What up guys?...I was planning on shaving my 3rd brake light soon but one thing I can't decide. What gauge would you guys suggest using? My father said that 16 gauge would be good to use but I thought I would consult you guys. I know someone out there has done this so give me some advice....

 

The best thing to do is to buy or borrow a caliper and use the same thickness material that the body is made from. That way, you can cut it to size and bend it to shape and hold it in place with a magnet from the other side while welding it and you won't have to fill or grind to make it match.

 

You'd better check with your highway patrol and see if that's legal. I think that the third brake light is required by federal law, and if it is, that law may make it illegal to get rid of it. Which means you may get a ticket and be told to put the light back in. In addition, its there as a safety feature; it makes it easier for people to see you from behind. Its never a good idea to get rid of a safety feature.

 

maybe its a showtruck, who knows. do with it what you want.

I like the caliper idea...



[threadjack]
Also you ride BMX? in kentucky? you lucky bastards have the louisville park eh??

im jealous...[/end threadjack]

 

Don't shave it. Make a custom housing for the brake light, flush mount with the cab, and have transparent paint ontop of it, so it's shaved, but when you press the brake, it still lights up through the paint. Seen it done on tailights in a couple of mags.

 

Well, shaving it is outta the question. I just called my local State Police post and they said it would be ticketable. Put I am very interested in this "transparent" shaving idea. Would I just french it into the cab or what? Elaborate please...

 

Never seen HOW it was done, but the bulb was recessed down into the roof/headliner area. There was then the plastic cover made in the shape of the 3rd brake light that fit just like sheetmetal would to shave it, then it was bondoed in (i think, dunno really anyother way to flush mount plastic to metal) and it had a very light coat of paint on it, so when the light illuminated it shined through the paint, but when the bulb was off it looks shaved.

That was kind of my bs guesstimate/poor memory description, hope this helps.

 

You would basically be changing the mounting of the light from exterior to interior. Remove your stock light and see how its mounted, you may be able to modify it enough to mount it from the inside out...of course you would need to do some metal work to smooth it out and all but that would be the easiest way to do it...or get an a small LED light bar and just fill in around the exisiting hole to match up with the LED light bar...that would look cool, plus with the LED you could "sink" it into the bodywork cuz you'd never have to replace it so long as you get a quality unit.