Custom LED Center Brake Lights
I was looking around for something unique for a center brake light. I didn't want to use the standard black plastic light on a stick that is in the back of most car windows.
On a treasure seeking trip to the wreckers, I did find two chrome metal interior reading light housings that look period correct (look like their from the 50s). One was from the most upscale, largest mid 80s Olds Ninety Eight. It is found on the interior C pillar. It is a 1/3 dome light that rotates. You can easily remove it without any tools. Just swivel to the right position and it pops out with a little elbow grease.
Mid 80s Olds Ninety Eight reading lamp on top, Mid 80s Buick Riveria ones on bottom
The Riveria unit is a little smaller and is not as smooth on the outer edge. It has small "spokes" and four edge protusions for grasping. It pops out with a screwdriver or piece of metal found on the ground in any wrecking yard. Either would make interesting turn signals or interior lights.
I'm going to mount four of the larger Olds' lamps in the roof just above the rear window. Sort of similar to the 58 Impala fake air vent. The soft curve should look pretty nice with the curve of the 54. Super bright LEDs will provide the lighting and some Tester's Candy Red paint will coat the clear frosted lens.
I took apart the lights and painted the lens with hobby candy apple red paint
Here's one painted lens and the backside of the assmebly
Originally, I was going to utilize the 4 finger clamps to mount the lights but after many hours of making mating clamping rings, it just didn't work. Out came my good friend Permatex Clear Silicon Adhesive and I siliconed them in place - sealed and mounted!
Here's what they look like mounted
Here's a closer view.
Other good choices to explore are the center brake/bed lights placed on the roof of late model pickup trucks. Some are pretty nice and chrome too! Starting around 1990, some full-size stationwagons had a center brake light housing mounted just below the window on the tailgate. They look pretty good also.
Here's an interior view showing the wiring - not pretty but it'll work and be hidden by the headlliner
Siliconed the wires in the groove and down the C pillar
I ran the wiring in the groove between the original roof and the replacement roof. It is definitely not pretty but it works. The original roof was damaged by either someone walking on it or warped when it was originally chopped. I heard both stories. It was cut out and replaced by a 53 Chevy business roof which had the smaller rear window. The wiring runs over to the driver's side C pillar and down into the trunk area where it joins the taillight wiring harness.
I'll have to take some pictures with the brakes lit up as they look fantastic! Way better than I expected. I had second thoughts after the holes were drilled but not anymore.