3rd Brake Light

DougE

DougE

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I suspect there are purist coupe owners that feel a 3rd brake light is inappropriate and I get that. But…. the 3rd brake light is what people behind you tend to see these days. I drive my car and I'm not interested in someone parking in my trunk.

So for those of you out there that agree and have installed the 3rd eye, I'm interested in how you installed yours.

I have a very small LED assembly that's about 6" long, when not powered it's clear but when powered is bright red. I'd like to install this up at the roofline, if you‘ve done something similar I’d like to know how you mounted yours' and where you routed the wires.

Thanks, Doug
 
DougE said:
I suspect there are purist coupe owners that feel a 3rd brake light is inappropriate and I get that. But…. the 3rd brake light is what people behind you tend to see these days. I drive my car and I'm not interested in someone parking in my trunk.
, Doug
Click to expand...


+1

inappropriate :-D:-D:-D
 
Third brake light, this is what I did with my 2002 which these instructions are for.

What I did is almost invisible, self adhesive LED light, electrical tape, extra wire, 2 small alligator clips. The light is centered on the inside rear window gasket. This is very discrete and practically invisible when not on.

12" side lighting, self adhesive LED strip from Advance Auto Parts or equivalent auto parts place, about $24 for a pair. Put black electrical tape to cover the 'cut' lines and other unsightly mess, just leaving the lights on the side exposed. With the two lights you can make a light bar across the entire back window if you desire. Mine's a single.

With the LED temporarily positioned in the center of the top of the back window on the rubber, measure how much extra wire you need to reach the passenger side tail light with ease, give yourself extra.

Solder and heat shrink extra wire to LED. Solder on Alligator clips to wire.

Clean the F out of the rubber. Position and stick LED. Tuck wires between the gasket and headliner around to the parcel shelf. I had to remove the back seat to remove the parcel shelf. Feed the clips and wire through the little hole above the vapor tank. Route on the outside of the trunk brace, then under the plastic fender welting, along the side of the gas tank, I used plastic ribbed conduit, up to the tail light, slip to appropriate socket and ground. Done.
 
anathema

I agree that the third light car help prevent an accident but I don't think I would put one on my coupe.
My 2 cents...
 
Has anyone turned the euro fog lamp into a "third brake light?" It might get the attention of the fool behind you yammering on his cell phone and chugalugging a Starbucks.
 
I've done exactly that, wired my fog light into the brake lights for a little extra brightness. I actually have a wire run to connect up a 3rd brake light but never managed to design a low profile LED config that I liked.
 
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i have thought about doing this. i thought i might use the 3rd brake light from an e30 ... not an e30 m3 (which was ceiling mounted because of the wing). i haven't looked at it on the parcel shelf to talk myself out of it ... or into finding a better way.

i have considered making a separate parcel shelf to conceal speakers, etc ... as well as coming up with a better way to do tension reel seat belts. look forward to seeing some other ideas.

cheers
scott
 
I saw a coupe with a third light bar mounted internally on the parcel shelf. It didn't look bad at all, and I've considered doing it in my car. If you drive in the city a lot (like I do, since that's where I live), I can see the need - the last thing I'd want is to be rear-ended by some delivery truck that couldn't see my lights.
 
The version I saw on another CS many years ago was mounted in the small gap between the headliner and the glass, unless you looked for it it was very discreet when not illuminated
 
This option in the form of an array of modern led's sounds optimal to me - discreet and bright.

kurtd said:
The version I saw on another CS many years ago was mounted in the small gap between the headliner and the glass, unless you looked for it it was very discreet when not illuminated
Click to expand...
 
Maybe I should consider this - at every stop light I leave 10 feet in front of me, keep the car in 1st gear and watch my rear view mirror to confirm driver is stopping...it's now a habit and do it subconciously. I don't like the look of these but this may be something to do since I drive mine on the weekends in traffic.
 
Pass the salt

I may need to eat my words
After being tapped in the rear to the tune of $1500, I see the wisdom of the third light. But the sleek look of the Narva light sold me. I need to look into that more closely and see if I can follow the instructions.
 
Stan,

i like the 84670 ... its 1/2" high and 1" deep x 10" long ... or one of the other thin ones. the 84645bl is 1" x 1" nominally and 10" long. but i think they are too thick.

the idea of the 84670 is that i think it would fit between the headliner and the roof ... visible thru the glass. then run the wire around to get it to the trunk.

btw, i put an e30 3rd tail light on the parcel shelf today. made me gag ... not doing that. the angle of the window and the plastic are way off, the e30 is too angled and there will be a lot of light bleed into the car - especially at night, creating glare.

scott
 
But how do these mount? they look like they screw in from the light side which would preclude mounting onto glass to avoid said light bleed?


rsporsche said:
Stan,

i like the 84670 ... its 1/2" high and 1" deep x 10" long ... or one of the other thin ones. the 84645bl is 1" x 1" nominally and 10" long. but i think they are too thick.

the idea of the 84670 is that i think it would fit between the headliner and the roof ... visible thru the glass. then run the wire around to get it to the trunk.

btw, i put an e30 3rd tail light on the parcel shelf today. made me gag ... not doing that. the angle of the window and the plastic are way off, the e30 is too angled and there will be a lot of light bleed into the car - especially at night, creating glare.

scott
Click to expand...
 
Looks like scott will need to write up the instructions!
My headline may be coming out as part of a repaint. optimum time to install if I can figure out how.


Maybe the 84654BL might be easier since it is designed to affix with 3M adhesive strips.

If we could agree on a style maybe we could get a group purchase price...

Thoughts?
 
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