'81-'83 Malibu taillight question.

clean8485

Weekend Racer
Jan 30, 2011
91
0
0
Has anyone here ever tried installing a third brake/taillight socket and bulb in between the existing 2 brake/taillight sockets and bulbs in the '81-'83 Malibu taillight assemblies? I thinking about a slightly different look, without spending alot of money. Thanks in advance.
 

t01blaze

Amateur Racer
Dec 14, 2011
247
0
0
South New Jersey
What about the turn signals?

I'd go right to the brake light switch above the pedal and tie into the brake light wire and run it back just for the 3rd brake light. Trust me, it sounds like a lot of work but it's the way to go.
 

malibuguy

Top Fueler
Sep 29, 2003
3,775
1
36
Finksburg, Md
www.cardomain.com
Going to do it with LED panels sometime in the near future. Just one of those 'when i get to it' things.
 

clean8485

Weekend Racer
Thread starter
Jan 30, 2011
91
0
0
Thanks very much for your replies.
t01blaze, what I was thinking about was trying to splice in a third functioning taillight/brakelight/turn signal socket, in between the 2 existing taillight/brakelight/turn signal sockets, then cutting an opening in the back of the tailight housing, in between the 2 existing openings, and plugging that third socket into the new opening, so that instead of having just 2 tailight/brakelight/signal lights in each taillight assembly, you'd have 3. Another idea I have, is to put a third light there, but instead of having it as a brake & signal light, it would be just a running light, with the small peanut (#194) light bulb in it, and just splice it into the existing side marker light wiring that's already there.
As I said, just trying to think of something that's a bit different, without the expense of going with LEDs.
 

t01blaze

Amateur Racer
Dec 14, 2011
247
0
0
South New Jersey
clean8485 said:
Thanks very much for your replies.
t01blaze, what I was thinking about was trying to splice in a third functioning taillight/brakelight/turn signal socket, in between the 2 existing taillight/brakelight/turn signal sockets, then cutting an opening in the back of the tailight housing, in between the 2 existing openings, and plugging that third socket into the new opening, so that instead of having just 2 tailight/brakelight/signal lights in each taillight assembly, you'd have 3. Another idea I have, is to put a third light there, but instead of having it as a brake & signal light, it would be just a running light, with the small peanut (#194) light bulb in it, and just splice it into the existing side marker light wiring that's already there.
As I said, just trying to think of something that's a bit different, without the expense of going with LEDs.

I understand. Get all 3 tail light segments lit up. How about some sequential turn signals?
 

clean8485

Weekend Racer
Thread starter
Jan 30, 2011
91
0
0
I understand what you're saying. I had a similiar thought, but I'm not sure how that could be done with the regular incandescent bulbs. What I was thinking about was trying to get 3 lights showing in the taillight housing first. As far as I know, or as I've seen, the sequential light conversion is easier to accomplish with LEDs. I appreciate your idea.
 

clean8485

Weekend Racer
Thread starter
Jan 30, 2011
91
0
0
Cougars had the sequential turn signals prior to 1970. They were also used on mid '60s Thunderbirds as well. I vaguely remember the setup that Ford used on those cars as being somewhat unreliable and problematic. As I said, I'd like to try to get 3 working lights in the housing first.
 

elcaminoss84

Frequent Racer
Sep 26, 2009
336
0
16
Oklahoma
I have a functioning third brake light on my 81 malibu all I did was get a taillight wiring harness from a 85-88 monte carlo that had a third brake light setup and plug everything in.
 

LS6 Tommy

MalibuRacing Junkie
May 15, 2004
15,847
1
38
North Jersey
On '80 the center is the reverse lights. We can't do the cool upgrade...

Stumbled across these:



Tommy
 
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