3rd Brake Light Solution for 914, .... even if a GoWesty Part Options

[Tom_T]

Let me update this to say:

This is an economical ($25-30 part), easy & fast (1-2 hrs to stick-on & wire into tail brakelights/harness) for a quick 3rd Brake Light addition. This light unit is enclosed with wires & adhesive face to mount it to your rear window - no screws nor clips needed to mount the light & no reflecting glare off the glass.

You'll need to look at your 914 wiring diagram to see where best to wire it, but they can be dropped down behind the rear backpad & into the trunk &/or engine bay to tie into the brake lights & pull off any easy existing screw to body for ground.

This part is probably also available elsewhere - maybe cheaper - & is on sale in Jan 2015 at GoWesty (they put them on sale a couple of times a year as Monthly Specials).

There are also several other more expensive & complicated solutions discussed below & with links by other posters, if this doesn't suit your liking. .....

This should also work well for those who want to add a 3rd brake light to their 914 at reasonable cost, but you may need some extra wire to reach the taillight buckets/harness to tie into.

http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php...gory_parent_id=



I put it on our `88 Westy as per their instructions at the GoWesty website after my wife had gotten rear-ended in it a couple of years ago, & it works well & adds visibility to our "brick on wheels"! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

Happy New Year! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

[a914622]

The rear glass angle on the vanagon is the same as the Volvo wagons. There led brake light can fit on the lip of the rear vanagon shelf or direct mount to the glass. Way brighter and way cheaper. I have one of the gowesty lights and not sure if it would fit in the 914? Or I would worry about reflection off the rear glass?
Jcl

[mgp4591]

I saw a great solution for a 3rd brake light at RRC. Ernie had a unit from an 80s or 90s Chevy Suburban or Blazer- they bolt on to the upper tailgate with 2 bolts and come off just about that easy. The 2 wires tie into the brake light lead and a ground while the existing 2 bolt fit through the grill in the engine cover and bolt back up. Easy! Simple! And looks pretty damn good... I know, I know, THIS THREAD IS WORTHLESS WITHOUT PICS!!! I ain't got any but go to your local boneyard. They've got at least 10 of em there and they're cheap. Hell, buy 2 and give one to a friend as a late Christmas present! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/santa_smiley.gif)

[Cuda911]

Hmmm... yes... I'd like to see some pix of this.

[mgp4591]

Hmmm... yes... I'd like to see some pix of this.

They're mounted on the tailgate surface so they're designed waterproof from the factory- wish I had pictures to show you. I was thinking maybe 2 of them, one on either side connected to the turn/stop lights so you've got both signals and brake lights visible from above the taillights. More visibility= more safety.

[Tom_T]

The rear glass angle on the vanagon is the same as the Volvo wagons. There led brake light can fit on the lip of the rear vanagon shelf or direct mount to the glass. Way brighter and way cheaper. I have one of the gowesty lights and not sure if it would fit in the 914? Or I would worry about reflection off the rear glass?
Jcl

JCL -

The GoWesty one sticks onto the rear glass - so no reflection is possible - period. It's a clean LED unit & adds that is enclosed from the back (drivers vision) side.



This is on sale for $25 now - regular price is $30 - so I sincerely doubt that a Volvo part is going to be less than that!

I also doubt that the Volvo one is any brighter than this multi-LED unit.

It's an interior mount, so no need to be waterproof, although the casing appears to be similar to some other exterior trunk lid mounted ones that I've seen.

[Tom_T]

I saw a great solution for a 3rd brake light at RRC. Ernie had a unit from an 80s or 90s Chevy Suburban or Blazer- they bolt on to the upper tailgate with 2 bolts and come off just about that easy. The 2 wires tie into the brake light lead and a ground while the existing 2 bolt fit through the grill in the engine cover and bolt back up. Easy! Simple! And looks pretty damn good... I know, I know, THIS THREAD IS WORTHLESS WITHOUT PICS!!! I ain't got any but go to your local boneyard. They've got at least 10 of em there and they're cheap. Hell, buy 2 and give one to a friend as a late Christmas present! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/santa_smiley.gif)

Really! .... REALLY!! .... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

So you think bolting some truck lights on your engine grill is a better & cleaner looking solution - than just adhering one of these minimal height flat-n-wide LED units to the top of the 914 rear window just under the roll bar!!??

To each his own I guess.... heck why not just drill the rear trunk lid & bolt them on there L & R side!? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

Geesh ... try to help some members out, & the peanut gallery comes out of the underbrush with the hillybilly solutions! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

And I say that out of due respect, being a WVa Hillbilly & Indian myself! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[mepstein]

You wouldn't want to do anything to getto this car, right?

[balljoint]

Cold Epstein, very cold.

Tom, how is your 914 looking these days? Any upadates? Did you put one of these third brake lights on your restroom?

[balljoint]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) Ha! That should have read "restomod". Foiled by Apple autocorrect again! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[mgp4591]

I saw a great solution for a 3rd brake light at RRC. Ernie had a unit from an 80s or 90s Chevy Suburban or Blazer- they bolt on to the upper tailgate with 2 bolts and come off just about that easy. The 2 wires tie into the brake light lead and a ground while the existing 2 bolt fit through the grill in the engine cover and bolt back up. Easy! Simple! And looks pretty damn good... I know, I know, THIS THREAD IS WORTHLESS WITHOUT PICS!!! I ain't got any but go to your local boneyard. They've got at least 10 of em there and they're cheap. Hell, buy 2 and give one to a friend as a late Christmas present! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/santa_smiley.gif)

Really! .... REALLY!! .... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

So you think bolting some truck lights on your engine grill is a better & cleaner looking solution - than just adhering one of these minimal height flat-n-wide LED units to the top of the 914 rear window just under the roll bar!!??

To each his own I guess.... heck why not just drill the rear trunk lid & bolt them on there L & R side!? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

Geesh ... try to help some members out, & the peanut gallery comes out of the underbrush with the hillybilly solutions! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

And I say that out of due respect, being a WVa Hillbilly & Indian myself! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I didn't realize you were pushing your solution as THE ONLY solution- I thought is was a suggestion. And a good clean suggestion it is! I've seen a few nice clean 3rd light installs on this site- yours isn't the first. Nor is the one I saw the worst (or best) I've seen, it was merely another idea that I'd seen. It really doesn't look THAT hillbilly- looks alot like factory solutions in the 90s. Come to think of it, some of those looked pretty backwoods too! Does the light reflect off the inner sail panels and rear deck? If it does, it's a distraction you don't want no matter how clean it looks... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif) You haven't been sippin out of the Kanawha just down from the steel plant around Smithers have you?? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

[tomeric914]

Nice Tom!

Here's one of the other 3rd brakelight threads http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...er%27&st=20

Spoke's LED brake light conversion is one of THE BEST upgrades for visibility if you don't want to add a 3rd brake light.

[Tom_T]

You wouldn't want to do anything to getto this car, right?

Mark & Dave -

Unfortunately my 914 still looks the same as of now, although I've been able to source a bunch more needed parts for my resto (not a restomod) - which will be back to original CW & OE with only a few period correct accessories from dealers (Porsche Crest leather shift know, AM/FA/8-Track stereo, SSI HE's, as found on mine originally or added).

Hopefully to the shop this Spring! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

In the meantime since joining here in `09, I've done a full resto or rehab on my son's 88 Honda Civic HB, my 85 BMW 325e & 88 Westy & some work on my wife's toy 1960 Avion T20 (like an Airstream) ... as well as a ton of renovation/resto work on our 1921 Craftsman house - so too many projects going at once!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

Oh & having to run my business in some very tough times! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

So thanx for the dig Mark! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

[Tom_T]

I saw a great solution for a 3rd brake light at RRC. Ernie had a unit from an 80s or 90s Chevy Suburban or Blazer- they bolt on to the upper tailgate with 2 bolts and come off just about that easy. The 2 wires tie into the brake light lead and a ground while the existing 2 bolt fit through the grill in the engine cover and bolt back up. Easy! Simple! And looks pretty damn good... I know, I know, THIS THREAD IS WORTHLESS WITHOUT PICS!!! I ain't got any but go to your local boneyard. They've got at least 10 of em there and they're cheap. Hell, buy 2 and give one to a friend as a late Christmas present! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/santa_smiley.gif)

Really! .... REALLY!! .... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

So you think bolting some truck lights on your engine grill is a better & cleaner looking solution - than just adhering one of these minimal height flat-n-wide LED units to the top of the 914 rear window just under the roll bar!!??

To each his own I guess.... heck why not just drill the rear trunk lid & bolt them on there L & R side!? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

Geesh ... try to help some members out, & the peanut gallery comes out of the underbrush with the hillybilly solutions! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

And I say that out of due respect, being a WVa Hillbilly & Indian myself! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I didn't realize you were pushing your solution as THE ONLY solution- I thought is was a suggestion. And a good clean suggestion it is! I've seen a few nice clean 3rd light installs on this site- yours isn't the first. Nor is the one I saw the worst (or best) I've seen, it was merely another idea that I'd seen. It really doesn't look THAT hillbilly- looks alot like factory solutions in the 90s. Come to think of it, some of those looked pretty backwoods too! Does the light reflect off the inner sail panels and rear deck? If it does, it's a distraction you don't want no matter how clean it looks... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif) You haven't been sippin out of the Kanawha just down from the steel plant around Smithers have you?? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

No, my wife's dad was from down there in Summersville & thereabouts, whereas my Mom's side was from Paw Paw & Berkely Springs over in the eastern panhandle area, then some relocated to Pittsburgh we I was born - still in the Alleghenies! Her Dad was an IE for J&L Steel there!
So we drank the water there. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Not pushing it as the only solution at all - but you & the other posters initially were commenting without even knowing what the unit was nor that it attached to the glass.

And - sorry - but no, I don't think bolting stuff onto your 914 is a good idea! Even those dang unneeded rear trunk luggage racks & rear spoilers are rust-baits! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[Rand]

For only $19.99 you can adapt this kit to do two 914s! And no bolting required, they are magnetic! This gives you the amazing flexibility of mounting on top the targa bar when the top is off which eliminates the glare/reflection issue, or stick it to the underside for that super stealthy look!
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/tooth.gif)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.pplmotorhomes.com-3573-1420320116.1.png)

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-volt-magne...69626-8847.html

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[Tom_T]

Nice Tom!

Here's one of the other 3rd brakelight threads http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...er%27&st=20

Spoke's LED brake light conversion is one of THE BEST upgrades for visibility if you don't want to add a 3rd brake light.

I can certainly see going to LEDs in the 914 F TS & R Tail/Brake/TS/Reverse Lites buckets as a great visibility upgrade. I did our 88 Westy in LEDs all around for that reason.

I also helped a member on here a while back locate that Corvette 3rd brake light at your link for his 72 /4 restomod/6-conversion (IIRC he's up to a Tangerine 3.2L -6 in it now (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) ).

This GoWesty stick-on LED is a less expensive & easier to install without any drilling, but the con is that it is taller than the Vette one & blocks more view - unless you were to mount it behind one of the headrests which are blocked anyway (or 2 - 1 behind the L & R headrests). It's easily reversible by peeling off the light & pulling the wiring

The pro to the Vette one IMHO is that it is 1/2 - 1/3 the height of the GoWesty sold one & therefore blocks less in the window view, but the con is that requires drilling mounting & wiring holes into our 914's rust-prone sheet metal.

Having to battle the rust issues on my 73 since literally when I bought it 3 years old in 75, I'm reluctant to think of that as a good solution, & would instead try to do the Vette one as a non-invasive interior mount.

IIRC the Vette one I found for Scarlet914 was about $75-100+ (new/NOS), so for many using 914s as economical DD, this $25-30 GoWesty one is the more economical solution & easier/quicker to install.

If the Suburban LED is the same as the Vette one, then that has the same advantages, but I still wouldn't bolt it to the engine lid grill for the same rust concerns with the rubbing & blocking cooling air flow.

Also - since visibility is the reason to do this, on the engine grill the light will be 12-18" lower than if mounted in the rear window under the rollbar - inside or out - preferably inside without screws thru parts. But the rollbar's rear overhang may also conceal it from higher vehicles following when mounted at the rear window location.

IIRC Scarlet914 mounted his Vette 3rd lite without screws, so you could try PM'ing Andy to ask what he did to mount his, since he's not active much on here anymore & just a littl on 914club.

PS - GoWesty sources these from somehwere else & then marks them up, so you can probably find the same product elsewhere for the same or better price.

The primary reason I posted this here - as a new pos for anew solution, was that GoWesty had the 3rd light on their monthly specials (10%+/- off) which I check when I can, & had meant to put it on here for others in the past, but was just too damn busy on work BS - especially 2013-14. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

[GeorgeRud]

The nicest third brake light addition was one that I saw years ago. The owner had incorporated a Ford GT light into the top roof railing behind the targa bar. It looked factory original. Unfortunately I cannot find a photo or remember the fellow's name, but perhaps someone else on the forum may have the information.

If nothing else, it would be fun to walk into a Ford dealer's parts counter and tell them you need a third brake light for a Ford GT.

[Tom_T]

For only $19.99 you can adapt this kit to do two 914s! And no bolting required, they are magnetic! This gives you the amazing flexibility of mounting on top the targa bar when the top is off which eliminates the glare/reflection issue, or stick it to the underside for that super stealthy look!
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/tooth.gif)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.pplmotorhomes.com-3573-1420320116.1.png)

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-volt-magne...69626-8847.html

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) I got them at Walmart for less for our trailer, when the 7-pin decided to pop out & grind in half on the way from ABQ! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[Tom_T]

Nice Tom!

Here's one of the other 3rd brakelight threads http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...er%27&st=20

Spoke's LED brake light conversion is one of THE BEST upgrades for visibility if you don't want to add a 3rd brake light.

So I've pulled over the 3 key solutions I see at the other link above, & this is nicely done (that's in the UK) & looks like a Mustang one George mentioned (& several other similar ones at that link):

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i595.photobucket.com-14613-1390819038.1.jpg)

Altho I like this Vette/GM setup better, but for price & mounting:

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads/post-27-1378834174.jpg)

Or attach you own string of them from separate parts out there:

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads/post-10318-1379183363_thumb.jpg)

.

There are plenty of other choices out there & most are more than the $25-30 for the quick & easy GoWesty one, & I still say it's a choice of "to screw or not to screw" & your tolerance for additional rust chances from same.

Cheers All! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

[Tom_T]

These other solutions in the pix in my prior post above & at the links others have provided are all more expensive (parts) & involved to install than this quick stick-on & wire in solution from GoWesty, which can be easily done in an hour or two - leaving the rest of the day to (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving-girl.gif) !!

So I updated that to the first post with that info for anyone looking at it anew.