Third brake light ideas for Wagons/El Caminos?

[Longroof79]

I'm a strong advocate for adding any type of 3rd brake light on these cars...especially El Caminos and wagons with the taillights set low into the bumper. Many times cars come up behind you, or follow too closely and can''t see when you apply the brakes.

I feel you don't have to spend a lot of money acquiring a 3rd brake light. Just comb the junkyard and you'll eventually find something to your liking.

 

[Turbolq4]

From an 81 Malibu sedan

 

[Longroof79]

From an 81 Malibu sedan

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Are you sure that isn't an add-on? I don't think these cars had a 3rd brake light. Besides, it looks right the way it was mounted.

 

[Turbolq4]

Are you sure that isn't an add-on? I don't think these cars had a 3rd brake light. Besides, it looks right the way it was mounted.

Knowing the family that bought this car new I would venture to guess that it came with this. They aren't the add on type.

 

[CaliWagon83]

CHMSLs (third brake lights) weren’t mandated until 1986. I think the earliest you started seeing them show up is about ‘84. Anything prior to that would probably be a retrofit.

Exceptions would be early ‘70s Olds Toronados and Buick Rivieras that had them integrated into the rear sheetmetal.

 

[Ribbedroof]

From an 81 Malibu sedan

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Absolutely not OE for the car

It does demonstrate one issue for them, you really need to make a shroud that extends the edges out to the glass, as if it is any distance at all from the glass, it can make a very bad glare at night when applied.

A fair amount of later model stuff uses lamps at the top of the rear glass, a little salvage browsing should come up with something adaptable

Cali, just NO on the gate strips. Maybe on the top of the trim panel inside the glass (would be pretty low-key until lit), but not sunk into the gate

 

[CaliWagon83]

As much as I don't want to, I may have to ditch the air deflector to do this. Back to the drawing board...

 

[Longroof79]

As much as I don't want to, I may have to ditch the air deflector to do this. Back to the drawing board...

I'm sure there's other alternatives. Just got to put the ole' thinking cap on and apply some ingenuity. Be creative.

 

[oldsmobile joe]

I got a few from JC Whitney a long time ago. Mounted upside down from the rear hatch trim they clear the deflector no problem. I would have to search my stash to see what brand it was. I bought several thinking they would break easily. 20 years later I'm still using the same one. Didn't later G-body sedans use a third light that kind of stood up on a pedestal and pressed against the rear glass? I'm thinking one of those could be mounted upside down on a wagon very easily.

i like this idea from bonnewagon. an alternative would be two of these, each mounted vertically, one on the left side and one on the right.
or see what is available with flush mounted led's. like what trucks mount under their tailgate, but mount these up higher.
joe

 

[pagrunt]

The '76-'81 Chevy parts catalog list glass mounted add on "Lamp Package, High Level Stop" for '80-'81 as a fits-all (Group 21.298, p/n 999405). I do remember seeing them stuck onto back windows in the early/mid '80's. These was a fits-all for everything back then. Like every thing else from back then it's long discontinued.