3rd Brake light - windscreen ideas for roll bar??

My roll bar is going in on Monday. I was going to do it at home, but decided against since I want it in right and to do that (easily) you need a lift, so the body shop is going to handle it.

Any suggestions for a built on windscreen and third brake light? I want to install them before I have padding made so the pads will be made to fit the light and windscreen.

Someone here posted some great pics of cars with both awhile back, but I can't find them.

I used a 12 led brake light on mine and cut the sides of the plastic housing to fit the tubing. You could easily hide the wire under the padding. LEDs don't draw any real power so I just tapped it into the brake light wires.

Re: 3rd Brake light - windscreen ideas for roll ba

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Any suggestions for a built on windscreen and third brake light? I want to install them before I have padding made so the pads will be made to fit the light and windscreen.

Someone here posted some great pics of cars with both awhile back, but I can't find them.

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Like this, Paul?



Bill

Re: 3rd Brake light - windscreen ideas for roll ba

I found an LED brake light at AutoZone and mounted it on the roll bar. I drilled three small holes in the bar- two to hold the light and one for the wire. I ran the wire inside the roll bar. I also tapped into the brake light wire. T.T.

Re: 3rd Brake light - windscreen ideas for roll ba

Greetings & a question when you say you tapped into the brake light wires did you run the hot lead from the brake light to just one tailight or both.I run my highmount hot lead to the left side brake light wire & now my highmount works well but the regular brakelights are dimming on the side i tapped into.Any ideas why this is happening?I'm considering running the hot lead straight to my brake light switch,maybe that'll fix it.

Re: 3rd Brake light - windscreen ideas for roll ba

Bill, where do you park your car at night? Will you be going away soon?

That's just what I need. Where did you get the light and how did you make up that glass assembly?

Re: 3rd Brake light - windscreen ideas for roll ba

Paul,
I took a regular vanity rollbar (sourced it from VB) that I had installed on my car sometime before and modified it. First off, I stipped the paint and welded in a cross bar of 1/2" steel solid stock. I had cut it with a hack saw and used a grinder to fit it. I MIGed this in place, of course measuring very carefully to get it where I wanted it. I had to be able to reach under the window apparatus to unzip my rear window flap. Next I used a piece of 1/2" "L" stock and tacked it across the top of the 1/2" bar, again grinding it to fit. The tough part was bending the 1/2" steel strap stock back on itself to fit within the inner curve of the rollbar. I used a MAP-gas bottle torch and a maul to coax this material back on itself, it would distort alot. Finally got a piece to fit perfectly from corner to corner, tacked it in place then went about connecting the dots. That is, added longer tacks on everything. Next I used a piece of thin gauge steel sheet (22 gauge) and folded the edge over to make a solid lip, then formed it to make the light housing. Just made a big oval tube, if you will. Found the light at NAPA and trial fitted as I went. I left a flap inside the tube that I bent up to act as a floor for the light and tacked it all together, trimmed out the forward section to fit over the rollbar and welded it all up. Very little Bondo was needed. Drilled a hole into the bar for my wires. The light fits tight enough that I just swedged it in place. The easy part was getting a glass shop to cut me a piece of Triplex flat windshield glass to fit my pattern I had made to fit within the confines of my now-welded up frame. I use some rubber "H" channel from JCWhitney. They were kind enough to send several free samples of material for me to chose from. Left enough clearance between the steel frame (1/8" thick stock, thickness of the glass)and the glass for the thickness of the rubber. Painted her up, popped in the glass, fished the wire (low amp pull light, just tapped right into brake light wire)through the rollbar and out a little hole in the bottom side and bolted it right back into the holes in my floorboard. The light works very, very well and is equally visible from beneath the top.
The window drastically cuts down on wind-lash and now gives me a place to insert decals, such as p***-on-MG. I will put that one back in for the VTR convention.

You asked the time and I told you how to make a watch.


Bill

Re: 3rd Brake light - windscreen ideas for roll ba

Bill, it would have been simpler to tell when the car was available for me to steal it.

But seriously, thanks for the detailed info. I don't think that I'm ready to go that far at this time, but I may have another (simpler, but not near as nice) idea based on your info.

Also, in regard to TT's question about tapping into the wiring, did you do both or just one side. I was kind of worried about the dimming myself?

Re: 3rd Brake light - windscreen ideas for roll ba

The LED lights pull so few amps that they really don't (or shouldn't) do anything to interfere with the stock lights, or at least mine didn't. Just make sure that all your connections are solid and that your ground from the LED is good. As always, I used soldered bullet connectors. Kinda made me feel all Lucasy.


Bill

Re: 3rd Brake light - windscreen ideas for roll ba

Got my highmount working & lighting all the lights at the same brightness now.Thanks,really lights up the night NOW!

Re: 3rd Brake light - windscreen ideas for roll ba

Bill, I hope that the "Lucasey" feeling has left you by now, or you're probably sitting in the dark staring at a blank screen.

Assuming that all is well, I found a place in CT that makes custom screens right down the street from a company that I visit twice a week, so I'm going to take the roll bar with me Tuesday and see if they can make a frame and screen to fit the ID of the top of the bar. If so, I may try that with some fabricated clamps to hold it in place with rubber strips between the clamp and bar.

I'm trying to simplify the process and do this without disturbing the finish on the bar as it is today. If this won't work, then I'll bite the bullet and have the body shop go with the glass like you did and refinish the bar when its complete.

I'll keep the progress posted FYI.

Re: 3rd Brake light - windscreen ideas for roll ba

A little note of caution, Paul. When installing any kind of wind deflector, make sure that it is either safety (Triplex) glass or plastic. Any other kind of glass could be fatal in the event of an accident. I saw one company that was marketing a glass that looked good (for a non-rollbar car) but was made out of tempered glass. I called them on the safety of the glass and they got a little huffy with me. Have forgotten their name and it was some time ago but I think they quit making them. I have seen a rather nice unit some guy custom made for his TR6 with rollbar, it was Plexiglass held in with sturdy, padded clips. Looked quite good, I just question how long the plastic will look good after a lot of cleaning.

Safety first!

Now as far as Lucas, wire is wire. It all depends on how you work with it. I have been able to take just about every switch in my car apart and repair it over the years, successfully. Try that with any other electrical product. Dan Masters' book on repairing electricals is quite handy and worth reading.

Bill

Re: 3rd Brake light - windscreen ideas for roll ba

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A little note of caution, Paul. When installing any kind of wind deflector, make sure that it is either safety (Triplex) glass or plastic. Any other kind of glass could be fatal in the event of an accident. I saw one company that was marketing a glass that looked good (for a non-rollbar car) but was made out of tempered glass. I called them on the safety of the glass and they got a little huffy with me. Have forgotten their name and it was some time ago but I think they quit making them. I have seen a rather nice unit some guy custom made for his TR6 with rollbar, it was Plexiglass held in with sturdy, padded clips. Looked quite good, I just question how long the plastic will look good after a lot of cleaning.
Bill

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Tempered glass is safety glass. It replaced tri-plex many years ago for many applications. It is used in almost all automotive side windows, & for safety required glass in buildings.

When it is broken, it shatters into many small rounded fragments which prevent major injuries. It is not used in front or back windscreens because laminated glass tends to better prevent ejection of the occupants.
D

Re: 3rd Brake light - windscreen ideas for roll ba

Bill, I'm going to try the BMW, Miata, Jag route with the black see through mesh screen, not plastic. If I can't go this way, I'll do the same glass as you. I'd never try anything but safety glass. Not after what I've seen over the years in the car business.

One of these days I've got to get a copy of Masters book for my library. Does he have a site?

Re: 3rd Brake light - windscreen ideas for roll ba

Dan Masters
PO Box 6430
Maryville, TN 37802-6430

Send him a money order for $30. That's everything, including shipping. Best $30 you will ever spend on your car.


Bill

Re: 3rd Brake light - windscreen ideas for roll ba

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Tempered glass is safety glass. It replaced tri-plex many years ago for many applications. It is used in almost all automotive side windows, & for safety required glass in buildings.

When it is broken, it shatters into many small rounded fragments which prevent major injuries. It is not used in front or back windscreens because laminated glass tends to better prevent ejection of the occupants.
D

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Right you are, Dave. The glass that I had cut for my rear deflector is layered glass that won't break apart into a million pieces upon impact. Just too close to my head to have all those shards in my ears.

Bill

Re: 3rd Brake light - windscreen ideas for roll ba

Bill - you need to market that thing for those of us too lazy or inept to do it ourselves...

You need to include the MG sticker with every purchase of course /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Re: 3rd Brake light - windscreen ideas for roll ba

Why don't you do that, Bill? And what was the part # from JCW for the weatherstrip?

Alan, I think we made need to start an "Empty Stall Club" in honor of those empty garages left by the LBC's who have gone to the distant repair shops and have left behind the fondest of memories for their lonely owners.

Re: 3rd Brake light - windscreen ideas for roll ba

You can get the black mesh at any RV shop. Expensive but they sell lots of it for winnebago awning and window shades. Talk nice and they'd probably give-sell you an off cut. Plenty for a LBC !

Re: 3rd Brake light - windscreen ideas for roll ba

Lots of LED info on the "Augmented" thread