Hi,
Has anyone sucessfully fitted a third brake light to their Beetle?
I don't want some clown running into the back of Olive.
I've looked at what was available at Ricebarn and Super Crap Auto, but I haven't found anything that would fit a Beetle's curved rear screen. I don't want to go drilling holes below the back window to mount a bracket either.
Suggestions welcome.
Thanks,
Brett.
Brett Nicholson
Melbourne, Victoria
1974 VW Superbug L - Olive 😎
1971 Morris Mini Moke - Mopoke
1966 Austin Mini - Audrey
1965 Morris Mini Traveller - Trixie
2007 Land Rover Freelander 2
2009 Nissan Pathfinder
bnicho wrote:Hi,
Has anyone sucessfully fitted a third brake light to their Beetle?
I don't want some clown running into the back of Olive.
I've looked at what was available at Ricebarn and Super Crap Auto, but I haven't found anything that would fit a Beetle's curved rear screen. I don't want to go drilling holes below the back window to mount a bracket either.
Suggestions welcome.
Thanks,
Brett.
Hi Brett
I have a rear brake lamp on My rear window..
I bought it at a swap meet... NOS...
they were a common accessory in the 70s & 80s..
it stuck very easily to My tinted rear window...
which cost $100 to have tinted... [very difficult]
the tape that sticks to the window is about 5-8mm thick so it has no trouble sticking to the rear curved window...
I have seen them about at swap meets... still in the packaging
cheers
LEE
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---
Seeing as you have elephants feet - i dont think it is THAT important
I have seen several been installed in the air grill below the window. Personally I like that better
You could always spend a bit of time and hook some LED booster lights on the existing
Plenty of room
Have a dig on Steve Carter & Al (Dasbubber)
Steve did something to boost the reversing light and Al did a LED conversion on the patheric candles oval's call barke lights
Futue te ipsum!!!
I had poor brake lights a while back when i first got the car, replaced the lenses with newer ones and now the lights are as bright or brighter than newer cras with three lights.
Bizarre wrote:I have seen several been installed in the air grill below the window. Personally I like that better
That sounds like a great idea, but I don't want to cut the body to create an access hatch to fit it. I'm considering buying six or eight 10mm LED's, stringing them together and jamming one in the top of each vent.
I'm going to visit a few more auto parts stores today and see what I can find.
Cheers,
Brett Nicholson
Melbourne, Victoria
1974 VW Superbug L - Olive 😎
1971 Morris Mini Moke - Mopoke
1966 Austin Mini - Audrey
1965 Morris Mini Traveller - Trixie
2007 Land Rover Freelander 2
2009 Nissan Pathfinder
simple enough.........ive just got some plates that wedge in the window rubbers and support a long led brake light at each end
not hard against the window in the middle but only a centimeter or so off, but against it at the ends
i think in the window is best as often people are looking "through" the beetles in traffic...........just the height for it
I've come up with something I think will work quite well. Photos will follow later.
What's the easiest place to tap into the brake light circuit? In the engine bay?
Cheers,
Brett Nicholson
Melbourne, Victoria
1974 VW Superbug L - Olive 😎
1971 Morris Mini Moke - Mopoke
1966 Austin Mini - Audrey
1965 Morris Mini Traveller - Trixie
2007 Land Rover Freelander 2
2009 Nissan Pathfinder
If your running them under the grills just tap into the brake light wire in the engine bay
schnell!! schnell!! schnell!! schnell!!
Yes,
I also thought about the 10mm super bright red LEDs in the vents...
but haven't done anything about it... as yet.. lol
I drilled a hole under the window rubber and the wire goes into the engine compartment... to the stop lamps..
The LEDs would need to be parallel with the road, as they don't have a large reflection angle...
Now I believe the lights would be better at the top of the rear window.. higher the better..??
cheers
LEE
bnicho wrote:Bizarre wrote:I have seen several been installed in the air grill below the window. Personally I like that better
That sounds like a great idea, but I don't want to cut the body to create an access hatch to fit it. I'm considering buying six or eight 10mm LED's, stringing them together and jamming one in the top of each vent.
I'm going to visit a few more auto parts stores today and see what I can find.
Cheers,
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---
Hi
The only problem with have a 3rd brake light higher than the rest of the lights is that it may take the following drivers attention away from your indicators for a split second.
On my sons bug I fitted another single filament bulb holder with 21 watt bulb in it as an extra brake light each side, and halogen reverse bulbs.
Steve
P3090167.jpg
bnicho wrote:I've come up with something I think will work quite well. Photos will follow later.
What's the easiest place to tap into the brake light circuit? In the engine bay?
Cheers,
Tap the wire into the diagnostic plug in the engine bay
68AutoBug wrote:bnicho wrote:Hi,
Has anyone sucessfully fitted a third brake light to their Beetle?
I don't want some clown running into the back of Olive.
I've looked at what was available at Ricebarn and Super Crap Auto, but I haven't found anything that would fit a Beetle's curved rear screen. I don't want to go drilling holes below the back window to mount a bracket either.
Suggestions welcome.
Thanks,
Brett.
Hi Brett
I have a rear brake lamp on My rear window..
I bought it at a swap meet... NOS...
they were a common accessory in the 70s & 80s..
it stuck very easily to My tinted rear window...
which cost $100 to have tinted... [very difficult]
the tape that sticks to the window is about 5-8mm thick so it has no trouble sticking to the rear curved window...
I have seen them about at swap meets... still in the packaging
cheers
LEE
I had one like this on my first 76. It also had a bracket/arm that screwed into the trim beneath the window. It worked fine until the untimely death of the car.
1303Steve wrote:Hi
The only problem with have a 3rd brake light higher than the rest of the lights is that it may take the following drivers attention away from your indicators for a split second.
Steve
P3090167.jpg
but that happens with ALL late cars steve...
but the extra stop lamp is a great idea...
and the reverse QH bulb...
but 55 watts does get very hot...lol
there are many types of plug & play Very Bright LED lamps on the market now.... ebay-Hong Kong -China..
and they are changing every month... lol
I always place reflective foil over the base of My tail lamps etc
so, they are seen... lol
there are some cheap copies of those tail lamps with very poor brightness etc... maybe Mexican... painted lenses..??
cheers
LEE- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---
Before I went to LEDs one of the biggest improvements i I noticed with elephants feet was having the bases sprayed reflective silver inside
Joel wrote:Before I went to LEDs one of the biggest improvements i I noticed with elephants feet was having the bases sprayed reflective silver inside
I still find that reflectors don't do much for LEDs that don't reflect sideways.... only a 45 degree angle of light..
so thats all that is concentrated onto the lens...
I tried them as reversing lamps, but weren't bright enough as the originals
but the LEDs are getting much brighter every month or so...
do You use amber LEDs for blinkers???
and non VW blinker unit???
cheers
LEE
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---
It was only when i had regular bulbs that the silver bases made any difference, as you said LEDs are too directional
Amber for the indicators, red brake/tails and white reverse with an LED compatible flasher can.
I've gone back to normal elephants feet lenses now so I've now fitted regular bulb for indicator and reverse for better light spread.
The reverse LEDs were very bright straight behind but threw no light to the sides and the LED indicators despite being wide angle werent as visable from the side
but I did leave the LED brake/tails in as they are 100x brighter from behind than regular bulbs
I mainly got the LEDs as the coloured bulbs ruined the look of my clear lenses but I'm back to normal lenses it didnt matter
In re to the whole LED situation I have fitted LED strips in the top of each light housing section and tapped into the corresponding light.. will get a pic of it tonight
but basically i left the standard incandescent globe and added the led string, actually makes a marked difference and looks awesome without being too gaudy
p.s my lights came sprayed silver like joels but i got in there and painted them black around the edges to give a 'smoked' look just have to make sure you leave enough silver for the reflection or you will have to repaint like i did :S
schnell!! schnell!! schnell!! schnell!!
Joel wrote:It was only when i had regular bulbs that the silver bases made any difference, as you said LEDs are too directional
Amber for the indicators, red brake/tails and white reverse with an LED compatible flasher can.
I've gone back to normal elephants feet lenses now so I've now fitted regular bulb for indicator and reverse for better light spread.
The reverse LEDs were very bright straight behind but threw no light to the sides and the LED indicators despite being wide angle werent as visable from the side
but I did leave the LED brake/tails in as they are 100x brighter from behind than regular bulbs
I mainly got the LEDs as the coloured bulbs ruined the look of my clear lenses but I'm back to normal lenses it didnt matter
i AGREE jOEL...
blinkers only go straight out...
same when used in reversing lights
I gave My stop/tail/ LED bulb to My Son - 55 beetle..
the LEDs aren't any good with front blinkers on front guards..lol.. only show UP...
although You can get Multi LED bulbs with LEDs everywhere
not sure whether they will fit into the blinker housing.. Lee
I buy all My LED lights from E Bay Hong Kong..
LEE
PS They are getting brighter - LEDs.. and cheaper..
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---
ive got a high line brake light which is just a red led stick from autobahn or the like and its mounted in the vents above the engine bay. it works reasonable well for what it is.
“We all pay for life with death, so everything in between should be free.” Bill Hicks
the chaos project - click me
barls wrote:ive got a high line brake light which is just a red led stick from autobahn or the like and its mounted in the vents above the engine bay. it works reasonable well for what it is.
As Barls said above and here's the link to the page he did it on
http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=25214&page=92.0slow 92 MK2
Made in Germany, Assembled in Africa, 'Migrated' to Australia
68AutoBug wrote:the LEDs aren't any good with front blinkers on front guards..lol.. only show UP...
although You can get Multi LED bulbs with LEDs everywhere
not sure whether they will fit into the blinker housing.. Lee
I buy all My LED lights from E Bay Hong Kong..
LEE
PS They are getting brighter - LEDs.. and cheaper..
Thats what i had in the front when i still had guard mounted indicators and they did actually work really well
Only problem is i cant use them in my new bumper mount 76 front indicators, I think they must be mexi-spec 'cos they use duel filament brake/tail bulbs as they double as parkers like the old HK-ish holdens not that i have them wired up that way
I have been waiting to get home for the weekend so I can access my home computer - here is a photo of my centre mount brake light - of course you may not want to add a scoop, and a lot of people reckon it interferes with air flow (and they could well be correct), but I like the look of it and havn't had any troubles in the 10 or 15 years I have had it.
I found it is very similar to the one in my daughters New Beetle incidently.
From your ole' mate Jeff
Yes, Joel
they are ones I've seen for sale on E bay in China...
I thought they may be too High ..
just found I have two of those on the shelf in front of Me..
twin contacts type.. offset pins..
cheers
LEE
Joel wrote:68AutoBug wrote:the LEDs aren't any good with front blinkers on front guards..lol.. only show UP...
although You can get Multi LED bulbs with LEDs everywhere
not sure whether they will fit into the blinker housing.. Lee
I buy all My LED lights from E Bay Hong Kong..
LEE
PS They are getting brighter - LEDs.. and cheaper..
Thats what i had in the front when i still had guard mounted indicators and they did actually work really well
Only problem is i cant use them in my new bumper mount 76 front indicators, I think they must be mexi-spec 'cos they use duel filament brake/tail bulbs as they double as parkers like the old HK-ish holdens not that i have them wired up that way
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---
Little bit of a hi-jack but while we're on the topic of cheap chinese LEDs I bought a pair of those flexible strips off Ebay to stick inside my speedo but they were a touch to wide
Thinking of how else to use them I stuck them under my dash just to see how they looked
Must say I'm surprised at the light they throw off, its like having a pair of flouros under my dash
and being LEDs they could be on for a month and not flatten the battery
Only cost me $6.99 delivered to my door and arrived in 3 days.
gonna hard wire them into the interior light switch so they work in door and on mode
beetleboyjeff wrote:I have been waiting to get home for the weekend so I can access my home computer - here is a photo of my centre mount brake light - of course you may not want to add a scoop, and a lot of people reckon it interferes with air flow (and they could well be correct), but I like the look of it and havn't had any troubles in the 10 or 15 years I have had it.
I found it is very similar to the one in my daughters New Beetle incidently.
HI Jeff
I have a new one of those air deflectors in My shed....lol
and have thought of those type of rear stop lights..
but not in that air deflector... lol
they are very common these days... the lights...
LEE
PS: what about fitting one to the roof above the rear window
LEE
-
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---
Joel.
I actually bought a pair of those on E bay...??
but the seller didn't have a Pay Pal account???
I paid, but received a reply from Paypal saying it was sitting in My paypal account as they couldn't transfer it... lol
strange that one..lol
its still in My list of won items...lol
LEE
Joel wrote:Little bit of a hi-jack but while we're on the topic of cheap chinese LEDs I bought a pair of those flexible strips off Ebay to stick inside my speedo but they were a touch to wide
Thinking of how else to use them I stuck them under my dash just to see how they looked
Must say I'm surprised at the light they throw off, its like having a pair of flouros under my dash
and being LEDs they could be on for a month and not flatten the battery
Only cost me $6.99 delivered to my door and arrived in 3 days.
gonna hard wire them into the interior light switch so they work in door and on mode
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---
Joel wrote:Little bit of a hi-jack but while we're on the topic of cheap chinese LEDs I bought a pair of those flexible strips off Ebay to stick inside my speedo but they were a touch to wide
Thinking of how else to use them I stuck them under my dash just to see how they looked
Must say I'm surprised at the light they throw off, its like having a pair of flouros under my dash
and being LEDs they could be on for a month and not flatten the battery
Only cost me $6.99 delivered to my door and arrived in 3 days.
gonna hard wire them into the interior light switch so they work in door and on mode
I have a set of these in my daily, hard wired in to the door warning light and for the money they work a treat.
I have bought some Hong Kong based LEDs for my tail lights. Not fitted yet but they are designed for motorbikes. However, also bought some for a third light (again not fitted) and for parking and reversing lights. Parkers are excellent but reversing lights already have 3 to 4 Leds not working and only 1 month old. Have found all that I have fitted (parkers and reversing lights) are definitely bright enough but are very directional.
68 Baja - It's a growing pain!
58 Baja ute - and the pain spreads!
85 T3 Kombi - still growing
89 T3 Kombi - parts car
What I am trying to fabricate up is a number plate surround with a 3rd brake light built in.
Hi
This is my effort, fabricated the brackets and modified the light
