Monday 25 June 2012

Brake Light Switch Upgrade

I've never been truly happy with the existing brake light switch, the one supplied by Tiger.  This is a pressure switch that screws into one of the spare outlets on the brake master cylinder.  It is not very reliable and sometimes requires quite a bit of pedal pressure to light the brake lights.  Being a small, low car it is essential that people following behind, sometimes too close, are given maximum warning when I am slowing down.  I was reminded of this when being tailgated in London city centre last weekend.

To ensure that the brake lights come on as soon as the brake pedal is pressed I've introduced a microswitch on the brake pedal assembly, just the same as would be fitted to a normal production car.  Here is the microswitch mounted using a piece of cut and shaped aluminium L-section.


Floor mounted brake pedal re installed and wiring connected up.


The microswitch has been wired in parallel with the existing pressure switch - adding a level of redundancy.  Now, when the brake pedal is depressed just a couple of milimetres, the brake lights come on.  Likewise, now the lights also go out with a very positive action.  Next on the to do list is to investigate a high level third brake light installation on the roll bar.

Thursday 21 June 2012

Aeroscreen

My aeroscreen had been on order with Tiger for a while.  Finally got my hands on it and then finally found some time to install it.


I wanted it as high as possible to deflect the wind from my head.  At the same time I did not want it so high that shorter passengers could not see forwards.  In the end I found that there really was only one place it would naturally sit.  The high windscreen mount on the Avon Mk2 body, combined with the maximum you can bend the side of the aeroscreen pretty much determines where it ends up.  I fitted the centre fixing first, got it straight and then fitted all the other fixings.   Holes had to be cut and filed for the existing mirror mountings.


Very pleased with the final result, even if it doesn't quite lift the airflow over my head, it finishes the scuttle off nicely and adds a bit more contrast to the white bodywork.


Motorcycle fairing fixings were used for fitting along with some rubber P-trim between the scuttle and the aeroscreen.