3rd Brake light...??

1953M100

1953M100

Member
Just purchased my 1st model A on Tuesday, a '31 Coupe. :):)
My wife is a slight bit fearful and "sketchy" about safety of driving a slower, older vehicle. It has the aftermarket turn signal kit already installed, but one additional safety modification I would like to make is a 3rd brake light. Tried searching the threads here for "3rd" and "third", also been searching the interwebs, but would like some insight on making a good choice.

Questions :confused::
- Several kits are "universal" mount, not finding any that are Model A specific. Where are y'all mounting these (back window, spare tire mount, etc)? What kind of mount did you fabricate?
- Most I'm seeing are 12 volt, I am assuming negative ground. Will these work by reversing polarity and running on 6V?
- Any specific kit or part # you would recommend...?

Thx!!
 

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I am running with turn signals and brake lights. It just connects to the existing brake light wiring.
That assumes you already have turn signals in your brake lights.
Without turn signals installed it acts as brake light only.
 
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I also use the Brakelighter. The guy who makes them is a small operation but very accommodating. It's available in 12N and 6P ground. Only issue I've had is that the suction cups don't hold forever. Of course, my cups are 15+years old. I got replacements from the manufacturer but haven't installed them yet. I've seen others glue velcro to their rear windows and attach the unit that way.

I have what I believe is a very early edition (possibly a prototype?) of the LogoLites turn signal package. The turn signal function of the Brakelighter does not work with that system, nor do the LED taillight conversions. I've heard others have this same issue.
 
I have the LED tail light/brake light conversion and have had no issues with the brake lighter connected to those. My installation is nine years old.
 
I made up a third brake light from an aftermarket 30/31 tail light mounted to a bracket and then to my spare tire. People now a days are used to alight being there and people tell me it is super bright. I just spliced it into the brake light wire loom and it has been there for about 10 years now.


Mike
 
I have the Brakelighter installed in my 1931 coupe, in the rear window. I have it mounted at the bottom of the window, but you could also mount it at the top. Use some superglue or similar stuff on the suction cups. Mine falls off about once a year, which is only a minor inconvenience.

Unless you go to the trouble to remove and reinstall the upholstery, you will have the wire hanging down in the rear parcel shelf area. Again, no big deal. Run the wire down beside the seat. My coupe has plenty of holes to run the wire through the floor. You may not be so blessed with holes! Hook the brake light wire directly to the switched terminal in the brake light switch (that’s the rear terminal on my car) and hook the ground wire under one of the mounting bolts for the brake light switch, or any other convenient ground you can find.

I recommend that you NOT hook up the turn signals to the Brakelighter. Many will disagree with me on this. When I follow my friends who have turn signals in their Brakelighters, I find it confusing, because the blinking light is close to the center of the car, instead of on the left or right side of the car. Also, my turn signals are the Logo Lites system, which will not support the additional lights. (I don’t know whether the newer versions of the Logo Lites will support add-ons.)

You didn’t ask, but if you don’t already have LED ‘s in your tail/stoplights, I highly recommend you install the LED conversions for improved visibility. If you have your existing turn signals incorporated into your stock tail/stop lights, you MAY need to change flasher units or add resistors to the LED’s.

W. Michael
 
They'll be 12v, but there are Jeep accessory brake lights that are mounted on the spare and would really get attention. IIRC, there had been a thread here on them.
 
If your coupe has a rumble seat, I would put the LED brake light at the top of the rear window, or on the spare tire bracket, unless you want to stun the occupants of the rumble seat a couple of times a minute.
 
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I mounted mine at the bottom of the luggage rack. My brake lights really
show up good. Use it for brakes only I put led brake lights in the bumper
bars since. Maybe one of these days I'll learn how to send a picture.
 
Here is a picture of my third brake light. It has red LEDs inside.

562441


and a flasher module. It flashes 3-4 times then stays solid.

562442
 

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