Adding brake lights and turn signals on Brass Car

[bdtutton]

I recently purchased a 1914 Touring car (build date October 1913). I plan to add a electrical system with battery to power brake lights and turn signals on the car. My first thought was to add a second brass oil tail lamp on the passenger side and put 1157 style 12 volt lights (dual filament) in each one of the lamps and basically turn them into regular tail lights. My second thought is to find some small, bright brake lights and turn signals that will be functional, but not overly obvious....maybe even kind of hidden.
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Does anyone have any good examples of integrated or hidden tail lights on a Brass Era car??
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[Steve Jelf]

I picked up a couple of these at Hershey for my 1915. I don't know if they're running lights or motorcycle tail lights. I plan to put LED's in them. I'll put LED's in the side lamps for front signals. A Google search of the forum should find some diagrams and instructions that have been posted before.

[Novice]

Goggle motorcycle tail lights. and search amazon as well. a lot of small brake/tail/run lights that might work. some are flexible and can be formed around a fender or other location. also the vendors sell brackets that attach to Your top tie down posts and takes a standard model T tail light. would look better on a brass car than what I have. had some made for My 26 that use IMG_20180626_203930210_LL.jpg[/attachment] HF trailer lights with dual lens red on rear orange on front. use it for front and rear turn signals. rear tail and stop light. Picture is washed out. color is bright red. stop light is on. front of light is amber it is washed out too. but it is very visible day and night.

[TRDxB2]

I originally proposed a single motorcycle tail/brake/turn single light. After checking some laws for proper height of taillights turns out there are a few common requirements by State (consider these "laws" as providing safety & making the lamps useful as intended and not restrictive).
Two lamps on either side of the vehicle at the same height are required a
The lens should be reflective, if not reflective a reflective marker is required
Smoking (darkening) the lens is prohibited
The lamps should be visible from 500 feet in the reverse direction
A basic explanation of lighting requires and easy to read https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automotive_lighting
The FULL and extensive legal regulations (not for anyone) https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/571.108

[WayneJ]

This is something I have struggled with myself. If the tail lights are too unobtrusive they somewhat defeat the purpose. I have done 3 iterations of tail lights myself, which I will share in a moment. For my 1915 roadster, I use electrified side lights as the front turn signals. While I have LED bulbs in the tail lights, I use regular filament bulbs in the front turn signals, so they don't hyper flash. The vendors sell a tail light bracket that attaches to the top saddle iron, which you can then use a standard electric Model T tail light. I like this solution best for a touring car, as it is very visible, and still "Model T-esque". I think it works less well on a roadster, as the roadster saddle arms are further forward on a roadster. Here is he vendor bracket on a roadster:

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Here is a similar, owner built bracket on a touring car:

Here is my tail light journey (which is complicated since I carry a rear mounted spare on my 1915)( I also don't believe in making any additional mounting holes in any of the metal):

A little too obvious, but certainly visible:

Less obvious, and I decided that was a problem, in that the rear turn signals were only visible to vehicles directly behind me:

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My current tail lights, are 1915 kerosene tail light and a side light with a red lens, on brackets I made up, which don't make holes in any metal:

In an additional response I will post photos of other tail lights that I have seen, in case those examples are helpful for the poster.

[WayneJ]

More tail light examples:

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[WayneJ]

One more:

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[TXGOAT2]

Very prudent... and very nice job.

[vech]

When I installed directional and brake light on my '15 Touring car, I went to great lengths to insure that I did no damage at all to the oil running lights or oil tail lights. The wick assemblies are still in all the lights. I took them apart, and put the carriage bolts in a lathe, and drilled a hole through the carriage bolt, in order to bring the 22 gauge wires into each of the lights. I used LED brake/tail light boards for antique BMW motorcycles in my rear lights, and added a second original oil lamp tail light to the rear of the car, in order to have directionals and brake lights on both sides.

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