Electrical: 1962 Lark sedan: my back up lights are 'dummies'.

[1962larksedan]

Well; I decided to bypass the turn signal switch and 'hotwire' my brake lights directly through the brake pedal switch using the back up light lead.

It gets weirder: apparently both of my BU light assemblies are dummies as in the lenses are present but the bezels are blanks with NO sockets or even the holes to hold them. Yet the BU feed wire is there complete with its female bullet connectors on both sides and the dash end is/was still connected to something.

Regardless: I cut the dash end of the BU feed and ran it straight off my pedal switch after cutting it free of the turn signal circuit then I cut the two TS wires in the trunk and tied that end of the BU feed directly to the brake lights. Brake lights now work great.

Rear turn signals: I wanted to use the now orphaned BU lamps as standalone TS flashers (with amber bulbs in lieu of the clear ones) but can't for the reason posted above.

[showbizkid]

Yah. Your B/U lamp leads under the dash were connected to the rear compartment harness - this is to avoid a separate harness for non-equipped cars, and also to facilitate dealer-added lamps later. I'll bet that if you inspect your rear harness, you'll find a couple sets of clipped and taped leads tucked inside the wrap.

You can modify your B/U lamp housings by installing aftermarket lampholders. Bob Kabchef has written here that he used this method a lot in the past.

[1962larksedan]

Yah. Your B/U lamp leads under the dash were connected to the rear compartment harness - this is to avoid a separate harness for non-equipped cars, and also to facilitate dealer-added lamps later. I'll bet that if you inspect your rear harness, you'll find a couple sets of clipped and taped leads tucked inside the wrap.

You can modify your B/U lamp housings by installing aftermarket lampholders. Bob Kabchef has written here that he used this method a lot in the past.

Got it. I just find it very odd that Studebaker even bothered mounting blank bezels with back up light lenses; I figured on a BU light delete car that there would be blank metal plates painted body color. The BU lead does have both female bullet connectors in the trunk, I cut off one and tied it directly to the existing brake light (right side) and the L/H bullet I left alone since it has two wires on the chassis side, just crimped a male bullet onto the brake light lead and plugged it in.