Whats the difference between the two spotlights(112&552),does anybody really know? no guessing,post up if you know your stuff!
I collect and study Appleton spots. No guessing here, I have studied this very hard for a few years now. I have made many posts on the subject, so check out this search link (http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/search.php?searchid=7269906), but here is a breif overview: 112 are are pre-war model, and have a bulb and reflector. They came in 2 bucket styles, pointed and blunt. The difference is somewhat minimal, but quite obvious when both versions are next to each other. They had a fluted handle with straight sides, and an etched aluminum appleton logo, and a small chrome lever switch. Note that these are pre-war spots, and not really period correct for most custom's. You do see the 112 (ID'd by the handle) on a very few of the earliest customs (late 40's). The 552 is a post war light, and used a sealed beam lamp. The 552 came only in the "blunt" version of the previous 112 size/shape bucket. The handle has a bulb shaped plastic handle, and a rotary switch. The post that the bucket mounts on is a little bit shorter than that of a 112. This is the real correct spotlight of the 50's era custom. If you look at any (just about) barris photo from the late 40's-mid 50's, you will see on the interior shot, a 552 series handle. Why the 112 has become the "standard" is unknown, but the 552 IS the true period correct spotlight for anything but a pre-war custom.
Many years ago I found a NOS in the box Appleton 112 (stamped on the bucket). Perfect shape, nice as the day it was made. The kind with the fluted handle, small acorn shaped plastic badge over the switch. The box was dated in the 50's. Two years ago I bought a NOS Appleton 112, painted a greenish Hammertone color. Kinda thought it was a wartime model, but the paint was shiney, not flat. So it must have just been a cheaper version than the chrome one. Same 112 stamped on the bucket and the same acorn switch and fluted handle like the other NOS one. And this one came with an original cloth pouch (printed with Appleton info on it) full of hardware and instructions. Included a template for drilling the windshield post of a 50's car, but I forget which car. Chad, how come both of these 112's (NOS with paperwork I might remind you) both included 1950's documentation?
Hi Alcemy ! Ive read Chads ideas about 112 only being prewar before and only found a few things that contradict that , one auction of a NOS Appleton that had the drill templets made for 1946 cars suggesting that it was made after the WW2 like so many other things with prewar tooling , then there is a picture of the Matranga Merc built around 1950 using the 112 Appleton style handles and therefor probably being a 112 Appleton spotlight . Another thing is an patent that Rikster found of the 552 handle dated ?-47-48 that would suggest that the 552 came late fourties , however they could have bin made parallell like the Lorraine spotlights were by the same Appleton company or another not unlikely thought that there were used 112 spotlights made before the war and used on customs built around 1950 . I would love to see the templets in 112 NOS boxes for fifties cars that would mean they were made then , any pictures ? Sorry for alot of guessing and hijacking the thread but being a custom fan and Appleton collector , all new info on the dark matter "Appleton spotlight" are always intresting . Wolf
I have the original S-552 spotlights from the Barris built Larry Ernst car. The don't have a rotary switch but have a push button switch. They aren't seal beam either but bulb and clear lens. I had them restored and installed them on my clone Of the Ernst car, 2nd version. What is the story on this difference?
Hi Bandito Merc ! Chad is correct in the visual differences of the 112:s vs 552:s , please look up pictures of the different styles in Riksters folder for Appleton spotlights : http://public.fotki.com/Rikster/11_car_photos/beautiful_custom_cars/ http://public.fotki.com/Rikster/11_...cars/great_custom_idears/appleton_-_lorainne/. where you can find the folder "traditional custom car spotlights" and see the differences ! Wolf
Plenty of info,so i guess there is no "REAL" single appleton spotlight,basically you used what was on the Western Auto shelf at the time you needed some! Right? Maybe Gene Winfield,or George Barris can lend their first hand knowledge on this topic...since they must have purchased more than a few sets in their time.
Yes Wolf, that basic recipe for arranging parts into a good custom car applies for most of the early built ones, but no rules without exemptions... Valley Customs, being one of the outstanding builders that didnt stick those rules. Without fender skirts and spotlights several of their cars had a flair of "sports custom", not a "tail dragger". And they did even use the less admireable baby-Appletons on one of their more wellknown customs, the Ron Dunn -50. Also by other great builders several first class early customs were built without spotlights, just a few are Jimmy Summers -40 Merc cvt and the Westergard built -39 Ford cvt for Bruce Glenn... Even some Barris kustoms were built without spotlights, right now I can come to think about the -41 Buick with filled quarter windows and the "give-away" -49 Cad, they had no spots. But the majority of early 50's customs did use 552's, I'm quite sure about that. But in the 1940's? Im not sure about that, anyone with proof of when the 552 was first available? As I know it, a patent can be years ahead of production... From the old black and white photos it is very hard to tell if a custom did use a series 112 or a S-552, but if you get a photo of the inside of the custom, and see the handle then you can tell the model of Appleton. Not many old photos show the handles, but there are some... From old photos I can tell that both the Matranga Merc and the Joe Urritta Ford did use Appleton series 112. Then over to the classic Barris built 49-51 Mercs! Ralph Testa's, Bob Hirohata's, Luigi Bettancourt's and Fred Rowe's Merc Barris Kustoms did all use Appleton S-552's. Though they were not built in the 40's... On the cover of Motor Trend Dec 50, 3 -49 Chev kustoms, at least two of them have 552's , that photo is taken in 1950 but I dont know for 100% if any of those cars were finished earlier than 1950... But what did Sam use on his own -49 Merc? The restored car has 112's... so had the Joe Urritta Ford... The Matranga Merc finished in 1950 or -51, maybe built during the same time as Sam's Merc, did also use S-112, so maybe it was around 1950 that Barris Kustoms started to switch from 112's to 552's? To be honest, I have not been able to spot a photo from earlier than 1950 with a custom that for 100% did use S-552... so the use of Series 112 might be more pre 1950 than pre-war... Yes, there is still a lot of unwritten history about the Appleton 112 and 552... Some unanswered questions are years of production of the 112, the years for the two different models of 112 handles (one or three "decoration lines" on the handle) and the years of chromed / painted handles. The same goes for the 552, first and last year of production and when they turned from a "push knob" to the "turn knob" at the end of the handle. Maybe a good idea for TRJ to write about in long and good feature (with research by Pat G of course...). Btw, I set my limit for good taste early customs in 1952, when pinstriping begun it messed up several nice earlier built cars and the best era of customs ended...
Yeah, I'm curious about the different Appletons. What about the other numbers? I have one 552 and it matches Chads desription but I have a pair of 551s. They look like a 551 (can't tell the differance) except the switch is on the side covered by a plastic cover with Appleton name cast in it. Predate the 552 probably? I also find it cool they are right and left, the switches are on oppisite sides of the handle. Any value to 552s or do they have to be 551s? I also have 3 S-450 lights, they are smaller 4" sealed beam but all three have different style handles/ switches. Did Appleton mix handle styles or has someone since done it? I agree, I'd like to see Appleton advertising material as well.
Hi ! Fun to see this Appleton thread come alive again ! 552:s are harder to find and depending on how diehard custom builder you can find as a buyer in need of the 552:s it can get pretty hairy . My buddy brought a set (left and right) for (I think it was) 2500dollar , outch , but they were cherry , nice plastic and nice chrome . There is also two different 552:s I found the turnbutton and the pushbutton , my imagination is that since I have the turnbutton the pushbutton is harder to find but I dont know . Generaly the 552:s are more important with good plastic since there is no one (that I know) that repop the plastic althou they are usually better then the older 112 handles . Depending on overall shape since they are pretty hard to restore a set (left and right pair) could cost between 400 and 3000 dollar , thats what I seen on eBay , current economy doesnt help selling so its just to roll the dice at eBay I guess , thats where I brought several singles and acouple of pairs 112:s and 552:s . To answer the guy about the 551 , these were just different models produced at the same time , Ive seen 550 , 551 , 552 , 451(smaller size ,aka baby Appleton) with the same handles and arms , the different models are just the housing size , 112 were produced parallell with 141( aka baby Appleton) . Appleton spotlights a jungle , the best way is to poke around on the internet pictures looking at different model spotlights , Rik has gatherd a bunch on different models , see them at: http://public.fotki.com/Rikster/11_...cars/great_custom_idears/appleton_-_lorainne/ With the 112/552 kustom car spotlight folders as my favorit: http://public.fotki.com/Rikster/11_...dears/appleton_-_lorainne/traditional_custom/ Wolf
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