Hot Rods Why get hit in the rear end?

I apologize for editing your other comments, all good, and all very productive, however i agree there has to be a way to match the effectiveness of a third brake light, WITHOUT making it look ugly. I'm looking forward to seeing yours.

 

I've noticed - especially on some street rods, and especially on some street rods with very small taillights - it's hard to differentiate the brightness of the running tail lights and the brake tail lights. The third brake light usually helps especially at night because it's a light that comes on that wasn't on before you hit your brakes.
Stupidity of the following driver that doesn't even know that they are even driving at the time because they have their head way up their ass is possible no matter what you do.

 

Yeah, because the crushed rearend of your pride and joy isn't dorky at all. A third brake light is black until you hit your brakes. Your regular lights are light red (at night) and "brighten" when you apply your brakes. A third brake light is also higher on the rear of the car and more in the line of sight than our low mounted tail-lights. Call it what you will but I added a third brake light after my wife followed me home and said she couldn't tell when i hit my brakes until she was on top of me. Besides, I have to turn off a major 4-lane, left, unto a unnoticed country road. I have almost been creamed at lease a dozen times in my OT and bike so everything I can do will help.

 

That's easy. Just use an period tail light (pick any one that you like), convert to LED, and mount it on the trunk/back panel in an appropriate location to match your particular car (could be somewhat in the style of the aforementioned '48 Plymouth or like the period aftermarket center spare mounted brake lights seen on Model T's).

 

When my 57 hits the road it will definately have a third brakelight. The taillights on a 57 Chevy are small, low & at least in stock form, do not shine very bright. Frankly, I don't really care who likes or dislikes third brakelights. I feel it is a better bet that some dope will see a brakelight directly in their line of sight if they're paying even moderate attention to what is going on in front of them than just relying on my two small stock taillights. It sure ain't foolproof because if the idiot behind ya is truly inattentive, 100 brakelights won't help but I can live with the extra light as a little extra insurance. I think if I had something like a 59 Olds where the lights are up pretty high I wouldn't even bother with a third but on cars with low mounted taillights it's smart engineering to include one.

 

Brake lights (that are contained in tail lights) that are not bright enough is a tail light problem. Easily fixed.

Cool breeze, you may be on to something with the higher mount. However, again, they don't seem to make much of a difference with my modern dailies.

All third brake lights are not black until they come on. Some are, not all...not even most.

 

I think third brake lights work because they're placed in the natural line of sight. I agree they look dorky and I don't have one, but I agree it's a good idea to do so.

A buddy of mine picked up some LED strip lights and mounted them low along the rear window. You'd never notice them until he lights 'em up.

Personally, I added extra sockets in my taillights for dedicated brake lamps instead of the shared dual filaments.

 

I have been playing with a way to "light" up the back window red when I hit my brakes. I am thinking a red spot light hid inside and aimed at the rear window. Kinda like "now you see me, now you don't"! The highway i have to take home is famous for semis rearending cars turning left unto the country roads! I try to time it right so i do not have to stop, but sometimes it just can't be helped.

 

3rd brake lights are cheaper than bodywork.

 

Again,,if the idiot don't see the red light he ain't gonna see an extra tail light.

I changed my tail lights on my 32 pickup to LED'S,,and yeah they are kinda out of place,,but they sure are bright! HRP

 

Seems like i read something on here a couple of weeks ago about a test of the background color for housings. As I remember a white background was the leader at something like 25 % brighter measured by a light scope as compared to the other usual colors. As a result of this test I am going to try the white background on my next project which will be using 50 Pontiac tail lights.
And yes I will be using a bright ass third brake light attached to my flip up license plate which when parked will disappear up under the body. Not very traditonal but at least it will not be seen when parked.

 

My 56 will be led and a third light. For the third light Im going to use a bus flasher which makes the light pulsate for attention. Building another new bed out weighs a 3rd light IMO.

 

Here are a few thousand words and some very good tech with numbers on making early taillights visible. Seriously good information.


http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=297039&highlight=taillights+white+brighter+test

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=187627&highlight=taillights+white+brighter+test

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...ight=taillights+white+brighter+test&showall=1

http://www.abarnyard.com/workshop/door-2.htm

Third brakelight...normally much higher than other two, as well as turning on a whole new light. Slightly better chance of registering in the vision of the cell phone zombie driving that 6,000 pound Escalade three inches from your roadster...
Still look like crap, though. Maybe the third light should be built into a HAT...better you should look dumb than your car!

 

A third brake like will not stop some one that is looking at a text message or weaving into your lane!

 

I grafted a third brake light into the half-cab of my 62 Willys back when it was still a 4x4. Had waaaay to many close calls with those old lights.

those of you who are against it: is it just as "horrible / non-trad" to improve headlights? are you still running incandecent 6v sealed beams on your daily driver? and if you are do you drive it on the hwy at night? been there, done that, it SUCKS. When my rod conversion of the Willys is done it will be all 12v and the BRIGHTEST bulbs I can find. I can only look cool and have fun if I'm alive!

 

Thats why the proper name for the light is CHMSL (center high mount stop light) its not on for running lights, so the instant-bright is much easier to catch in the peripheral vision. I hid my 3rd light as a series of red LEDs in the rubber of the rear window, couldn't tell it was there till i stomped on the brakes! Looks cool and safe!

 

Would I add one of those billet brake lights to any rod..............NO. Am I turning my rear roof scallop into a third brake light on my 58 impala, hell yes.

 

Theres nothing wrong with 3rd brake light, you can get them in the shape of an iron cross or maybe the skull with the eyes that light up?

 

I know third brake lights are not a favorite topic but I also believe that the light is more in the "line of sight" idea but I also think it a light that only comes on when you hit your brakes (sort of "lulled to sleep" as in the last post), you might notice another light coming on..
It may be that this '32 was stopped with the lights on, so they might not have noticed a third light coming on, but hopefully, itwould have been in the "line of sight".
The car had a rear bumper too. You can in the one photo that it bent in the midle and then the car went over it and shoved it down.

So what can we do to make or cars safer?

 

I agree Third Brake Lights are dorky, too big, don't look right, are not traditional, etc, etc. But they seem to work, or they would not be on race cars, late models, etc. Are there any ideas for designing them into rods, so they are effective, but not ugly?

 

Thats's going to look bad ass!

On the other hand, I feel that generally people forget that they are driving. Everything but driving is secondary, don't like the song playing, change the station when you are through the curve. Absolutely necessary to make a call, dial at a red light.

 

Because they are not traditional?

A third brakelight doesn't make any difference as a rule. if the duffas is not paying any attention they won't notice the 3rd light until it is too late either. There is a company that makes an enertia switch for the brake lights that make them flash when you hit the brakes that wopuld do more to get someones attention that a 3rd brake light and wouldn't spoil the looks of an otherwise well thought out hot rod.

The only real thing that you can do to help yourself is to practice defensive driving. Always know you have an escape route and pay attention to the road so you don't have to panic stop infront of someone else that isn't paying attention.

 

You didn't like my suggestion? (Post #34)

 

What?! No spider web designs????

I want a winking cat!

EDIT: I called the J.C. Whitney hot line. They said that they sold their last winking cat in 1964. Anybody know of another source for them???

EDIT: I found a source for Winky!

This should solve all my safety problems! And, its period correct, too! I'm stoked! My life has been saved by technology, once again!

Click here:

 

Just remembered! Check out your local bike shop. They make a little box that causes your brake lights to pulse while on. They work normal, then slowly pulse. if you are at a stop light and they are on for a few seconds they really speed up the pulse. A few bike mags claim that they make a world of difference on bikes. I'll have to check out my hog and see if I can get a name and part #!

 

All the traditional third brake lights out there and people think they ruin the car? Go to a swap meet or search Ebay and use some imagination there are all sorts of shapes and sizes. I don't think it ruins the look of this tradional ride.

 

My 3rd brake light. No it's not high like the modern varieties but it is better than nothing I guess. It's a combination running, stop and tag light. I think it's from the 20s going by the original wiring. I've never seen another one like it. It's cast aluminum.

I have collected a couple of the crescent shaped stop lights to mount on top of my original 34 tail lights. They will be low also but there will be 4 lights. I think that they were made for motorcycles. I had a pair on my first 34 P/U 30 years ago when they were 15 to 20 bucks a piece.