Roger Quintero

I have an emergency brake warning light that I forgot the location where the bulb is connected?
I believe the emergency brake bracket connects to the hand brake shaft, the hot lead connects to the fuse box and the bulb connects where? Anyone out there remember? My wiring diagram shows it connects but not exactly where it connects, or I just cant find it on the diagram.
Rog

Frankie the Fink

If you are one of those few, very lucky people to have an original emergency brake warning flasher this is how it goes (see picture)... The "hot" lead for the switch goes to the "BRAKE AL" lug on the fuse box (as shown below).

The bulb (it has to be a flashing bulb in a '61!) goes behind the speedometer at a height that is the same as the BEAM (hi beam indicator) only on the opposite side of the speedometer...that spot should have a red cover that says BRAKE on it.

BTW - Many cars are missing the little metal 'nub' on the parking brake handle that activates the warning switch...make sure you have yours !

Roger Quintero

It is all there including the nub. I dont have the speedometer with me, I am sending it off with the rest of the gauges. On the left hand side there are three bulbs, It is the center I think.
Rog

Frankie the Fink

The bulb goes here.

Roger Quintero

Pictures is worth a thousand words.
Frank, you must have a thousand show and tells. That's great!
Rog

Redbird

Frankie's switch looks just like my 62!

Frankie the Fink

Very well might be -- I have a black interior that doesn't photograph as well underneath the dash....not sure how I wound up with this pic.

Roger Quintero

I have a question on this connection.
The brass band that touchs the brake shaft nub when the brake is off: should that band be touching the shaft when the brake is on? Mine touches, I was thinking about bending it up a little. I dont have the juice to the car yet so I cannot actually test it.

Frankie the Fink

Roger - I confirmed that little band does NOT drag on my parking brake shaft when the brake is off; HOWever this switch is very fragile and that little metal spring-like band is the MOST fragile part. I wouldn't mess with it until you get power on the car and then see how it works. ONLY bend the part as a last resort....its just a bare few millimeters between the switch being on or off.

jusplainwacky

In looking for how to connect up the Emergency brake switch...I found this POST. My car never had the emergency brake switch so, I connected it up the fuse panel as shown but I also discovered that there is no power to the connector on the back of the panel.
Any idea how to get power to the back?

Frankie the Fink

As you've already discovered in earlier posts the '61/'62 setup is different - first off this warning light is standard equipment, not an option - even though the owner's manual states its an option - a documentation mistake. The wiring is also different in your car. The system uses a separate bimetallic flasher instead of a flashing bulb. Beyond that I'm not sure why you wouldn't have power to that fuse panel spot unless your car didn't include it if the option wasn't purchased.

jusplainwacky

Hey Frank...I figured it out. I put in the fuses as I work on each item. When Ii stuck the wire in like I saw here, I noticed there was no power to the spade-lug on the back...but then after looking at the fuse panel carefully, I see the power comes from the fuse that says brake. So, stuck that in and all is good.
Thanks for taking the time to respond.

David Moroney

Hi Frank

I also have a '58, and bought the after-market switch, but don't have a flasher relay and finding it hard to get one. If I'm not worried about the brake light flashing; can I simply connect the switch terminals without one, so the light is either on when the brake is on, or off when it's off? I haven't been able to find a wiring diagram to know if this would work.

Thanks
David

Frankie the Fink

Shorting past the flasher should allow a 'steady on' light in the dash...if that works then you could try the flashing bulb and you might just get the effect you want. That bulb's flashing feature is internal so it would flash on its own just fine

jusplainwacky

Dave...I was in the same situation as you were and just went with the "blinking/flashing" bulb as Frank mentioned. Works great. I got it on Ebay.

Blinking bulb -http://www.memotronics.com ($7.29 for 10)
Box of 10 #257 Blinking Lamp Flasher Bulb Flashing Lightbulbs 14V 3.8W 0.27A

David Moroney

Thanks both - Memotronics don't have stock but I've found them at bulbtown.com and ordered three. Will take a few weeks to get to me. To save on shipping I also ordered a beeping turn signal flasher from turnalarm.com, which will help stop me driving with the left indicator on as it doesn't always cancel correctly.

I've installed the park brake switch and a normal 257 light without the inbuilt or external flasher, and the emergency brake dash light stays on whether the park brake is engaged or not. This may be because I don't have a nub on my park brake column. Am I right in saying that when the brake is released the nub should ground the switch and turn the light off, and when it is engaged the park brake dash light should flash?

Frankie the Fink

Yes and not quite. The switch is power not ground - hence its connection to the fuse panel...releasing the brake cuts power to the light.