Third Brake Light

Bennett

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Has anyone here installed a decent looking third brake light that doesn't screw up the looks of the car? I've seen some LED's that can mount under the bumper that are pretty inconspicuous until triggered.

Photos appreciated.
 

jmackro

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Has anyone here installed a decent looking third brake light that doesn't screw up the looks of the car? I've seen some LED's that can mount under the bumper that are pretty inconspicuous until triggered.

If your third brake light were mounted under the bumper, it would be invisible to the typical moron tailgating you in his 4X4. To be effective, the additional brake light needs to be mounted up high.

My suggestion would be to either bite the bullet, and put one on the parcel shelf, or work to improve the brightness of the stock brake lights.
 

Sven

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I am probably going to install a third light in the rear window. I think it needs to be higher up to be effective. Under the bumper seems a bit low. This outfit carries some generic ones (scroll to the bottom).

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/products/products.html

I may hit the import junk yard and find the smallest low profile unit that would fit the CS's rear window angle. I do not mind the looks in comparison to the safety advantages it brings. I have read about, or seen, too many rear ended coupes - some on this site. Not that the third light would have prevented any of these incidents, but I would like to think so.
 

oldcoupe

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It's a pity to spoil the clean lines of the coupe with a clumsy third light, but my local specialist has had a few nice coupes in over the years with rear end damage, and I feel the coupe has attracted some negligent and some aggressive tailgaters.

I've seen a coupe with a very tidy trunk lid spoiler with a third brake light built in – that gets the light up to a reasonable height. To my eye, it improved the lines of the car.

Narva does a fairly neat – wide, shallow light with angle adjustment (see first attachment) and that might be sufficiently clean.

I took out the led body (second attachment) and was able to separate the front red plastic from the black case. The usual process of inserting a blade and levering very carefully. Apologies for no photo- I don't want to remove it now it's installed. By filing off the edge of the red plastic, it fitted (just) into the gap between the back of the headliner and the rear screen surround. This required cutting an indent in the screen surround rubber, taking a lot of care....

The wires ran inside the headlining and down inside the rear pillar trim with no problems. I took out the parcel shelf to get the end and feed them through to the trunk, where they are clipped on to the brake and earth lines.

Third attachment shows the view without, and fourth with, the brake light on.

Because the light is not enclosed against the rear screen, there's some reflected light at night, but the broader glow might be desirable. I might put in a small shield under the light to the rear screen, one day.
 

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lip277

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That's a nice set-up.
I've been thinking of this as well.
Tony was rear-ended in the E9 a few years before I bought the car from him. The way he described the accident - having another light 'might' have helped...
Who knows for sure though.

Either way - It's on my list of things to do.
 

steve in reno

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Very tasteful installation of additional light.
Great subject.
My car was rear ended many years ago. Unfortunately the bubble headed teenager wouldn't have seen another light if it had hit her in the face.
steve
 

PaulinPa

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Could you somehow use the seat belt light housing that is on the dash?It would be "coupe correct"(if you care about that sort of thing)
 

Bennett

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Thanks for all the input. I like the upper window installation. My idea re below the bumper was on the belief that the LED would be much brighter than the low wattage bulbs / clouded 40 year old plastic housings we have now. While not DOT correct, I think that it would at least wake up the trailing driver as to our brakes being on.
 

jranmann

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Oldcoupe: I've seen a coupe with a very tidy trunk lid spoiler with a third brake light built in – that gets the light up to a reasonable height. To my eye, it improved the lines of the car.
I like that idea and incorporating a long line of LED's the spoiler accomplishes a body finishment along with improving the safety of the car itself...

Would you happen to have any e9 pictures of the rear spoiler mounted 3rd brake light?

Cheers OG!

Ran
 

oldcoupe

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Third Light

I'll get details on the trunk lid spoiler and the Narva part # and post in the next week or so.
 

KHB

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I got one from a early 90's Jag XJ6 (a great looking cash for clunker) at the local junk yard. The window angle looked similar and I also liked it because it is a wider 4 light unit. I prefer originality, but felt reducing the chances of getting hit was a higher priority. I only drilled two holes and made no alterations to the parcel shelf cover. I must say I prefer oldcoupe's install though.
 

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