anal stop light question

[Steve Swan]

Hi fellows! i am getting closer to mounting my stop light like my Dad had on his '27 and i have a couple questions. Back in that era:

1. i imagine the wire for the stop light would have followed down one of the rear fender braces, along the frame and to a stop light switch? here is my first anal question: how would the wire typically be held to the fender brace and frame? Did dealers have some sort of a wire clip they sold to hold accessory wires in place? Did they have electrical tape back then? A leather tie? A rubber tie?

2. my second anal question is: what would have riders been using for a stop light switch in the era?

attached is a pic of the stop light i am going to fit, and also a pic of the rear of my Dad's JD showing the tail light he had. as far as the tail light goes, i think i am in the ball park.

20180616_202253.jpgDad upon awakening.jpg

[exeric]

This is an interesting post, Steve. I have a similar stop light that I want to use on my '16J to make it legal for short rides. I looked in my parts book that goes up to 1921 and there is no mention of a stop light switch that early. My later book covers the late '20s to early '40s and those stop light switches are the more familiar big round assembly with the chain. I'm just speculating here, but I would think your Dad would have used a readily available generic switch with an aftermarket light. I found this reproduction Model T brake switch on ebay. As for wire ties, I would bet it was the commonly used fabric electrical tape. There are other things that could be used, but I'm thinking functionality, availability, and what materials were around in those days.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Model-T-Rep....c100005.m1851

[Steve Swan]

This is an interesting post, Steve. I have a similar stop light that I want to use on my '16J to make it legal for short rides. I looked in my parts book that goes up to 1921 and there is no mention of a stop light switch that early. My later book covers the late '20s to early '40s and those stop light switches are the more familiar big round assembly with the chain. I'm just speculating here, but I would think your Dad would have used a readily available generic switch with an aftermarket light I found this reproduction Model T brake switch on ebay. As for wire ties, I would bet it was the commonly used fabric electrical tape. There are other things that could be used, but I'm thinking functionality, availability, and what materials were around in those days.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Model-T-Rep....c100005.m1851

Thank you very much Eric, for your thoughts. interesting on that brake light switch; will definitely put that one in my file. i have a 1927 factory accessories book; there is no mention of a stop light in it or a switch. the cloth electrical tape makes perfect sense, i remember Dad using it on stuff he worked on. i have a second stop light that is the same unit, except it has a green "STOP" lens and a red round jewel. the light i posted, i had to cut down the strap and reweld, as it was for a larger car tail light, but if i understand correctly, these lights were also made for motorcycles.

at the end of the day, i imagine it happened quite a bit that riders would find what ever they thought could work and modify it to get the job done.

at teh end of the

[Steve Slocombe]

The first year Harley announced a stoplight was in the 1934 new model Enthusiast, and it did not become compulsory until 1936. I'm guessing the earlier bikes then fitted anything that would work, and maybe even some riders in the 1920s improvised a stop light. As you know, the pre-1934 taillight wire runs through a copper tube clipped inside the mudguard, then through a rubber tube to the light. For 1934 up there is a tunnel inside the rear mudguard which will just take two six volt wires. For retrofitting a taillight to a used 1920s bike it is almost anybody's guess. You could run a second wire inside the rear mudguard in a second copper tube or a rubber tube; you could run the wire along the edge of the mudguard sheathed or bare; or ditto along the mudguard stays. As the bike would be used, you could drill holes in the mudguard for clips, or just use friction tape to secure the wire to the mudguard stays. If your Dad's licence plate reads Ohio 1927 then he was ahead of the pack.

[Robert Luland]

Do a google search for Honeywell Micro Switch. I'm sure in no time you will find something you can hide anywhere. I thought the tail light wire on those bikes exited though a hole on the forward end of the fender? Bob L

[shermanpup]

Do a google search for Honeywell Micro Switch. I'm sure in no time you will find something you can hide anywhere. I thought the tail light wire on those bikes exited though a hole on the forward end of the fender? Bob L

I am going to use a micro switch like R L said . Ribbon cable used in computers is really durable and thin. You only need 2 conductors and the width is < than 1/8". I think there is supposed to be a copper tube under the fender to run the wires through.. I was thinking of adding another micro switch to the front brake lever too . Then you would need a small electronic logic circuit to turn the light on depending on which brake is active. If you ran the outputs of the micro switches into an OR gate and then use a transistor to drive a small solid state relay , then hook the stop light bulb to the to the n.o. relay contact . Cmos quad OR gate chip should work with 6 volt supply also. This would be a very small addition you could hide easily and both brakes would light the stop element in the bulb. I know ..electronics on an oil loss machine

[exeric]

My thought process in Steve's application was to use a brake switch that looks like something of the period; hence a brake switch from a car of that era. His Dad had to source stuff from what was available at the time, and then figure out how to mount it, and make it functional on a motorcycle.

[Shaky Jake]

I used one of those little electronic doohickeys that turns the brake light on whenever the bike slows down. I mounted it under the rear rack, out of sight, near the tail light. Nothing is required at the lever or pedal. Easy peasy.


Kevin

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[exeric]

Again, I believe Steve is looking for electrical objects that were applicable for the 1927 era. Cannonball stuff is too revisionist, and techno. No offense, but an antique motorcycle should be true to it's original concept, in my opinion.

[Tommo]

Steve,
Attached is a couple of pictures of a 1930's British aftermarket stop light switch.
It's about 1 1/2 inches square and 3/4 of an inch deep.
It would mount on the bottom frame rail and you could use the HD switch pull spring and the mount that goes on the brake rod for the other end of the spring to make it work.
P.M. me if you're interested.

[Steve Swan]

My thought process in Steve's application was to use a brake switch that looks like something of the period; hence a brake switch from a car of that era. His Dad had to source stuff from what was available at the time, and then figure out how to mount it, and make it functional on a motorcycle.

Eric...... BINGO !!!!!!! Udaman!!!!!!! (And, a big thank you to all you fellows for your ideas!)

[Steve Swan]

Steve,
Attached is a couple of pictures of a 1930's British aftermarket stop light switch.
It's about 1 1/2 inches square and 3/4 of an inch deep.
It would mount on the bottom frame rail and you could use the HD switch pull spring and the mount that goes on the brake rod for the other end of the spring to make it work.
P.M. me if you're interested.

Tommo, where is that beautiful little guy available? is there a link?

[Tommo]

Sitting in front of me on my dining room table.
Shall I send it to you.

[Steve Swan]

Sitting in front of me on my dining room table.
Shall I send it to you.

OH !!!! What a lovely surprise !!!! My goodness! THANK YOU!!!! YES!!!! PLEASE!!!!! Send it to me!!!!! (paypal?)

[HDSmitty]

Shaky Jake, I'm not familiar with the device you describe in post 8 , can you provide a link please?