Blog
Brake lights
Sunday 13th April 2014
I have no bookings this Easter, which is very unusual. Perhaps vintage cars are going out of fashion with brides these days! But there is a benefit to this, as I have the chance to do some work on the cars. One of the tasks I have had in mind for some time is to fit brake lights, which may sound a bit strange but these old cars were manufactured without indicators or brake lights. This was perfectly normal in the 1920s when the few cars which were on the roads travelled at a gentle and sedate pace but today everyone zooms around at a breakneck pace and nobody understands the old fashioned hand signals.
I started with the New Zealand car. Firstly, I set to work in my little workshop in the garden shed and made a set of brackets to hold the lamps and these will then bolted to the rear chassis. I bought sets lamps which were designed for a mini but happen to be a perfect size for the Austins and proceeded to dismantle them, removing the bulbs and substituting LED lightboards which I bought from a chap in Lincolnshire. Next, I ran a wire under the whole length of the car, taking power from the battery to the lamps via a switch connected to one of the brake rods. Finally, I turned on the ignition switch, stamped on the brake pedal and allowed myself a triumphant smile as the lights flashed on.
The whole process will now be repeated on the other ivory car. I expect it to take about a week and confidently anticipate another successful outcome. Actually, it is extremely satisfying to plan this work, carry it out and improve the cars. If the wedding work dried up completely, I could still happily fill my time fettling the cars.