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Spotlights? Why exactly do we run 'em?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Jive-Bomber, Aug 23, 2012.

  1. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 18,829

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California

    Unity made all the spots sold through GM as accessories. they are still in business, you can still get all the old style mounting brackets to fit your particular car
     
  2. 1951Streamliner
    Joined: May 15, 2011
    Posts: 1,875

    1951Streamliner
    Member
    from Reno, NV

    I think real Appleton spots belong on any 40s early 50s custom. I've never seen a pair look out of place in that context. I hate fake spot lights, but the beautiful teardrop shape of real Appleton's goes so well on early customs. I think 100% you should put functional Appleton's on your gorgeous Mercury. :) Once you finish it, nobody will say "I wish it didn't have spot lights" because they will see how DAMN GOOD it looks.
     
  3. Tom davison
    Joined: Mar 15, 2008
    Posts: 6,042

    Tom davison
    Member
    from Phoenix AZ

    "Well, because that’s just what they ALL did back in the golden days, right?"


    Be a rebel.
     
  4. Old-Soul
    Joined: Jun 16, 2007
    Posts: 3,774

    Old-Soul
    Member

    I don't think it's fair to lump them in with fake wheels haha, has anyone ever done that?? God I hope not.

    I doubt it originated from the lowrider (or bomb) crowd exclusively (if much at all?). Like most style trends, one builder put them on a car and the rest went "Well shit, if HE can do that so can I" and then blammo the spotlight on customs was born.
     
  5. Old-Soul
    Joined: Jun 16, 2007
    Posts: 3,774

    Old-Soul
    Member

    Did not know that, thanks!
     
  6. Mike51Merc
    Joined: Dec 5, 2008
    Posts: 3,856

    Mike51Merc
    Member

    I guess we run 'em because back in "the day" guys ran 'em.

    Now, why did guys run 'em back in the day? Why did they become such a popular accessory? Deer poaching?
     
  7. I have actually used the hell out of them, I probably shouldn't mention that given my earlier statement. :eek:

    I always have found it interesting that the dummy lights are very elongated where as most of the functional ones that you find are not much deeper than the bulb.

    There is one school of thought on them that they represent a booby and that it was col to ride around with your hand hangin' on them as though you had your hand on a boob. I have never really held to that school of thought just becaue I am pretty long armed [the phrase knuckle drager comes to mind] and still have to lean forward in most older cars to reach them but that is one school of thought on them.

    Spots dummy or otherwise can really ad to the look of some cars and on others it detracts.
     
  8. gnichols
    Joined: Mar 6, 2008
    Posts: 11,345

    gnichols
    Member
    from Tampa, FL

    There have been other threads on this, right? The reason to have them is than back in the "traditional" days, there weren't any street lights. In the country, you really needed them to find your destination, if not just to stay on the road. Everyone from your grandpa to delivery vehicles used them. And Crocodile Dundee types use them to hunt.

    I like them but would actually prefer dummies if I used them in these post-Edison / Tesla days. Dummies are easier to mount where you can or want. And I'd point them backwards so the lens could be replaced with a big old rear view mirror. Gary
     
  9. There isn't any reason to remove them.:cool:
     
  10. yea why ruin a good thing. I am a little jaded when it comes to cars but that Muntz Jet is one of the more beautiful cars around.
     
  11. Hot Rods Ta Hell
    Joined: Apr 20, 2008
    Posts: 4,670

    Hot Rods Ta Hell
    Member

    Appletons look dead right if a Custom car is period correct. Don't bother with Unity's-they're the wrong shape and are cop car material.
    As for dummy spots? Well, I've always thought they were for wanna be dummies that had J.C. Whitney schlock rods. Dummy spots are right up there with dummy blowers, Port a walls, fake antennas and side pipes that are not hooked up to the exhaust system. Why bother?
     
  12. I just removed a brand new set of Unity spots from teh '49 Chevy pickup I am currently working on. The P/O drilled the A pillars (each at a different angle and location) and mounted the lights but never wired the up.

    It would take a certain type of buld to use them in my mind, definitely not just any or every car should have them. The truck had the spots, sunvisor and those ugly chrome plastic Walmart wheel covers the are supposed to look like Mag wheels. I may keep the visor but the rest had to go!
     
  13. Old-Soul
    Joined: Jun 16, 2007
    Posts: 3,774

    Old-Soul
    Member

    Were there any guys who used any of the "off" brand spots with any sort of success?
     
  14. 57JoeFoMoPar
    Joined: Sep 14, 2004
    Posts: 6,138

    57JoeFoMoPar
    Member

    Right on, Paul. I'm with you. Mine are dummies, but I run em because I think they look awesome and they're proper for my desired style. If someone else doesn't like em, then too bad.
     
  15. Define sucess and off brand.

    If we are talking sucesssfully showing a car then you had to use what the judges liked in order to get your points.

    If you are talking hunting and or searching for house numbers or playing spot light tag at the drive in than all it had to do was make light.

    If we are talking woodward cruise or the school parking lot than it is back to the same thing with showing the car and it is a popularity contest.
     
  16. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    I've only seen a few customs that I thought they looked cool on. I'm not a really big customs fan, but I like when form and function are working well. It also seems that some styles require them. On a chopped Merc, I'd say they almost have to be on the car. Other than that and it's a one case at a time thing.
     
  17. Old-Soul
    Joined: Jun 16, 2007
    Posts: 3,774

    Old-Soul
    Member


    Haha, sorry didn't mean to be vague. Appletons are thee spots, but did Unity or other brands get used too?

    I mean, what would look good on a mid 50's mild custom ('49 ford tudor). I don't do much hunting, let alone at night (but if I were, 3rd gen night vision would be my tactic).
     
    Last edited: Aug 23, 2012
  18. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 18,829

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California

    funny. if anything Appletons are the off brand. as far as success.. if you hit the switch, aim where you want and that area is lit up, that's success.
     
  19. BOWTIE BROWN
    Joined: Mar 30, 2010
    Posts: 3,252

    BOWTIE BROWN
    Member

    Not a fan , fake ones are like fake titties.(just there)
    B.B.
     
  20. Iron Dog
    Joined: Oct 28, 2011
    Posts: 267

    Iron Dog
    Member
    from Minnesota

    Didn't work on mine, so didn't use them.
     

    Attached Files:

  21. Bigcheese327
    Joined: Sep 16, 2001
    Posts: 6,694

    Bigcheese327
    Member

    Somebody already said, no doubt, but I think it was that there were fewer street lights when those cars were new and they had 6V electrical systems - thus there was less ambient light around by which to read street signs, house numbers, etc.

    Edit: I just realized that's only part of the reason. Early customs supposedly emulated more-expensive cars. More-expensive cars tended to have better equipment. Since better-equipped cars in the day had spotlights for the reasons cited above, early customs incorporated them too - usually better.
     
  22. Doctor Detroit
    Joined: Aug 12, 2010
    Posts: 1,051

    Doctor Detroit
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I've also always wondering how the spotlights became an accessory on customs. On my current '51 Merc, I have no plans to run them. I just like the clean lines of the car by itself. I prefer the "less is more" idea for this one. On the other hand, I think a lot of taildraggers look pretty cool with them. I can overlook the fake ones, but think they real ones are bad ass. In the future, I see myself doing another early 50's Kustom, probably another '51 Merc or '52 Buick, chopped with Appletons.
     

  23. Actually livestock is easier to see with a light. :D
     
  24. kaui
    Joined: Mar 14, 2006
    Posts: 187

    kaui
    Member
    from SJC calif

    When you go to the drive in's
     
  25. jcmarz
    Joined: Jan 10, 2010
    Posts: 4,631

    jcmarz
    Member
    from Chino, Ca

    You hit that nail on the head. The best reply. Over here in SoCal, there was alot of open land back in the 40s and 50s and very little "lighting". So, my dad had spots (dual Unitys which looked good because it wasn't a custom but it was low with wide whites and Smittys steel packs) on his 51 Merc Convertible in order to see street names, addresses etc...........There used to be a game at the drive in during intermission where you would use the spotlight to catch this object that would move all over the movie screen.
    I have a 51 A.D. which I am building bomb style and I all ready have a single Unity spot and Unity Fog Lights and I can hardly wait to hook them up.
     
  26. 40grit
    Joined: Jul 1, 2012
    Posts: 230

    40grit
    Member

    Most people don't realize Unity made tear drop spot like the Appleton's but they did for a while. The new set I showed the picture of in post number 10 are actually Unity teardrops. The nice thing is they will work with Unity brackets. I am not sure about the Appleton brackets.


    John L

    [​IMG]
     
  27. Mine has one just because there was a hole in the A pillar when I got it.....

    [​IMG]
     
  28. Old-Soul
    Joined: Jun 16, 2007
    Posts: 3,774

    Old-Soul
    Member

    Sorry, can't see images on my work PC. Had to look 'em up on the HAMB iPhone app. Those look pretty damn good!
     
  29. 40grit
    Joined: Jul 1, 2012
    Posts: 230

    40grit
    Member

    Thanks. I have had them for 20 years. NOS. Never been on a car.

    John L
     
  30. jcmarz
    Joined: Jan 10, 2010
    Posts: 4,631

    jcmarz
    Member
    from Chino, Ca

    And Appleton didn't just make teardrop Lorraines, they also made spotlights with the "lowback" like Unitys. I gave a set of those Appletons to my brother to put on his 41 Chevy.
     

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