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Thread: Third Brake Light

  1. #1
    Member mwesten's Avatar
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    Third Brake Light

    I am adding a high-mounted brake light not on the louvers, but rather just inside the rear glass (so on the inside of the car). Not interested in taping/drilling on the louvers, and a 3rd brake light just behind the glass is still better than current state (which is neither).

    Is there a way to tap into the brake light in the electrical area behind the passenger seat? I know about tapping in AT the brake light at the rear of the car but for obvious reasons thats a bit out of the way.
    Last edited by mwesten; 05-19-2024 at 05:11 PM.

  2. #2
    Senior Member Bitsyncmaster's Avatar
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    Your looking for a green/purple wire in the harness. It has to be in that relay compartment since all the wires feeding the bulkhead connectors are there.
    Dave M vin 03572
    http://dm-eng.weebly.com/

  3. #3
    Senior Member
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    I would try the light inside at night before you spend a lot of time on it. You may find it makes a lot of red glare coming from the glass every time you step on brakes.

  4. #4
    Member mwesten's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bitsyncmaster View Post
    Your looking for a green/purple wire in the harness. It has to be in that relay compartment since all the wires feeding the bulkhead connectors are there.
    Great thanks Dave.

  5. #5
    Member mwesten's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Helirich View Post
    I would try the light inside at night before you spend a lot of time on it. You may find it makes a lot of red glare coming from the glass every time you step on brakes.
    Yeah I figured that, but tbh this is a weekend cruiser and Ive owned the car for a year and a half and never taken it out at night (or the rain, snow for that matter). Don?t see that changing soon.

  6. #6
    Senior Member 82DMC12's Avatar
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    I don't recommend this. The point of the 3rd brake light is to increase visibility for those behind you. If you have to look THROUGH the louvers to see the brake light, anyone looking down on you (everyone) will not be at the correct angle to see the brake light. I've seen numerous boneheaded, pointless 3rd brake light installations done in the name of trying to be "stealth". They don't work.

    That being said, I saw an owner this weekend with the Drayron tail light boards. One thing I liked about them is they use the brake lights as tail lights (FAR better tail lights in bad weather, like we had - pouring rain on the interstate) and then when you hit the brakes, all six red lights come on, even brighter than the tail light was. It was very good, through I don't need all the sequential fancy stuff they can also do.
    Andy Lien

    VIN 11596 Jan 1982 build - owned since Nov. 2000!
    Total frame-off restoration completed 2021-2023

    Photography and Backpacking is life.

    Was Fargo, ND
    Now Kansas City

  7. #7
    Senior Member
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    3rd brake light

    You could do what i did so its not very obvious is i put 2 led strips under the upper edge of the louver right at the edge and it goes almost all the way across and looks good i think .. they are just held on with double sided tape and are still very visible when they are lit up....

  8. #8
    TNDMC Founder JBaker4981's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 82DMC12 View Post
    I saw an owner this weekend with the Drayron tail light boards. One thing I liked about them is they use the brake lights as tail lights (FAR better tail lights in bad weather, like we had - pouring rain on the interstate) and then when you hit the brakes, all six red lights come on, even brighter than the tail light was. It was very good, through I don't need all the sequential fancy stuff they can also do.
    My Car go b-b-b-blink!
    Jesse Baker
    VIN 628
    Black Interior, Automatic
    TNDMC: TN DeLorean Motor Club

  9. #9
    Daily Driver ssdelorean's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by painterdave72 View Post
    You could do what i did so its not very obvious is i put 2 led strips under the upper edge of the louver right at the edge and it goes almost all the way across and looks good i think .. they are just held on with double sided tape and are still very visible when they are lit up....
    I concur.
    Did nearly the same thing using some taillights from etrailer.com. They come in various lengths. These dudes are BRIGHT. At night time you can tell the color of the eyes of the driver behind me.

    It has a 3rd wire for hooking them up as blinkers as well if you like. I just did a simple install using them as a 3rd brake light only.

    3rd Brake Light.jpg
    Shannon Y
    www.ohiodeloreans.com
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    ---
    1st angle drive - 58,027 miles (20 years) -- original
    2nd angle drive - 48,489 miles (21 years) -- original from donor
    3rd angle drive - 26,572 miles (2 years 3 months) -- DMCH
    4th angle drive - 21,988 miles (1 year 11 months) -- DMCH
    5th angle drive - 7,137 miles (10 months 2 days) -- DMCH
    6th angle drive - OVER 131,030 miles and counting (OVER 15 yr 8 months & counting) -- new Martin Gutkowski unit
    over 263K miles

  10. #10
    TNDMC Founder JBaker4981's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ssdelorean View Post
    I concur.
    Did nearly the same thing using some taillights from etrailer.com. They come in various lengths. These dudes are BRIGHT. At night time you can tell the color of the eyes of the driver behind me.

    It has a 3rd wire for hooking them up as blinkers as well if you like. I just did a simple install using them as a 3rd brake light only.

    3rd Brake Light.jpg
    Also have a very similar setup on 628. LOVE it and you cannot see the third brake light from the rear view mirror at all.
    Jesse Baker
    VIN 628
    Black Interior, Automatic
    TNDMC: TN DeLorean Motor Club

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