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W123 3rd brake light install -- pictures
I've looked through a lot of threads mentioning the 3rd brake lights that people have been adding to their early Benzes. Lots of good advice but I can't find any mention of how to route the wire from the light to the best place for an electrical connection in my 1985 300DT.
It looks like I can punch a tiny hole through the parcel shelf near the window and thread the wire down through the gas tank area to one of the taillights, there to tap into the brake light circuit. However, I'd prefer to hear from someone who has already done the job, so I don't puncture something that I shouldn't. My order from Daniel Stern Lighting will arrive soon and I'd like to be ready. Jeremy in Santa Rosa, California [Edit -- see later post with pictures]
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"Buster" in the '95 Our all-Diesel family 1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car 2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022) Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762 "Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz." -- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970 Last edited by Jeremy5848; 06-27-2006 at 09:50 PM. Reason: New information available adds to value for forum users |
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Just curious, but are you going to use a third brake light from another MB like a W124 or 126?
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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later! -German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123. |
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LED 3rd Brake Light
The light is one of the LED creations that Daniel Stern sells. See http://www.danielsternlighting.com/products/products.html.
Jeremy
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"Buster" in the '95 Our all-Diesel family 1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car 2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022) Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762 "Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz." -- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970 |
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Jeremy, I just installed my 3rd brake light from D. Stern. I drilled a hole from inside the trunk - out to the rear shelf. The secret is to just miss the vacuum tank - you'll see it from inside the trunk. The hole will come out very close to the brake light so you can route the wire into the trunk.
I have not wired it up yet, as I have to determine which wire is the brake light wire. It splices into that. I have a schematic, I think it is red! Good luck! roncor |
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Here's what I did.
Roncor, here's what I did. I didn't want to drill a hole, in part because I don't like doing irreversible things unless I have to and also because I was afraid of puncturing the vacuum reservoir. I discovered that I could lift up the fabric-covered hardboard with a wooden wedge between it and the metal underneath, and snake the wire through the crack at the edge of the rear window.
Then I routed the wire through the opening for the first aid kit and down into the trunk. From there, the connection to the brake light wire (under the plastic panel, on the driver's side) was easy.
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"Buster" in the '95 Our all-Diesel family 1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car 2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022) Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762 "Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz." -- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970 |
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Quote:
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And the pic of it lighted up would be????????????????????
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Picture
Good idea. Later today.
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"Buster" in the '95 Our all-Diesel family 1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car 2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022) Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762 "Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz." -- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970 |
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Pictures
Here they are. I took them with the car still in the garage, so the contrast would be better. Nighttime would be even better but I know you don't want to wait.
1. No lights 2. Brake lights 3. Tail lights (I used the European "fog light" position for a second taillight bulb instead of a second brake light bulb, since I felt the "third" brake light was sufficient) 4. Tail lights plus brake lights. I have on order from an eBay supplier a gadget that is supposed to blink the third brake light three times before turning it on steadily. This is supposed to grab the attention of the driver behind me. We'll see. Jeremy
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"Buster" in the '95 Our all-Diesel family 1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car 2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022) Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762 "Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz." -- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970 |
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Very nice set up, that's what I'll do should I go about installing the 3rd brake light. I'm curious if anybody has done a similar set up on a 123 wagon, since the tailgate tends to get opened once in a while I would presume that the constant slamming of the tailgate shut will cause the adhesive to rip off after a while, should I install it on the rear glass.
Even more curious as how you'll install the flasher relay/device on the third brake light. Seen these in some newer models, very effective. It did catch my attention and I had to glance twice to double check that it was flashing!
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http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7271/7...144c3fc1dc.jpg |
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Quote:
Jeremy
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"Buster" in the '95 Our all-Diesel family 1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car 2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022) Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762 "Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz." -- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970 |
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Pics look good. I know a place called webelectronics.com sells the flashers. Don't know if they are model specific or not, can't see that they would be.
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#13
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Our goal with our additional lighting was to blast as much brake light onto the road as possible with the existing circuitry. Gotta get those SUV driving people's attention!
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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life- '15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800) '17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k) '09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k) '13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k) '01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km) '16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k) |
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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver 1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone 1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy! 1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits! |
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Nice job on the that Jeremy!! That is a huge difference. I think I may wind up doing that myself!
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AJ 1985 300D (SOLD) |
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