How to: Center high-mounted stop light, cheap and removable Options

[anderssj]

With what seems to be a lot of teeners being rear-ended during the past year, I decided to put an easily removable center-mounted stop light on my car. Turned out pretty well--pretty cheap too--so I thought I would share this.

First, I got a center stop light from a wrecked Volvo V70 (MY 1998-2000), part number 9151490. It was about $10 at the local PnP.



I was also able to get about 4+ feet of the wiring harness, which I cleaned up and reused.

I picked this light as I'm pretty familiar with Volvo stuff, and had noticed on the road that these were pretty bright, even if I wasn't directly behind them. In taking the light apart (curiosity can be dangerous (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) ), I found that the wide viewing angle is due to a couple of clear plastic diffusers.



Next step was removing a couple of ribs/mountings from the bottom of the light.



I used a rotary tool (dremel?), then sanded it smooth.

[anderssj]

Here's another look at the mounting flange from the other side of the light:



For now, I left the lip around the lens in place.

I epoxied three rectangular ceramic magnets to the upper surface of the light. They were 3/8" x 7/8" x 1-7/8" (9,5 mm x 22 mm x 47 mm) and came 2 to a pack (PN 07044, "the Magnet Source," available at the local hardware store).

I got a thin mouse pad at Office Depot, and fixed pieces of it to the magnets (mouse side to the magnet, so the rubber non-slip side is exposed). Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of this part.

You can kind of see the magnets between the upper surface of the light and the underside of the roll-bar here:



I had originally thought about using some of that 3M foam tape to attach the light to the rollbar, but opted for the magnets once I realized how firmly they hold on.

[a914622]

That is to funny!! The exact same light works for the Vanagons. The glass has the same slop as the Volvos. You just have to glue the black lip right to the glass. I was just holding one up last night to the teener glass.

I have a pile of them. Super bright!! and they flick on just a little faster than the bulbs so it gives it that flash effect.

FYI With a little glass work the light itself will fit the removable top under the lip. Thats were I plan on fitting mine.


Great light

jcl

[anderssj]

I cleaned the wiring up and put it in heat-shrink tubing. The Volvo wire is pretty small gauge stuff, as the LEDs don't use much current. I ran it along the upper edge and left side of the rear window, then into the engine compartment through the gap between the lid and the body.



I used a molex 2-pole connector to tie into a harness I made, one wire to the driver's side brake light (+), the other (-) to the ground lug on the body just above the relay board. (REMEMBER to disconnect the battery's ground terminal prior to doing any electrical work)

[scotty b]

That is to funny!! The exact same light works for the Vanagons. The glass has the same slop as the Volvos. You just have to glue the black lip right to the glass. I was just holding one up last night to the teener glass.

I have a pile of them. Super bright!! and they flick on just a little faster than the bulbs so it gives it that flash effect.

FYI With a little glass work the light itself will fit the removable top under the lip. Thats were I plan on fitting mine.


Great light

jcl

That's great until you want to remove the top. Then you're without the 3rd light again. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) I'd be more tempted to put that lights in the targa bar trim. That way they stay in place, they can be made almost invisible when off, and they are as high as possible at all times. This is the plan with my, and Dr. Evils cars whenever that time comes (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

[anderssj]

Here's a picture of how it looks with the brake lights on:



I guess that's about it--or at least all that I can remember right now (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Let me know if you have any questions and I'll do my best to get you an answer.

Hope this helps!

[anderssj]

Oh, I just remembered . . . I'm also thinking of tying in a brake-light flasher relay to increase the attention getting factor. Maybe something like this one:

http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/ca...obe-module/195/

Any experience with these?

[Kirmizi]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/thumb3d.gif)
Nice modification and write up.

[anderssj]

[/quote]
I'd be more tempted to put that lights in the targa bar trim. That way they stay in place, they can be made almost invisible when off, and they are as high as possible at all times. This is the plan with my, and Dr. Evils cars whenever that time comes (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)
[/quote]

Hi Scott--that's what I hope to do long term. I'd like to see what you have in mind for your car.

[Dave_Darling]

That's great until you want to remove the top. Then you're without the 3rd light again.

No, the light is on the underside of the targa bar. It's not on the top at all.

--DD

[a914622]

Ya i was thinking about that, but im not really a top off guy. I think in the 3 years i was daily driving a teener i only had the top off maybe 3 times.

The pictures of the light on really doesn't do it justus. I had the same problem whe i did a vanagon write up. I can tell you the volvo light will glow a stop sign a block behind you!


great choice of light.



jcl

[scotty b]

That's great until you want to remove the top. Then you're without the 3rd light again.

No, the light is on the underside of the targa bar. It's not on the top at all.

--DD

I was refering to a914622 idea of putting it on the top itself (IMG:style_emoticons/default/slap.gif)

[Cairo94507]

Hey I am having Scott add one of those clear high-mount brake LED brake lights into the targa trim bar on my car so it will be almost invisible until you step on the brakes.

I am also considering adding a small one in each of the top corners of the targa bar to be turn signals too. I figure if the high-mount brake light is around 12" the turn signals would be around 3". Any thoughts on that? I just want to be sure people see the car and I figure if we are already modding that piece of trim no real difference in adding the turn signals too.

[JmuRiz]

Crap, I should have sent my brake-light to him to do the same when I shipped my car down......

[scotty b]

Crap, I should have sent my brake-light to him to do the same when I shipped my car down......

I'll be up your way in the next week or two. I can stop by if you're free during the day or just leave it outside the garage

[AZ914]

Good Job!

[JmuRiz]

Crap, I should have sent my brake-light to him to do the same when I shipped my car down......

I'll be up your way in the next week or two. I can stop by if you're free during the day or just leave it outside the garage

Works for me, I'll dig out the part and make sure I'm around to meet up.

[montoya 73 2.0]

Looks great! Sorry to hi-jack but;

I installed Engmans light (corvette)






But I really want to do something similar to what Scotty was talking about.

Here is a earlier thread that Garland did back in 2005;

Ford GT 3rd brake light

[bandjoey]

I drive 60 mile per day and its saved my bacon several times. Mine is a pFlaps outside stick on. RN the wires under the trim. Any light is better than no light.

[mrbubblehead]

I drive 60 mile per day and its saved my bacon several times. Mine is a pFlaps outside stick on. RN the wires under the trim. Any light is better than no light.

That is clean. I really like that. My car is my DD too. Where did you find that?