Re: Hydraulic stop light switch

Posted by 55PackardGuy On 2019/6/28 9:39:50

Thanks Howard,

Good advice indeed. I have one of those little test lights, I think. I presume they work on 6v as well as 12. The yellow and black wires to the right rear (Passenger Side) tail lamp... Could Mr. Black be the culprit of this whole thing? I doubt it because the running lights and signals work on both tail lamps. I think that rules out Mr. Black.

Thanks for all your help. It is now up to the challenge of figuring out on my own. I'd much prefer that to taking it back to the mechanics. I want to see with my own eyes where the open or short is.

I just wish I hadn't messed around under the dash and in the trunk when I got it back from the shop. I usually check the stop lights every time before I go somewhere, but of course when I brought it back from there, I was in a hurry... I'm learning to never be in too much of a hurry with these old cars... especially starting out. Note to self: check everything every time (withing reason).

I kind of doubt anything has been radically modified. The person who owned the car before me was as obsessive as me about keeping things stock (except the paint, which is not a bad match for the Bikini Blue, and available at my local parts store through GM).

The previous owner passed away and I bought the car from his brother, who never bothered much about it because it wasn't a Studebaker. It's just possible that I am only the 3rd long-term owner of the car. It has 80,000 on the odometer.

But things happen. It obviously sat outside for some time, on a slant, with the driver's side lower. It droops on that side, and there's water damage under the driver's seat next to the rocker pane -- rusted through a fairly large hole, but it's "plugged" by yours truly. It's been a good reliable car, though. I will post pics of the wiring at some point here.

_ Guy