Bob's Studebaker Resource Website


Studebaker - retro mechanical brake light switch - Hawk or underfloor pedal system



The mechnical brake light switch I have on the 51 is a SL128 Echlin. It is a normally closed rotary switch. It has a long arm of flat steel that can be bent at a 90 degree angle. Also part of the switch is a mounting bracket with two tapped 10-32 or 10-24 holes. The mounting surface is parallel to the rotary shaft of the switch. On the opposite side of the arm are the two bullet terminals like you would find on a hydraulic switch. To mount on a Studebaker with an under floor MC, you hook up a test light to the terminals so you can see when the position of the arm gives you light or goes dark. With the arm bent at a 90 degree angle or parallel to the shaft of the switch, you place the mounting surface of the switch on the under side of the floor with the bent portion of the arm between the pedal arm and the floor. Position the switch on the floor so that when the pedal is released the test light goes out and when the pedal is just pushed down the test light goes on. Mark the holes to be drilled in the floor through the mounting holes in the switch bracket. Drill the holes and mount the switch with two 10-32 screws. Depending on the side that you bend the arm toward, you may want to add a small metal strap to the floor to hold the brake light wires so they don't foul with any of the other moving parts in the vicinity. Since I have silicone brake fluid in the 51, with the mechanical switch, I no longer have to worry whether the brake lights will activate or not Though I have not had the problems with the hydraulic switches that others have had). For those with 51's that have the left front splash shield, the stop lite switch is protected from any direct spray. Happy motoring Paul Villforth

----- apr 07 VINTAGE 1942-50 CHEVROLET STOPLIGHT SWITCH. IT IS ALSO USED ON 1950-55 CADILLAC / 1941-55 CHEVY TRUCK / 1949-59 GMC / 1957-65 IHC / 1951-58 OLDS W/O POW. THIS ITEM IS NORS AND IN BOX. ECHLIN PART # SL128


Here's a GT Hawk with one.

Instead of bending the arm, an actuator bar was installed in the pedal

/RJ


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Some technical opinions are my own from experience, other informational data is from online sources with credits when available and while care has been taken to be as accurate as possible, it is offered only as a guide and caution should be exercised in the application of it.