[1_Wild_Cat]

Most '64 don't have a brake light in the speedo. This option was on the lower dash to the left. Whether or not the '64 speedo head had the brake light opening doesn't seem to be based on mfg date - since my late July '64 was ordered with the option and apparently equipped with the light outside of the speedo. There is a thread on here about this if anyone is interested.

[Rich-Tripower]

FWIW, this thread got me thinking about adding an NOS OEM parking brake signal to my Chevelle wagon. Unbelievably I found one rather quickly for a reasonable price (about $67, seemed reasonable to me at least). I got the package today and found that it too has a blinker bulb. I never knew these signals used a blinker bulb. Almost everything on the wagon is LED at this point except for the headlights, but this one one I definitely will use the original style bulb to maintain the blink. The Chevelle version mounts under the dash with a supplied little bracket as there is no version of the gauges that contains a brake warning lens.

Also during my research I found a Pontiac install where a similar lens was used, but it was mounted into the bottom lip of the dash with the lens facing straight down. Was this a typical mounting when there was no BRAKE lens in the gauges?

[Tom Vaught]

I had the Emergency Brake "On" system on my 64 GTO when I received it from the Factory.
The light was mounted below the centerline of the dash on the left side and yes, the bulb did flash when it was on.

Releasing the E-Brake let the switch mounted on the E-Brake to open the circuit and the light went out.
The hole in the lower dash was a large one as was the bulb housing and the lens.

Tom V.

[Rich-Tripower]

I'm pretty sure the bulb socket and lens for the dash panel mounted units were the same on these kits across the entire GM spectrum.

[Jeff Hamlin]

The NOS kit I came across years back was a '65 dated kit.
It was sold as a '65-'66 kit but was a setup with light housing to be installed into the metal portion of the lower left dash panel.
I modified it to work in my '66 and IIRC the socket didn't fit the gauge housing.

Came with instructions for installation and a drilling template.
It too utilized the included Flasher Bulb, which also seems incorrect for '66 as the verbiage in the factory literature implies the "Bulb Stays Lit".

But I like the Flashing Bulb.

[1_Wild_Cat]

The resto guide has this illustration for '64 showing the location of the Parking Brake light on the left hand dash. My research seems to indicate that the '64 used a dedicated flasher rather than a flasher bulb.

[Peter Serio]

Other GM Divisions had their own version of an accessory parking brake warning lamp. Photo below shows one in the steel dash panel of a '63 Oldsmobile Cutlass convertible.

One thing I have noticed about the early 64-66 Pontiac A body cars is that generally a car with only one 2 or 3 options (in other words an entry level car) w/o full wheel covers, rally gauges, power steering or power brakes, those cars would have come with the plain round circle speedometer, no cut-out for a dealer installed lamp.

The exception is that all 65 and 66 Lemans & GTOs with rally gauges. The rally gauge cars came with a speedometer circle that did have a cut-out for the BRAKE light however in many cases if the car was a low option car, the light was never wired to actually light up. The hole on the backside of the gauge housing was covered over with a piece of masking tape.


Then on cars with a lamp group or a combination of many options, say 10 or more, those 64-66 Lemans and GTOs (non-rally gauge cars) seemed to come more often with a standard speedometer that did have a "built-in" provision to add the light bulb socket in the back. Same deal though; as with 65 and 66 rally gauge cars, the light did not always light up unless you ordered that as a specific option although a working BRAKE light may have also been part of a convenience group or lamp group.

I have seen many cars with and w/o so it's hard to say for sure. GM did offer the accessory kit in at least 2 different forms.

The dealer install add-on kit for cars that had a cut-out in the speedometer or the other version where you had to dill a hole in the steel dash panel off to the left of the steering column.

From all my reasearch the '64 A body lamp, (code #494) the light flashed on and off (this was NOT done with a flasher bulb), there was a separate bakelite black plastic flasher unit mounted up underneath the dash).

In '65 and '66 A body Pontiacs; the light was not intended to flash on & off. (code #414) It came on steady to let you know the brakes were still set.

[Jeff Hamlin]

FWIW;
Here are the sheets from the kit I used part of;
As stated it came with a Flasher Bulb which is why until recently thought it was correct??
I guess the above statement of no light/lens provision on the base models might explain why this kit came with a drilling template??
Interesting stuff for sure.

[tallrandyb]

Originally Posted by Peter Serio

Other GM Divisions had their own version of an accessory parking brake warning lamp. Photo below shows one in the steel dash panel of a '63 Oldsmobile Cutlass convertible.

One thing I have noticed about the early 64-66 Pontiac A body cars is that generally a car with only one 2 or 3 options (in other words an entry level car) w/o full wheel covers, rally gauges, power steering or power brakes, those cars would have come with the plain round circle speedometer, no cut-out for a dealer installed lamp.

The exception is that all 65 and 66 Lemans & GTOs with rally gauges. The rally gauge cars came with a speedometer circle that did have a cut-out for the BRAKE light however in many cases if the car was a low option car, the light was never wired to actually light up. The hole on the backside of the gauge housing was covered over with a piece of masking tape.


Then on cars with a lamp group or a combination of many options, say 10 or more, those 64-66 Lemans and GTOs (non-rally gauge cars) seemed to come more often with a standard speedometer that did have a "built-in" provision to add the light bulb socket in the back. Same deal though; as with 65 and 66 rally gauge cars, the light did not always light up unless you ordered that as a specific option although a working BRAKE light may have also been part of a convenience group or lamp group.

I have seen many cars with and w/o so it's hard to say for sure. GM did offer the accessory kit in at least 2 different forms.

The dealer install add-on kit for cars that had a cut-out in the speedometer or the other version where you had to dill a hole in the steel dash panel off to the left of the steering column.

From all my reasearch the '64 A body lamp, (code #494) the light flashed on and off (this was NOT done with a flasher bulb), there was a separate bakelite black plastic flasher unit mounted up underneath the dash).

In '65 and '66 A body Pontiacs; the light was not intended to flash on & off. (code #414) It came on steady to let you know the brakes were still set.

Thanks so much! This is awesome info. My car was a moderately optioned late-build 65, and had the brake light space in the regular gauge dash. Now with the rally gauges I went ahead and wired it up. I’m using a flasher bulb which definitely gets my attention!

[chrisp]

Originally Posted by 1_Wild_Cat

The resto guide has this illustration for '64 showing the location of the Parking Brake light on the left hand dash. My research seems to indicate that the '64 used a dedicated flasher rather than a flasher bulb.

Correct made by tungsole it was a inline fuse , i have a few if needed.

[Jonsie]

FWIW- 2nd owner of a '66, bought it in '68, BRAKE light was constant