Wiring tail lights to flash instead of indicators?

[PULSE]

Hey guys, been a long time since I've been on here due to selling my Celica many years ago. However this forum can't be beat when it comes to guys who know what they're talking about! Apologies for the non-Toyota question - but I'm sure this might be helpful for someone wanting to do the same thing to their Toyota!

I've got a 68 Impala these days, which has 2 brake/tail lights (inner and outer) and 1 indicator (middle) as stock. I have replaced all 3 with brand new LED versions and have put in 3 stop/tail lights. What I'm aiming for is to have all 3 work as brake/tail lights, but when I hit the indicator, the correct side will flash all 3.

I'm also planning to run a sequential setup with kits online easily available but I need to get the above thing wired up first. (Sequential as in this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT-D26teCo0) Except only want the sequential setup for the indicating not braking.

Does anyone know how I would go about wiring this up?

[Hiro]

Ant/Gold28 did the flashing tail-light conversion on his TA22.
http://www.toymods.org.au/forums/sho...=1#post1384799

[playwme]

I'd say you'll need some kind of microprocessor controller or a shitload of relays and diodes. It's easy enough to wire the flashers to work when nothing else is on, the issue is doing a reverse flash (turning the lights off in flashing motion) when the tail/brake lights are on.

[jondee86]

Does anyone know how I would go about wiring this up?

The logic seems easy enough. One normally closed relay in the
brake wire to each side. The indicator circuit energises the relay
coil and powers up the flashers. Use diodes if necessary to stop
backfeed into the flasher unit.

Cheers... jondee86

[lexsmaz]

Hey Pulse, what colour are the rear indicator light's, if they are Red like the link you put up it should be OK, RWC wise, but if its Orange then I would think its a No go legally if you then have a Orange one flashing & Two Red ones flashing too at the same time ..

[wagonist]

The logic seems easy enough. One normally closed relay in the
brake wire to each side. The indicator circuit energises the relay
coil and powers up the flashers. Use diodes if necessary to stop
backfeed into the flasher unit.

Cheers... jondee86

I'm confused how that would turn the brake lights off when the indicators need to work while the brake pedal is depressed.

I was following a 68 Mustang the other day. They have 3 brake lights each side, which then light up in sequence (from inside to outside) when the indicator was on.
Very cool, but any ideas if they were standard like that?

[jondee86]

I'm confused how that would turn the brake lights off when the indicators need to work while the brake pedal is depressed.

That's what the relay does. When the indicator circuit powers up it activates the relay and opens the brake circuit.

Sequential indicators were factory on some American cars back then, but I couldn't say if the 1968 Mustang was one of them. As per the OP, it is easy enough to do if you have enough tail lights

Cheers... jondee86

[wagonist]

And how does the light power up with the indicator when the brake isn't on?

[lexsmaz]

Hi wagonist,

I was just going to say that i think the same power wire that opened the relay to stop the Stop light from coming on, on that side could be Tee'd off before the relay to Work the indicators or depending on how you had wired up the circuit opening relay it could probably work through that too, but you would probably need to put a diode in line to stop feedback to the other side brake light from flashing at the same time, which would work for the indicators by themselves .. But it then doesn't explain when the brake light is on & the indicators are put on but as the indicators flash there is not a constant voltage to open the relay & so the relay would be opening & closing as well too, so the brake lights would come on between the indicators flashing, maybe that's how they are ??? Doesn't sound right though would look very confusing, maybe you could put a capacitor or filter in line too to stop the issue but I'm guessing a fair bit there & I think at the end of the day if it didn't come out from the Factory like that I wish Pulse good luck trying to explain it all to the cops when they pull Him over ..

["Z" UTE]

Ford Thunderbird tail lights were fitted to some of the Shelby mustangs in the late 60's early 70's. So maybe a google search for them might find what you are looking for. Just Parts magazine has had the T Bird lights advertised by a major supplier. Yankee technology of those years would not have used any sort of micro processor.

cheers Chuck.

[jondee86]

And how does the light power up with the indicator when the brake isn't on?

The little electronic thing that causes the lights to flash is located at the rear... one for each side. The relay is upstream and sees constant power at the coil when the indicator switch is ON.

Cheers... jondee86

PS: Yeah... Thunderbird was the car I was thinking of... had a kind of light bar on each side at the rear. Could have had more than three bulbs each side.