Another 3rd Brake Light, Simple to do Options

[mwyatt]

I recently installed a third brake light on my '74, for a total cost of around $20. I had a friend with a 914 that got rear ended by a pick up truck at a stop sign a few years ago, so I figured this light was worth adding (my friend was fine, his 914 needed some bodywork). In order to add a thrid brake light you will need to purchase the light itself, and you will need to have a drill and appropriate bits, wire connectors or a soldering iron, extra wire, and simple tools to remove the targa bar trim.

First, buy an LED strip, I bought this one from Pep Boys:


Next remove the three pieces of aluminum trim from the back of your roll bar. I believe I removed the two vertical side pieces first. There is a screw on top and a nut underneath the fender, then they slide off (you may not need to loosen the nut underneath depending on how the trim was reinstalled in the past, it's a lot easier if you leave it loose). The horizontal center piece is held on by three clips, one in the middle and one at each side. The piece will pull off at these three points. Be sure to use gentle pressure because the piece bends and dents easily.

Once removed, measure the horizontal piece and mark the center in pencil. Then find the center of the LED light. Clean the aluminum trim piece and then mount the LED strip to it, matching center to center (the LED strip that I used had an adhesive edge so it was simple to attach to the trim):


Next, drill a hole (or two) in the trim for the wires from the LED strip. The smaller the better here, make the opening just big enough to pull the wires through. Drill slowly to protect the trim. I drilled mine at an angle to make it easier to hide the wires:


Now, thread the wires through the trim piece so that they will not interfere with the clips. Make sure to pull them all to one side, and make it the side that the wires for your tail lights enter into your trunk (left on my car). I had wires coming from opposite ends of the LED I used, so I had to extend the wires on one side and pull them all to the left :




You may now reinstall the horizontal trim piece with the LED. The hardest part is getting the clips to work with the wires running behind them, but it is possible:


Run the ground wire from the LED to a ground wire in your trunk, and run the positive wire to the brake light wire in your trunk. On my '74 the brake light wire is a black wire with green stripes. Do a search if you're not sure which wire to use, there are some great resources on this site to help determine what each wire running to your tail lights is for. I had to add extra wire to the wires that came with the LED to get enough length. You can either solder them together or use wire connectors. Make sure to run the wire down the sail panel where it will be hidden when the trim is reinstalled, then underneath the engine compartment grill on the left and into the trunk. I used a special type of connector to tap into the ground wire and brake light wire (I forget the name of the connector, see pics):




Reinstall the vertical side trim on the roll bar and you are done!

Off:

(it is almost hidden in daylight when off)



On:



Good luck with your own install!