troubleshooting brake lights

Ok,
Through searching here and the samba I have already gotten a lot of info but still no luck getting my brake lights to work again. The tail lights and turn signals both work but neither brake light. So far I have touched the two terminals on the brake switch on the master cylinder together to see if my switch was broken. Then I replaced all my fuses just to see. I noticed my ground wires don't lead to anything but would my tail lights and turn signals work if the light assembly was not grounded? Any ideas guys?
Thanks,
Scott

Oh yeah,
All the tests were with the ignition on but the car not started.
Thanks,
Scott

Touch the 2 wires together that connect to the brake light switch at the end of the master cylinder with the key in the "run" position. If the brake lights work, the switch is bad. If it does not work, then power is not getting from the fuse box to the lights. Take a meter and check that one of the wires from the brake switch has 12 volts. If neither wire has power, trace 1 of the wires back to the fuse box and check that fuse. The whole brake light circuit is pretty simple. 1 wire from the fuse box to the brake light switch located at the end of the master cylinder and the other wire from the brake light switch is a straight shot to the the rear brake lights.
If you want to check the brake light switch, have someone push on the brake pedal and use a meter on both terminals of the switch to verify that there is a closed circuit. In the "ohms" position, you should get a reading of "0".
Hope this helps.
Jim

To answer your question re: the lights working if they were not grounded. YES, the lights will work, (usually not well) but you'll have other problems such as your brake lights not working if everything else in the system checks OK.

99% of all automotive electrical lighting problems stems from a poor or non existant ground. Try running a wire from the base of the bulb to a know ground and see what happens.