1967 Avanti II brake light switch

[Phil Hodur]

I am trying to troubleshoot the brake lights on Avanti II RQA0234, which are not working after having the the brake system totally rebuilt. The Avanti has been stored for over twenty years and the brake lines were leaking and have been replaced. I need to know the location of the brake light switch. The original Avanti workshop manual indicates that the switch is located on the master cylinder, but I can't find any electrical connections in this area. Also, I do not see any switch around the brake pedal itself.

[Gunslinger]

Your car likely had the Studebaker single reservoir master cylinder that the early Avanti II's all had. The brake light switch is threaded into the nose of the master cylinder and has two prongs with wires on them. That is assuming that your car hasn't had the master cylinder replaced and upgraded to a dual reservoir design by a previous owner.

If your car has been upgraded, it will probably have a mechanical brake light switch somewhere under the dash attached to the brake pedal lever, or attached to the floor where the brake pedal arm can impinge on it to activate the brake lights.

If the brake system has been totally overhauled, maybe the switch was left out? Did a shop do the work? They may have upgraded the master cylinder and not installed a switch. I would think you should be able to trace down the wiring and find some unattached leads for the brake lights.

[ROADRACELARK]

In someone's efforts to upgrade to a split master cylinder, they may have relocated the stop light switch to the junction block mounted on the side of the frame, directly below the M/C. It will have 2 red wires with push on connectors. Those red wires should come out of the main harness right at the M/C. If they are there, follow them, mabe, to the M/C

In someone's efforts to upgrade to a split master cylinder, they may have relocated the stop light switch to the junction block mounted on the side of the frame, directly below the M/C. It will have 2 red wires with push on connectors. Those red wires should come out of the main harness right at the M/C. If they are there, follow them, mabe, to the stop light switch.