I ALWAYS hated those add on units... but I have to admit, I've softened based on the inability to think/drive that surrounds me.
A Poor Man's Master Cylinder Upgrade
- Thread starter Gerald Morris
- Start date
Gerald Morris
Senior Member
No ****! These morons NEED a third light. Most of them need a PERMANENT THIRD LIGHT. Send 'em to a parking lot to toke oleander or something.........
I knew it was the beginning of the end when I first saw taillights on their sneakers...and they never signaled properly or accurately showed a stop coming.
mr. fix it
Old Man with a Hat
Been running a 3rd flashing light under the license plate for 4 years now...
It's LED and I got the 3rd brake light kit from Fleabay for about 8 bucks...
It's a bit small unit and the wiring is very thin but it works.
It's LED and I got the 3rd brake light kit from Fleabay for about 8 bucks...
It's a bit small unit and the wiring is very thin but it works.
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That's a nice way to cover your *** without the big ugly add-on...
Gerald Morris
Senior Member
I had an LED light stick over my license tag for 3 yrs, but being naught but sino-plastic, the AZ sun cooked it to disintegration, so I found an original Mopar license tag fixture for the '66, (ePay) cleaned it up and found an LED bulb for that socket. That proved to be so bright that I hooded the top half of the clear acrylic lens with aluminum foil tape to keep the light on the plate and NOT in the eyes of traffic behind me. These fixtures make it very difficult to use a locking gas cap, so I removed my cheap VatoZone one and restored the old simple steel factory cap. Since I HATE locking gas caps, I count this as no major loss unless I go somewhere that has a high probability of siphoning theft. I can take a pic of it come sundown if anyone is curious.
Ugly as an LED 3rd light bar is, after being rear-ended over 4 yrs ago, which enabled us to purchase Mathilda, I mean to make it GLARINGLY OBVIOUS when braking. A C body Mopar with a ruined rear end is uglier than almost any light fixture.
Eventually, I hope to find a tasteful small amber side-marker for the front turn signals and fog lights.
ALRUI
Member
mr. fix it
Old Man with a Hat
ALRUI
Member
John Kirby
Active Member
Was driving my daughter to school this morning. A RAV4 was in front of us with no brake lights except for the third light. It does have it's purpose.
Gerald Morris
Senior Member
They do alright. Mine is located inside, up at the top of the rear window on little L brackets. I wired it off the left turn/brake light, so when making a left turn, it flashes along w the tail light. Otherwise, it works with the brakes. I don't feed it from the normal tail light circuit at all, so it ONLY shows when it needs to signal a change in velocity. I'm very pleased with this $25 investment. Next up will be amber LED strip on 1/4 panel molding right under turn signals, to show from the side. A '66 has NO side markers unless its a 300, and not much even for those tail lights.
Gerald Morris
Senior Member
FWIW, YES, OF COURSE I tested the system after getting it together, then bleeding the lines heavily. It did alright, though I bled it again later that week. I've been running the new MC now over 2 months satisfactorily. It doesn't throw any harder than the old single pot cylinder, but it certainly doesn't do worse, is clean and new, with new synthetic DOT 3 fluid now in the lines. If I'd had more time to totally replace everything, I would have gone to DOT 5, but one picks the battles one can win....
mr. fix it
Old Man with a Hat
I ran Dot 5 until early last year
I had a hard time getting a good pedal with the update so I ended up wth Dot 4
Been happy since with the feeling of a firmer pedal
I had a hard time getting a good pedal with the update so I ended up wth Dot 4
Been happy since with the feeling of a firmer pedal
I can't think of that as a "purpose", although I see that almost every day here in FL. If someone can't be bothered to check that their lights are working once in a while, I don't know that I believe they deserve to be driving. I went almost 2 years with one headlight, just to see if I'd get pulled over... never happened, this state and Orlando in particular does almost no traffic enforcement. The motoring public has only gotten farther and farther from my opinion of what being a responsible motorist is.
volksworld
Active Member
btw gerald if you dont like power brakes failing you should try the wonderful innovation that my motorhome has...a hydro-vac system that runs off the power steering pump...so if you throw the belt or the engine stalls now you've got a 12000 lb vehicle that wont stop or steer....
'66 Fury I
Active Member
This is the way I set up the brakes on my '66 Fury and after 29 years, zero problems. I've been using the silicone fluid all this time. The thing I also like about this is that most people don't even notice it is not factory! I thought I was the only one left who prefered drum brakes!
John Kirby
Active Member
My solution was adding an electric vacuum pump. Got the idea from a motorhome site. The one I'm using is a Hella pump from a GM vehicle. Plenty of them in junkyards waiting to be crushed. Cost about $35, a lot less than buying new. I suppose it's a point of failure too, but it's spliced into the vacuum line from the engine. Not very likely both would quit at the same time. I installed it because the bigger cam reduced the vacuum a lot.
Dan Scully
Well-Known Member
I basically did the same thing, I would have to look up the part # for the master cylinder. It was a 67 Chrysler if I remember correctly. Have had this setup for years with no problem with drums all all-round on my 64 880 wagon.
Gerald Morris
Senior Member
Electric pumps, and electric accessories in general DO appeal to this BSEE! IFF I see fit to ever put a booster between my quadriceps and the master cylinder, an ELECTRIC vacuum will be a must. I'm also evaluating all electric cooling for the engine and tranny. Tucson STILL is getting 100 degrees Fahrenheit in mid October, and I drive daily in town. Such a harsh environment requires optimal cooling. I'm more inclined than ever to go to all electric cooling and a modern alternator capable of about 130 A. This all can be obtained and installed with little trouble and will relieve the crankshaft of a significant parasitic load required presently to keep the engine from melting to a puddle of hot slag.
Anyway, I'll put any more on this topic under the Heating and Cooling heading....
As far as brake lights go, take a look at mine, which are all red LEDs now....
JimmyG
Member
Great article. I am currently doing this very upgrade. I noticed a question regarding master cylinders for manual disc brakes. My 1973 Charger had manual disc/drums that worked like a charm, required minimal foot pressure and never caused me any concern during some 36,000 miles of hard driving (I was young). This is a fairly heavy car, too. A quick check of the parts books for that master might prove helpful. Can't wait to complete this upgrade!
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