High mounted Stop light

[PeterAllen]

My engineer has 'recommended' a high mounted stop light although my 3/72 S30 didn't come with one. There are a few areas where I'm pushing the limits on regulations so I might go along with this 'recommendation'.

 

I'm not finding it easy to locate an 'in period' (i.e. non-LED) light that can be mounted on the glass at the top of the hatch. Does anyone know when they were first factory fitted to Zeds, i.e which model? Thanks.

 

Oh... does anyone have one in good nick?

[RB30X]

Your engineer should either say you need one or you don't need one. He can't just recommend things. Your car you be safer if you had big rally spot lights and a bull bar too but did he recommend them. There will be no era specific high mounted brake lights because in that era. No one had them. Not for a few decades.

[PZG302]

The high mount stop light only became a part of teh ADR's in either '85 or '86 IIRC, so there should be no need for one on your Zed. If you do fit one try to find an old XF/EA/EB sedan or equivalent dunnydore at a wreckers.

[620Z]

Just drive faster so know one comes up behind you. 

[PeterAllen]

... If you do fit one try to find an old XF/EA/EB sedan or equivalent dunnydore at a wreckers.

 

Thanks - The ADRs are all over the place with this project. The shell retains the Datsun ADRs, but the LS1 has to ADRs from when it was manufactured and the 250 GTO body has its own unique ADRs.

 

I might just hang a stop light from the roof cross-member near the interior light rather than attach it to the hatch glass.

[peter t]

Could mount a set of roof racks and fix one to that. Sorry trying to be funny. My mate has one in his Z. Must ask where he got it from. Will let you know.

[Zedman240®]

If I had to install one, I'd get one of those Hella LED rectangular models that just use double sided tape to stick onto the inside of the rear glass and can be angled to face the rear traffic. Nice and easy with some basic wiring which can be tucked under the hatch seal down to the rear tailights for power.

[Six_Shooter]

Is there a reason you don't want an LED 3rd brake light? By the sounds of it your car isn't a resto, with an LS1...

 

I used a LED 3rd brake light from a Chevy Astro van (north america market), and it fits well. Took a bit of work to get the wire through the hatch itself, but it really does blend in, and makes my car noticed when I hit the brakes. I wouldn't be surprised if the same light or something very similar was offered on a Holden. I'll get you some pictures if you are interested in seeing what I used.

 

If you decide to install the light inside the glass, you really need to make a shield (not the word I want to use there, but can't think of the proper term), that directs basically encloses the area between the light and the glass, so that none of it gets reflected off the glass and to the interior. Without that shield, not as much light will make it through the glass, making it less effective that it could be.

[PeterAllen]

...Is there a reason you don't want an LED 3rd brake light? ...

 

I'm trying to keep it in-period, i.e.1962 Carello/Lucas lights. I have the stop/park and indicator lights. I would be most interested in any photos you have, thank you.

 

...If you decide to install the light inside the glass, you really need to make a shield (not the word I want to use there, but can't think of the proper term), that directs basically encloses the area between the light and the glass, so that none of it gets reflected off the glass and to the interior. ...

 

A very good point - back to Plan A.

[gilltech]

My '74 260 which I brought over from NZ has a high level stop light, which was a mandatory retro-fit for certain era cars for registration purposes there. It's a Hella 'Matrix' unit, & it's a self-adhesive black plastic housing mounted to the top of the rear screen - has an adjustable (for viewing angle) LED light panel; so is pretty bright, but has no light spill to the car interior, & thin unobtrusive wiring that is easy to tuck away. Such units are commonly available in NZ, so I presume they'd be available here.

With the Zeds being small & low, & many being lowered some as well, personally I'd recommend fitting one to mitigate the risk of being hit up the bum by some tailgating dipstick too busy yakking on his/her mobile phone to watch what they're doing & yep there's plenty of those types around.

I fitted one to my '67 Mustang fastback too, for the same reason.