The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay 54 chevy 3100 adding a 3rd brake light

hello everybody i'm looking to add a 3rd brake light to my 54 Chevy 3100. preferably i would like to mount it under the tailgate if not then in the top of the rear window. Any advise on what fixtures would work well.

thanks

Found THIS on a quick web search. It looks like it sticks to the inside of the rear window. It's LED, which probably requires a 12V system.
You want to put it as high as you can so it's visible to the tailgaters. Down under the tailgate is not a good spot, visibility wise.

Search the Internet on: 6 volt LED brake light assembly

I put this one on the top rail of my stake bed just behind the rear window.

That's pretty cool. Is it a reproduction or an original aftermarket part?

I bought it used on ePay about 10 years ago. The glass lens was broken into 2 pieces, but all there and the brass outer ring holds them in place nicely. There are NO markings of any kind on it. It is very heavy for its size. I'm guessing 30s or 40s, but it's just a guess. I painted the inside white to make it brighter and connected it directly to the brake light switch.

How is the front plate attached to the glass? I really dig that.

I saw one a few years ago where the owner had installed extra brake lights in the ends of the round tubes formed by the roll of the bed sides. They were bright enough and the best thing was they were closer to eye level so you instantly noticed them. The ones put below the tailgate aren't seen as well as Kevin pointed out above.

I've seen a website somewhere documenting how someone used two pocket LED flashlights, the kind that normally use three AAA batteries, to make stoplights that fit inside the top bed rolls. I think a piece of PVC pipe was used as a spacer to center the flashlights in the bed rails. A piece of red polycarbonate plastic was fitted over the main lens. LEDs will work on wide voltage variations with no ill effects.
Jerry

Jon, I have the ones in the bedside roll. You are correct they are at a good height. I also have one of those long ones under the tailgate all wired together.Here they are but available elsewhere.

The stock location lends something to be desired. If I had another truck I`d put
something added to whats there for sure.
My black 58 has old Vega tail lights. Which all four light up at a brake.

The metal bowl behind the lens has a small flange on it that matches the diameter of the lens. The brass ring with the tightening screw & nut at the bottom clamps the glass lens to the flange. (Sorry about the fuzzy picture of the bowl. The camera just wouldn't focus on it.)

hey Klhansen i like the one from gowesty.com i think i might go with that...

thanks everybody

happy thanksgiving!!!!!!

That gowesty light looks interesting .
I wonder if the blinker would work if used with 2?
Like on the back here with the originals. Glass on both doors.

Don't see why it wouldn't.

Nope. The gowesty light only has 2 prongs. I would need 3 or 4 to have the turn signals work.
Reply from them....I think the main issue with using the 3rd brake light for the turn signal is that it's only going to function as either a turn signal or a running light. It only has 2 poles, so there's no way to make it function as a turn signal when the running lights are on. The other issue is that it's red instead of amber. I think you need a 3 or 4 pole light to achieve what you're looking to do

This is the light that I'll be using. I kitbashed some aftermarket socket repair kits to wire this light with both a positive and negative wire. I needed this since it will be mounted to the wood of bedrails that I'll be using. I installed an led bulb, which you can see in the pic is pretty bright.

Where did you get the light? Is it a reproduction or a vintage aftermarket piece?

Otto, the light in my post is a vintage light that I got on ebay. I think it was from an old school bus.

Looks like the police fender lights used years ago.