3rd Brake Light Opinions?

[Alphamacaroon]

I wasn't planning on installing a 3rd brake light at first, but considering the number of excessively lifted monster pickup trucks that love to tailgate in my area, I'm starting to think it might be a good investment. I've seen others that have integrated it into the rear spoiler, but I'm looking for something a little more stealth. My state doesn't require a third light for kit builds, so I think I'm allowed to mount it at my discretion.

Does anyone have a build (or know of a build) that has put one on the rear facing hatch lip? Like this:

Screen Shot 2020-02-28 at 10.45.24 AM.png

What I like: I think you can buy lights with a clear lens and red LEDs— which would allow it to blend in with the racing stripes when not in use, but visible when lit. I think you can also get ones with separate white LEDs (basically a pickup truck brake/bed light combo) that would double as a nice courtesy light for the trunk area.

What I'm concerned about: I think most 3rd brake lights that are mounted internal to the window also have a baffle around them. I'm not sure if this is just for looks (which I don't need in this case), or if it's to prevent the light from being reflected back into the cab (especially at night).

Question: has anyone else tried this? If so, have you regretted it because it lights up your trunk like a Christmas tree every time you step on the brakes? Maybe that's a benefit?

Any additional thoughts/comments?

[jdavis500]

I considered this location as well. I thought about using a relatively low profile 3rd brake light/backup light combo from the rear exterior of a truck cab. Something mounted on the surface of the fiberglass would be nice because there is not much fiberglass to spare here. In the end, I was happy with the dimensions and shape of my light on the spoiler.

[David Williamson]

I put the 3rd light in the body, I was going to put it in the spoiler but it did not fit. I wanted a small hidden light, this one is 1/4 inch high.
Excuse the reflection from the floor in this picture.
back lights.jpg
David W

[John Dol]

632B0452-D2FC-4D31-96AE-1B95F500EEA1.jpeg

Here’s my F1 style light on the bottom of the body mount. On the right you can also see the motor cycle turn signal I put on the rear cage.
For the same reason as you described.

John

[Bob Brandle]

I'm planning on installing in my Gen 3 Coupe a CHISM inside the rear window 3rd brake light. One of my vehicles is a VW CC which has a sloped (fixed) rear window fairly close to the slope of the Gen 3 Coupe and it has a CHISM 3rd brake light mounted inside of the rear window at the top. See the below photos. I've been able to examine it up real close and believe that it'll work in my Gen 3 Coupe and that I'll figure out a way to tuck it up behind the horizontal roll bar and to/below or thru the hatch surround bodywork. I don't intend for the CHISM to be attached to the glass but be attached to the car and just seat against the hatch glass as the hatch seats closed. I've already bought a spare VW CC CHISM assembly. A bit of creativity and fabrication is what it'll take....common thread on these builds.

Yes, I believe the sealing of the light to the glass is very desirable, if not necessary, to eliminate the light leak and reflection off the glass throughout the rear cabin. This CHISM accomplishes that and I'm prepared to add a bit of foam to further improve the seal.
Yes, I realize that if this CHISM isn't tucked up really high, it might interfere with the "slit" visibility thru the rear window as viewed thru the central rear view mirror. I'll just have to see what it's like in mock up stage. Currently the body of my Gen 3 Coupe isn't mounted on the chassis, so I can't really verify this yet.

The VW CC CHISM measures overall: 13" x 3-1/2" x 3/4", so it is fairly thin and small.
2010 2011 2012 VOLKSWAGEN CC REAR HIGH MOUNTED 3RD BRAKE LAMP LIGHT P/N 3C8945087

Bob

[edwardb]

I buried mine in the spoiler, and I'm very happy with it. Looks OE and certainly gets your attention when on. But need the right fixture to fit and look decent. Details in my build thread. But that's off topic from the initial post. That top of the hatch opening fiberglass lip looks like another good option. Little harder to get the wiring up there, but no big deal. Just one observation. Highly recommend not putting anything in the sight path through the back hatch glass. The view from your rear view mirror is already very limited. Anything you put that would also be seen in your center rear view mirror is going to affect how much you can see overall. This is something you may not appreciate until later in the build and you're sitting in the seat looking out the back.

[Alphamacaroon]

Thanks again everyone for the great ideas and recommendations. Couldn't agree more edwardb— any solution would need to be clear of the already limited rear visibility. I'm most likely going to be adding a rear-view camera which is always on and has an LCD integrated into the rear-view mirror, so I should be able to have some amount of "x-ray vision" behind me, but we'll see if it works better in theory than in practice. So I'll be trying to keep the sight-line as clear as possible.

I really like the look of all the options others have posted here as well— thank you all for the ideas to consider. John, do you have a link/source for the light you used? Have you had any trouble with light reflecting back into the cab?

[John Dol]

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Custom-...3169988&sr=8-4

Jim,

This light can be on, or flicker. I put a toggle switch on mine to choose between the two. I don't have any road miles to speak to reflection. If you look in the picture you see a rear view camera in the spoiler.

John

[Bob Brandle]

I'll add some more research to my above VW CC 3rd stop light assembly suggestion.

As you can see in the accompanying series of photo images, I did a quick concept (tape) mounting of the VW CC 3rd stop light assy. to my Gen 3 Coupe's body affixing it to the hatch glass fiberglass body surround frame.
To me it looks like it will work quite well.

With the 3rd stop light housing in place, it looks thin and small enough to tuck up behind the bodywork, be able to be angled and positioned to mate with the sloping hatch glass as it lowers into its closed position and not be visible at all from the driver's rear view mirror.

I envision fabricating a sheet metal L-bracket of sorts to be bolted to the hatch glass fiberglass body surround frame and then hold/support and bolted to the 3rd stop light housing. I'll probably have slot mounting holes at both ends of this "L-bracket" in order to have some adjustability before tightening it all down. I'll also probably have a thin layer of black foam (adhesive backed) to help insure there is a good seal between the 3rd stop light housing and the hatch glass.

Bob

[Alphamacaroon]

Very, very, nice! Definitely another option I should consider. Have you considered mounting it to the window itself and have it pivot up with it? I could imagine some black glass primer trimmed out to the shape of the baffle and some strong double side tape (or a semi-perm adhesive) to attach it.

[David Williamson]

Good idea, should work well. Actually the view out the back with the mirror is not bad, but parking or backing out of a parking spot is not great. The car is low and the view to the side past other cars is bad.
David W