35 coupe brake light switch

bigddutchman

Junior Member
just bought a 35 coupe. am a novice. it's restored, but still has the flathead and 3-speed ******. all lights work, including front and rear turn signals, but brake lights don't. i can't find a brake light switch under the pedal in the cabin. can someone tell me where the switch is supposed to be mounted?
 
I have a 35 coupe, it is on the frame back side of the brake, clutch pedal assembly. It will have 2 wires going to it, with a little plunger sticking out. That plunger may have slipped off the brake pedal shaft.
 
Since we are talking about brake lights, is there a way to control the sensitivity ? After I rebuilt the mech. brakes on my 36 I have to push the brake pedel halfway to the floor to get the brake lights to come on. I'd like to change the sensitivity in the brake pedel.
Thanks,
H36
 
Sure you can change the point of where the brake lights come on! With the original mechanical switch you have to cut a small amount of the actuating rod on the switch off, about 1/8" was what mine took.
 
You can also elonge the mounting holes in the switch so you can move the switch back and forth a little.ken ct.
 
Since we are talking about brake lights, is there a way to control the sensitivity ? After I rebuilt the mech. brakes on my 36 I have to push the brake pedel halfway to the floor to get the brake lights to come on. I'd like to change the sensitivity in the brake pedel.
Thanks,
H36


Send it to a sensitivity training workshop. Nothing like being politically correct. LOL Seriously, follow Ken Ct advise.
 
Do you have the rubbers installed under the floor boards to prevent the pedals from coming to far up. That brake switch plunger should rest on a round pad built into the brake pedal arm
 
I would do as Ken Ct. suggests rather than modify the switch. Cutting changes your options. Elongating the holes gives you the ability to go back if you need/want to. jmo.
 
You can also elonge the mounting holes in the switch so you can move the switch back and forth a little.ken ct.

So I tried elongating the mounting holes Ken and this is still not working for me, has anyone ever added some kind of metal cap on the brake light plunger before ? After bolting everything together the lights stay on. I can not see if I'm making contact with the correct contact point on the brake peddle. I'm at my wits end !!!
Does anyone have pics from the top side so I can see exactly where the plunger should rest.
Thanks in advance ...
 
Hank, with the floorboard out, it's all visible. You said hydraulic brakes, so that lets me out, and possibly Ken's advice which is what I would have said. I vaguely remember a pressure switch on the end of the master brake pot on cars with juice brakes. And I also remember (it comes back slowly) that Dot 5 (silicone) brake fluid does a number on the brake light switch. Someone else please chime in here?
 
"IF" you have a restored '35 the brakes are mechanical. As others have indicated the stop light switch is on the pedal assembly (note pictures). If you look closely you can see the mounting slots are elongated for adjustment.

"IF" you are dealing with hydraulic brakes, the hydraulic brake switch is located behind the master cylinder. If you use a '39 brake pedal assembly things are a little tight between the master cylinder and the floor mounted battery ('35-'36). If this is a problem the V8 shop has a kit that utilizes the original pedal assembly and relocates the master cylinder behind the center cross member. The following pictures should help.

Tom
 

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"IF" you have a restored '35 the brakes are mechanical. As others have indicated the stop light switch is on the pedal assembly (note pictures). If you look closely you can see the mounting slots are elongated for adjustment.

"IF" you are dealing with hydraulic brakes, the hydraulic brake switch is located behind the master cylinder. If you use a '39 brake pedal assembly things are a little tight between the master cylinder and the floor mounted battery ('35-'36). If this is a problem the V8 shop has a kit that utilizes the original pedal assembly and relocates the master cylinder behind the center cross member. The following pictures should help.

Tom

Thank you Tom for the pics those help a ton. I see the raised area on the brake assembly that the plunger needs should rest on. I think I'm missing that area. My car is a 36 coupe with mechanical brakes. I'm trying to do this work from the bottom so I have limited view. I will keep trying !
 
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