren't going to be looking at them anyway. If she looks at all it'll be in your rear window and when she rolls up the back end of your car she'll swear you didn't have any brake lights. I agree that third brake lights are ugly and very non-traditional as part of a rod or custom. I just think you are taking a chance by not having one. Ironically that's a chance I've always been willing to take for myself because I have yet to put one on anything. I do however recognize the risk I'm taking.

 

dont like em?..dont do it..
dont like the subject of the thread...dont read it..

simple

 

My dads car had an old university of illinois decal from the 50's in the back window. It's actually a great hiding spot for his third brake light.

 

You got me pegged! I love wasting time.

If you are tailgating me that close that you cant see my tail lights you will probably be p***ing me once I gently slow down to about 20 MPH. It is, after all pretty close to the original tail light height.

 

That's clever - nice one.

Try glossy white paint inside the reflectors instead of flat.

 

You could try some inflated roadkill . It only smells bad when its above freezing. The only problem may be wiring the eyes properly.

 

anybody think of airplane wingtip markers? the old ones don't have the strobe, just the light housing with the red round gl*** lights. they are directional, the bulb is around 30 watts and it focuses the light straight out behind the light. could build one into a rear deck. I have two as sidemarkers on my non traditional project,mounted low on the body so they really aren't that visible, but they sure light up the road on eithier side of the car. how about a ww2 port navigation light ? you can find them if you look long enough. these are probably rare,mine are probably 60's,70's, before strobes were common.

 

well if chrysler was putting them on in the 40's whats the argument? just need one that doesn't look modern.

 

thanks for all the tips. i have some stuff i'm watching on ebay. i'll keep you posted.

 

Many people wish they were "traditional"....... (yeah, I know, many of these have 3rd brake lights, but many don't too) and anything that you can do th grab the ***-hat's attention before he plows into the back of ya is worth it to many, me included.

That'll be 2 cents please. K, thx.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18939&highlight=rearended

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=212210&highlight=rearended

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=87820&highlight=rearended

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=100798&highlight=rearended

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=101156&highlight=rearended

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=98209&highlight=rearended

 

The Idea I have been kicking around is to mount a tag light to the bottom of my club plaque ( it is in the back window) so the light shines up on to the plaque when I hit the brakes it would get brighter.. I do not know how well this would work in the day time but it would kill two birds with one stone light the plaque and give me a 3rd brake light all in one...

p.s. the old gl*** blue dots are very eye catching!!! You can see mine a mile away!!

-COS

 

Perhaps you could light up this guy...AAACCKKKK!!!

 

Traditional signals off the rear are LED's, the Guide light at the top is an 1157 with the inside of the housing painted bright white. Really shows of my FARM USE plate.

 

Thanks, Jay.

When you get a set of these, please send me a copy.

Mike

 

Couldn't agree more!!!

Some of you "purists" are starting to sound like women arguing over which color shoes are appropriate with your dress.
I got out of the muscle car scene for the same reason - everyone telling everyone else how it must be done. Show off some creativity and do what looks good. Some of the ideas on this thread are really kool and in my humble opinion quite traditional. I have seen some hot rods that are ugly but the owner loves it. I have seen some awesome cars that a buddy doesn't like. That's life. I'll say it again - if you don't like it don't do it.