Another \"Can I remove this?\"

#12

Yeh, that makes sense! Don’t want to be too overzealous in removing stuff.

#13

Proeagles wrote:

Definitely part of the "If it’s not specifically mentioned…"

And Proeagles is correct. I want everyone behind me to know when I’m using the brakes.

Carter

#14

one convertible trunk deck lid for sale including the pimpy attached 3rd brake light…

#15

My 3rd brake light is from a E46 Sedan. It’s a super bright strip of LED lights about a foot long. I’ll attach it to the roll cage so it pops out visually more because of it’s size, brightness, and position than the stock one. There’s no way you can miss it. Similar premade strips are made for alot of applications, you can grab them in the ricer section at autozone. I just found this one in the shop sitting and it works great.

#16

Rob:

While we want everyone to see your tail lights…remember one thing. If it’s not specifically mentioned in the Rules, it must stay as it came from the factory.

Adding/moving/changing brake lights isn’t mentioned so they should stay as they came from the factory.

Carter

#17

In the early style cars (pre 89’) the third brake light mounts to the rear parcel shelf. On the later style cars it mounts independently of the parcel shelf directly to the bottom window frame.

I am of the school of thought that the 3rd brake light is a good thing to have. However, while prepping the car I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to get it mounted in time for the event.

As a result I searched the rules and kept an eye out this past weekend. No where in the GCR does it say that a 3rd light must be present, only two (most of the FFR cars only have two).

My question is; since the 3rd brake light mounts to the parcel shelf and the parcel shelf can be removed legally, can the 3rd brake light in early style cars be removed or "modified" ala Rob’s and still be considered legal?

I had to fab up a custom mount to run mine. Once again, I don’t disagree with having one, but maybe we could clarify the rule to say it MUST be run.

JP

#18

155MPH wrote:

[quote]
My question is; since the 3rd brake light mounts to the parcel shelf and the parcel shelf can be removed legally, can the 3rd brake light in early style cars be removed or "modified" ala Rob’s and still be considered legal?

JP[/quote]

+1 - I’m going to have to add one back in, mine went with the interior panels :blush: NASA rules said two must be present, I didn’t think any more about it til now. Rookie…

#19

Please don’t remove the third brake light for everyone else’s sake. It makes it much eaiser to see you brake when in a crowd at very close quarters. It weighs maybe one pound.

#20

155MPH wrote:

[quote]

I am of the school of thought that the 3rd brake light is a good thing to have. However, while prepping the car I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to get it mounted in time for the event.

As a result I searched the rules and kept an eye out this past weekend. No where in the GCR does it say that a 3rd light must be present, only two (most of the FFR cars only have two).

My question is; since the 3rd brake light mounts to the parcel shelf and the parcel shelf can be removed legally, can the 3rd brake light in early style cars be removed or "modified" ala Rob’s and still be considered legal?

I had to fab up a custom mount to run mine. Once again, I don’t disagree with having one, but maybe we could clarify the rule to say it MUST be run.

JP[/quote]

First of all, we don’t want anyone to miss a race weekend because of a minor item. If you hadn’t got it mounted, it wouldn’t have affected your weekend, from an official view.

And by not mentioning that the third brake light can be removed, by default, means it must stay in the car.

Carter

#21

It is so easy to make a mount out of aluminum to put it back in the stock location I see it as a no brainer. The low weight of the light assy means you can use quite thin aluminum. I used .025. It can be bent in the vice by hand. A couple screws into the thing and ta-da!

#22

Carter wrote:

[quote]155MPH wrote:

[quote]

My question is; since the 3rd brake light mounts to the parcel shelf and the parcel shelf can be removed legally, can the 3rd brake light in early style cars be removed or "modified" ala Rob’s and still be considered legal?

JP[/quote]
By not mentioning that the third brake light can be removed, by default, means it must stay in the car.

Carter[/quote]

Carter - This doesn’t answer the question. The rules state that the parcel shelf can come out and with it comes the 3rd light assembly. This was my interpretation, not because I wanted the light out, but when I removed the shelf, the light came with it. My interpretation would be that the rules should be written - "Rear Parcel Shelf can be removed but the 3rd brake light must be retained. On early cars this required fabrication of a 3rd brake light mount" if you want people to know that the light must stay.

#23

He is right. You can’t mount the 3rd brake light without the parcel shelf unless you fab up something. I hate rules minutiae as much as the next guy, but the solution is not spelled out in the current rules. As it stands now…you can’t remove the parcel shelf, because the light attaches to it. Even though the rules say you can, you can’t.
Right?
Uh, right?
Uhhhh…

#24

My cage builder fab’d a bracket for the 3rd brakelight, it looks great, works great, and I’m damn glad to have it back there when I’m at ABS-threshold (or in heavy rain) in heavy traffic. Not that anyone asked, I would really like to see all the other SpecE30 cars ('86+ models) keep their 3rd brakelights. If you lose another bulb, it provides a sort of "backup."

#25

I searched for "parcel shelf" and got nothing. Therefore…

However, it’ll burn or flop-around if it comes loose. Mike and I are going through the final details of the Rules and are including the specific removal of the parcel shelf material. The 3rd brake light must stay, regardless of what needs to be done to securely mount it.

Carter

#26

Please consider the rule to allow us to replace the 3rd brake light.

As long as there is a 3rd brake light…

#27

Carter wrote:

[quote]I searched for "parcel shelf" and got nothing. Therefore…

The 3rd brake light must stay, regardless of what needs to be done to securely mount it.

Carter[/quote]

The brits call it a parcel shelf, it’s the rear decklid. And you are correct (I think) that I can’t find specific mention although it would seen odd to allow one to basically gut the interior but have to keep the rear decklid. I didn’t see any cars with one installed at the last event (although I only looked at a few).

Guess I’ll need to find a brakelight as mine went in the trash along with the panel and the rest of the interior bits. :frowning:

#28

I’m kinda new around here and have been lurking and looking for answers to questions I have regarding the rules. This Carter guy seems to pop up everytime there’s a question or a doubt. Obviously very knowledgeable with the rules. Is there a way I can get a hold of him privately to ask a few questions and go over a few things on a build I am currently working on? The "just" of it is that I started to build the car for BMWCCA KP. NOW, after the cage is in and the interior is clean, the guy decided he wants to build an SE30. Some of the things that are done can be undone but others are going to be next to impossible to accomplish. Or if he reads this my email is: ricky(at)vikingfibres(dot)com Many thanks in advance.

Ricky

#29

Carter Hunt and Mike Mills are the series administrators, our benevolent dictators.
carterhunt@aol.com
mike@mwmills.us

There are also regional directors in most active regions.
cheers,
bruce

#30

Thank you very much

#31

RedRocket wrote:

[quote] This Carter guy seems to pop up everytime there’s a question or a doubt. Obviously very knowledgeable with the rules.
[/quote]
:laugh: Yeah it’s easy for him since he (and M.M.) made them. I see that Bruce already gave you their contact info…Although I have no influence how you contact them, I would suggest that you post (at least most) of the questions in public forum because:

  • most likely question has already been discussed and someone can point you to it (faster response for you)
  • It helps SE30 community in general as it generates/preserves/educate the rest of the members with their builds (especially future members)

Igor