3rd brake light again!

[bdcvg]

https://articles.latimes.com/1985-09-03/business/fi-24385_1_air-bags The U.S. law started in '86 for manufactures to make cars with 3rd lights. So the real question will be will retrofitting to an older car be required to meet these standards.

 

[andrea]

My solution for rear third light on the uper part of body - NO new drills needed- I fix it just under the TOP lift dot
https://goo.gl/photos/6g3kNMZ8tXgkrJNM7
https://goo.gl/photos/7ff18DWWJpHfoPLe9

 

[AUSMHLY]

Just keep in mind that a 3rd brake light has to be mounted higher than the taillights, and brighter than tail or position lights to be legal.

bdcvg, I asked if you could provide a link to where that information came from. Thank you for providing this link. https://articles.latimes.com/1985-09-03/business/fi-24385_1_air-bags

The article is informing us that starting in 1986 third break lights are going to become standard equipment.
I belive the placement of a 3rd brake light on cars prior to 1986 are exampt from location. So currently, where we choose to add another red brake light on our vintage cars is not dictated by a location that is legal or illegal. Thank goodness.

The article does not say it needs to be brighter then the tail light to be legal.

Thank you for the article. Interesting reading.

 

[PHulst]

Just keep in mind that a 3rd brake light has to be mounted higher than the taillights, and brighter than tail or position lights to be legal.

I suspect that is true for OEMs, but I don't think it applies to owner-inspired modifications.

 

[John Turney]

From the California Vehicle Code 24603, (h)(1): "Any vehicle may be equipped with supplemental stoplamps mounted to the rear of the rearmost portion of the driver’s seat in its rearmost position in addition to the lamps required to be mounted on the rear of the vehicle. Supplemental stoplamps installed after January 1, 1979, shall be red in color and mounted not lower than 15 inches above the roadway. The supplemental stoplamp on that side of a vehicle toward which a turn will be made may flash as part of the supplemental turn signal lamp."

Note that this says "installed after", not on vehicles manufactured after. In other paragraphs, they use wording like "vehicles manufactured on or after January 1, 1969".

 

[HealeyRick]

Deleted

 

[turtle]

Here's a photo of a third brake light on a "Hundred" currently for sale on eBay. I'm always looking to see how people are doing this since I want to add one to mine. I'm thinking of something that flips up/down from behind the front seats.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1956-Austi...ash=item3adde653a0:g:YlUAAOSw2gxY18gm&vxp=mtr

 

[Michael Oritt]

Turtle--

See my posts #'s 12 and 15 in this string. I like the light so much that I bought one for each of my race cars and have installed them on the center of the roll bar hoops. The tech inspectors love them!

 

[turtle]

Hi Michael, I love how yours turned out. My hundred nasty boy came with a hardtop. Here's a shot when it was being completed around 1988. My hard top is now in the "to do" storage section since we set the liner on fire when we started the big V8 for the first time in 20 years and a flaming mouse nest launched itself under the top we had stashed behind the car. No worries that's why we had a fire extinguisher handy. Anyway... the plan is to get the hard top sorted down the line. I was thinking of using what appears to be a venting cutout at the top for the light (see red arrow in the photo) but I like your idea better. My top has other issues so depending on repair costs I might just get a new one. I'm in Ca. so you'd think I wouldn't use it but I love the look and want the option since I don't plan on putting the soft top back on. My best and happy racing... Janelle

 

[Mert]

Hendricks Wheels>> https://www.hendrixwirewheel.com/stuff.html sells a Healey kit for the rear reflector. I made my own using LEDs and splicing into the brake light wire.