Someone I know used to have a T Bird with a brake light switch so when he saw a cop he could hit the brakes and flip the switch so the cop wouldnt see his lights. Thinking of installing one on my 91 rs and I'm just wondering if anyone has done this to their camaro and any problems, tips, ideas?

 

Has noone ever done this?

 

Well, besides the fact it's HIGHLY ILLEGAL...
doubt it.
and if they had...would they admit it?

 

Radar detectors are illegal, does that mean noone uses those. Besides, its just information. Its not like im asking anyone to install it.

 

i was actaully thinking about doing this i would be really carefull tho being that if you forget and you leave your brake lights off your asking for trouble hmm but i would do it maby if it gets warm next weekend ill figure out how i can wire it in.

 

Yes that would definitely be something you need to be conscious of, that would not be good to be hitting your brakes and the guy behind you seeing nothing. Anyways, if you do it let me know how it goes and any tips/pointers. I'm waiting to get my car back from a new paintjob, should get it tonight so i might install the switch next weekend.

 

I can think of a very easy way to do it.

Wire a momentary, spring loaded switch into the brake light switch wiring. Mount the switch in a convenient, easy to reach spot. With the switch depressed, it will "open" the brake light circuit and the brake lights won't come on, when you are pressing the brake pedal. Release the switch, and the brake lights work like normal. Since it is spring loaded, you don't have to worry about forgetting to turn the switch back off.

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FORMULA 350 TK
Southern California 3rd Generation F-Body Organization©

 

I like Tom's idea about the momentary switch. The type you'll need, for this application is a "normally closed" momentary switch, which probably isn't very common, but Radio Shack should have it. Unless you know how to wire up a relay, get a good beefy sized one.

Anyway, regardless of what switch you buy, the wiring is extremely simple. Remove the "hush panel" under the dash, and you'll be able to see the switch attached to the brake pedal. Using a test light, find the wire that shows 12V+ when the brake is applied. (Or I can look up the wire color for you at work if you'd like.)

All you have to do is cut the wire in half and wire each end up to your switch.

You could even get a second switch wired to your parking lights in a similar manner. You could keep your headlights on to see where you're going, but disable all of your other perimeter lighting so no one can follow/chase you.

 

I actually just got that idea for the taillights today before i read this because i read a story today of someone turning all their lights off to run from the cops but kept having to turn them back on to see. I really like the idea of the spring loaded switch. Now does that mean you would have to hold the switch down, or how long will it stay off? Sorry just a little confused on exactly how it would work but get the concept. Thanks for the info on the wiring, if you could look up the color it would be appreciated

 

If you used a momentary switch, then the tail lamps would only stay off as long as you kept your finger on the button. The drawback would be if you needed both hands to do some fancy driving. But like Tom said, this would guarantee that you dont accidentally leave the switch activated, always leaving your tail lamps off. And radar detectors are legal in most states.

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1989 IROC-Z 5.7L

 

Thanks for the info, and Omar, I stand corrected, however here in california where you and i are from radar detectors are not legal.

 

Heh this is getting Knight Rider ish .. ("oil slicks shooting out ") hehe but really if you where going all out you could put a momentary swich and a regular swich incase you have to do that fancy driveing im settleing on 3 swiches.. one to turn off the rear lights completly but have the painless wireing arcraft button cover this way i use it only when i have to and add a warrning light when thats on .. one to turn them off completly (srping swich ).. one to tunr of the brakelights( spring swich )

How would i wire the back light off completly swich .. and allso where owuld be a good place to hide the swiches? perhaps the ash tray ???

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Dont Race Cops apparently you cant do that! -Dellz

 

i was thinking the same thing as far as the warning light when backlights are switched off... the only problem with the ashtray is the spring switch needs to be easily accessible because you dont want have to be in a bad position to drive while holding the switch. I'll take a look at my car later to see where a good place might be, i cant visualize it right now.

 

See my question is this....do you try to hide the switches, or do you just have them disguised as something else. If you were to disguise them, how could you go about that. Geez, by the time im done installing all these switches in my car its gonna be like the batmobile....speed limiter switch, brakelight momentary switch, tailight cutoff switch, warning light....not to mention the killswitch hidden somewhere also. Any more good ideas?

 

on of my intentions where to hide my radar detector in my overhead concole but that dident work out eheh turned into a mess do you have a overhead concole you can put the warrning light there and i wouldent discuse the swich i wouldent mark it either i really think if you do it good enought you can hide it in the ash tray nicely but if your car ever gets inspected by police looking for pot then thell see thoes :T i was gana put police strobe lights in my car and hide the swich tehre .. i wanted scare poeple on the highway even tho thats extremly illigal .. thats what made me decide aginst it

 

lol dellz you seem like my kind of guy...too bad you live in ny otherwise we could both go cruising and scare the **** out of some people. Like i said im gonna sit in my car and check out a good position for the switches. Ill check out the ashtray idea too. Also if they ever find the switch just say its to make it look like you have an alarm....the warning light will look like you tried to make a fake alarm indicator.

 

Josh, radar detectors are legal in CA. They are not legal in Washington DC and Virginia. All 50 states prohibit commercial vehicles from having them. I have also read that some municipalities have laws against them. Has someone told you that they are illegal in your town?

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1989 IROC-Z 5.7L

 

I know of a few people who have gotten them confiscated by cops....however what i dont know is whether that cop had the right to take it, or if he was just being a **** and took it anyways....so i guess i could be wrong...do you know of any websites to research this?

 

Lots of fun stuff to read at www.speedtrap.com