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Brake light idea

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Old 01-20-2004, 01:17 AM
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Default Brake light idea

Okay, after watching a few 96-99'* on the roads, I came up with a plan I wanna run by you folks to see how hard it'sd be.

I wanna rewire the center lights to have brake lights too, not just the running lights. Seems a shame to have all that clear plastic, and not use it to ward off tailgaters. or let granny know I'm actually going to stop for that light or sign. Basically , the more red back there, the safer I feel. And I think it'd just look cool!!
Instead "Okay folks, I'm stopping" I want it to say I'm stopping dammit

So, how hard do y'all think it'd be to tap into the wiring (not hard I know) and, the tricky part, get dual filament sockets to replace the stock ones?? Junkyard job? Or do they sell those by themself somewhere??
Old 01-20-2004, 10:16 AM
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my trunk lights are running lights too, but hte ones on the body are also brake lights, i think you could just get another harness like the other one, and splice it in.

Otherwise you could just have them wired to the brake signal, and not the running light signal so they're dark until you hit it, which is more of an on/off that others will notice more.
Old 01-20-2004, 12:29 PM
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Originally Posted by BonneMeMN
Otherwise you could just have them wired to the brake signal, and not the running light signal so they're dark until you hit it, which is more of an on/off that others will notice more.
The inboard lamps are just wedge-base #194 bulbs (marker lights), so while you could rewire them to come on with your brake lamps instead of your taillamps, in daylight it won't make much difference as people probably won't see them.

Just off the top of my head, you _might_ be able to swap in a more powerful wedge-base bulb that will fit the socket (along with rewiring it into the brake-lamp circuit), but I don't know what number to suggest. You could also do a little surgery and maybe squeeze in an 1157 socket so you could have actual tail/brake lamps there, although I don't know how close to the lens they would be.

A little off the subject here, but one thing I'm thinking of doing is rewiring the rear side marker bulbs to blink with the turn signals, like the front ones do. All you need to do is find the ground wire leading from the marker bulb, cut it and connect it to the power in to the turn-signal bulb on that side, so that basically the side-marker bulb straddles the taillamp and turn-signal circuit.
Old 01-21-2004, 12:55 AM
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The 1157 thing is closer to what I was thinking. I like the arcs in back when my running lights are on. I just don't get why they decided to just do the outsides as brake lights.

Ah well, one more project for this summer. My deck lid Pontiac, Jasons Bumper, and now my brake lights. Should probably go out and get a new soldering iron....
Old 01-21-2004, 09:37 AM
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Originally Posted by MOS95B
The 1157 thing is closer to what I was thinking. I like the arcs in back when my running lights are on. I just don't get why they decided to just do the outsides as brake lights.
Well, there _are_ higher-power wedge-base bulbs available that I think might fit the same socket: they're used as courtesy lights under the dash on some 1980s models. They have a larger envelope (the glass part around the filament) but I _think_ their base is the same size. Not absolutely sure; will have to take a look around the next time I'm at the store.
Old 01-24-2004, 03:46 AM
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I better start looking at switches for that huh MOS...
Old 01-24-2004, 04:06 AM
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Originally Posted by acg_ssei
Originally Posted by MOS95B
The 1157 thing is closer to what I was thinking. I like the arcs in back when my running lights are on. I just don't get why they decided to just do the outsides as brake lights.
Well, there _are_ higher-power wedge-base bulbs available that I think might fit the same socket: they're used as courtesy lights under the dash on some 1980s models. They have a larger envelope (the glass part around the filament) but I _think_ their base is the same size. Not absolutely sure; will have to take a look around the next time I'm at the store.
Replacing the current bulbs won't work. I want to still have the running lights, and add brake lights and turnsignals, and whatever else the outer lenses have. Once I see how much room is in there, I'll have to see what size double filament bulbs there are that will fit, and if I can get sockets for them, yadda yadda yadda...

And Jason, you may not need any switches for the light up bumper. I plan to wire my PONTIAC right into the running lights, so when they are on it'* on. Kinda like the Sunfire or whatever that little tiny Pontiac is...
Old 01-24-2004, 08:30 AM
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Sunflower
Old 01-24-2004, 10:48 AM
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Where are you going to put the turnsignals?
Old 01-24-2004, 10:51 AM
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I gotcha. I'm not moving the signals after all, huh? That'* them little yeller pieces...
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