Where did spotlights on Kustoms come from?

I see them on alot of cars. I think they look cool, but whats the real purpose? I bought a 47 plymouth coupe that had one on it and this is an old stock unrestored car. So I would think the light was installed 50 + years ago. Just curious and I'm sorry if this has been asked before.

 

back in the good old days there was not streetlights on every corner, spots helped you find stuff at night in the dark.

as to why anyone would buy a fake one and install it on the hood of a custom ... that is a question better left unanswered

 

There are a few things I'm glad I never did.
I'm glad I never tattooed Ren & Stimpy on my ankles at 16
I'm glad I didn't major in political science
I'm glad I never put fake spots on my Desoto

Rural guys used em to spot deer and shoot em.

 

awwwww you should of got ren and stimpy on your ankle

 

I've heard from old timers around here, that they were to help light up "pasture parties" out in the country. They were easier to have all the cars lined up on one side and aim the lights whichever way, rather than use headlights which were usually too high and sucked batteries.

I know that's what i'd use 'em for.

 

Real ones=Cool
Dummy spots-why?

 

No crap... I don't like 'em on anything... let alone a fake one.

But if you're going to have one, make sure the damned thing works!

 

around my neck of the woods, the locals still use em for shooting at night. only therye mounted on 4 wheel drives.

 

i put a spot on my 58 f100 and now i will never own a car or truck with out one (as long as it looks cool on there)

 

I've heard a few stories about them as far as my neck of the woods.

1. Shine runners would use them to navigate.

2. The innercepter versions of cars were usually faster and if you bought a decomissioned one it would have spots on it.

3. There were alot of farms that didn't have electricity back in the day out here in Kansas and they were the convinient way to light up outside when you came home late.

Now these reasons may be total bs but thats just what some of the old timers around here have told me.

For the record, I agree, Real or no deal.

 

I don't get them, dummy or not. A guy/gal spends time smoothing his custom whatever out, getting all the lines just right and then hangs this bulbous thing by the windshield?????

 

Is there a way to see if a car was at one time a patrol car? I really just wonder about my 47.

 

Use search, long thread.

 

still none of you told why there are spots, real or not on kustoms ?????????

 

The same question could be asked of many famous customs. Why put an engine in one when it wasn't ever going to be used.

If the car was not going to see real use, why go to the trouble of a real spotlight? People then simply copied the trend.

 

Usually Appleton or Unity.

Bob

 

Dummy spotlights were convenient places to install the pushbutton switches for electric door latches. Eventually they just became a standard item. They were round and shiny and easy to install and every parts store had them. It’s just human nature that they would catch on.

The real spotlights have been around much longer and were mainly utilitarian. I used to see them on farm trucks and those used in the oil fields. In rural areas where there are no street lights they can be very handy.

 

I had 6 KC lights on my O/T jeep for hunting but it was a JEEP wouldnt put them on anything but a 4x4 just my 2 cents.

 

Spot lights were just a style of the times. Lot's of customs had them. Mostly in the early fiftys. They also came in handy for playing spotlight tag on the screen in the drive in movies. If you remember that then your old like me. LOL

 

i dont know how many of you live in rural areas, but since i moved out into the country i could see a spot light being useful on my rod. i mean shit you talk about no street lights on the corner...try no street lights at all.

 

Car guys sought out retired cop cars for the big engines and heavier suspension, and they usually had spots on 'em already. The guys that couldn't find one, put spots on to fool the yokels. Instant trend!

 

sounds like what I had heard is pretty spot on....

 

From what I have heard, and I'm no expert on the subject... but They added them to cars to break up the mundane front winshield posts on early customs... for instance if you had a chopped car, the tall chrome appleton would make the window a look a little smaller, and thus make the car look a little more agressive... Plus they are shiny and really stick out which got peoples attention, which is what customs were (are) supposed to do anyway. Once the fad caught on someone realized that it would be cheaper, easier to install, and boost profits if they made dummy spots, and so this becomes a story of capitalism at its finest....

 

They put them on customs because "truck nuts" hadn't been invented yet.

 

The other day I helped a Dude that had broken down in a super slick 49 buick fastback. To pop the hood I had to remove two dummy spots. Crap man what if that thing was on fire?
JACKASS

 

Blacktopgraffitti is correct. A featured custom in a recent street rodder magazine was beautiful. Low,smooth,long,but the owner had to mount two chrome turds on the cowl.....like warts on a gorgeous women. Gentlemen and ladies, lose the stupidass spot lights. Please. I thank you.

 

Man, what a lot of spotlight haters here!
They were used on the old customs......VERY often. so they are correcft, traditional, and I think they look GOOOD. Nuff said!
Oh...except that from my old boss, a real customizer from the 50's, I heard that the reason, besides cost, of using dummy spots, was that in a lot of locations, the police would ticket you for having real spots. Seems only cop cars, postal vehicles, and other gov'ment cars were allowed to have them.

 

my buddy has a black 59 caddy with appletons spots (dummy),lakepipes,wide whites,chrome reverse,baby moons,white tuck and roll,he wanted everything to go together for that look without drilling in his stainless and the posts,plus its a graet place for the buttons for the doors,,,he did have a cop pull him over to see if the lights where real or fake,rooky cop,,,,,

 

i think it looks good!

 

Sask. still has a law that you can only have one spotlight on a vehicle. Many new semi's have two, and they don't hassle them. Maybe the Queen's Cowboys aren't up on all the laws?