Stupid Project # ???
Does the ChevyBaker need a trunk light? Its not like we will be driving it at night a lot and everyone has a flashlight attached to their cell phones right?
But you know how it is, your looking though the body parts catelot and there it is. Part AC 30-1 - right there in plate 21-27, page 80. Its just mocking us for not having one of your own.
Of course looking up this 'accesory' we see the all important description of; "Trunk Light". Great! Of course this is yet another unicorn and if it can be found do we want it> It would be cool to have the original but maybe not... Not finding an original we looked at other options such as installing a Studebaker backup light, or making our own. It was the making our own that won out as it would use new parts and we like to tinker. To this tinkering we sourced two items from Amazon:
| Mercury Tilt Switch |
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| 6 LED light bar |
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The wiring was very simiple.
- The power from the license plate lamp goes to the switch.This does mean that the trunk light will only get power if the lamp is powered and this is part of the head/tail light system.
- The output from the switch goes to the LED light, red wire.
- The LED black wire then goes to ground.
After some adjustment of the switch mounting bracket the light comes on when the car lights are on AND the trunk is lifted (to activate the mercury switch). So for the total price of $28.91 (plus tax) we have a working light that is also nice and bright.
Bonus: the underside of the trunk is usually the best place to see a cars original color. Here you can see the Aspen Grey circa 1950.