Why are spotlights installed on customs

I like real spots on stockers and old trucks. customs.. not so much.

I really got to wonder what someone would be thinking as they mount fake spotlights on thier HOOD. that modification ranks right up there with painting "lost in the 50's" with musical notes on your quarter panel.

 

I planned on running a real spot lamp on my '52 coupe. I always loved how the real ones looked on stock bodied cars with all the trim and everything still in place. Think I bought mine from Kanter? It's been probably 10 years...

Sucks is it got stolen out of my car when all the windows got busted out of it

 

That's a good freakin question!

 

The original intent among customizers was to visually make the front window appear smaller in height. Later kids installed them on their unchopped cars for the samer reason. Personally, I found them to be distracting and a pain in the ass when I opened the hood on my merc.

 

Spotlights look like chrome tits

 

Ha Ha...years ago, I remember seeing an ad somewhere for a "Tarzan Horn"!! I so want one of those! What could possibly be cooler than a loud Tarzan yell coming from your car?!?!

 

Why did the bear shit in the woods?

 

And yet... never saw any on rods, just on customs, cops, taxis, constuction equipment and delivery trucks. Gary

 

Grifcarnut has got it right. Look at a custom coming down the street from about half a block away. You'll see the effect.

The effect can also be explained in detailed esthetic terms. "obscuring vertical elements of a rectangular object will make the rectangular object appear shorter in height, etc. etc." or the effect of a chrome object is to mirror the surrounding sky, which creates an illusion of space, abscence of an object (abscence of vertical a pillars).

 

You guys are idiots
It's because the grown ups don't believe us because we are only teenagers and we saw a flying saucer land and saucermen that have giant heads and inject alcohol through their fingers and the only way to kill them is if we all turn our spotlights on because the light kills them but nobody believes us cause we are only teen agers!

 

Correct answer.But the CIA is tracking you down right about now.Run!

 

Why? I don't know....but at least they look better than those stupid black rubber static straps that every squirrel around here hung off the back of their car when I was a young kid in the '60s.

 

I can tollerate real spotlights but if I ever bought one with fakes they would be off and in the scrap pile as soon as its in my driveway,never having a vehicle with them it sounds like they could be fun to play with.

 

I always heard the tale...... That is some small towns you could shine a spotlight on to a traffic light to get it to change, supposedly the fire trucks and such would change lights that way. who knows, probably a myth.

 

This is purely my personal opinion, so here goes:
Spotlights in the '30s were an accessory item for practical purposes at first. After a while, they were on most high-end cars like Duesenberg and Lincoln, so some folks with lesser cars would install them mainly for the cachet of making their car look more expensive instead of having them only for practical purposes. In the Forties, spots would be thought of more and more as a custom item although they would also be useful, sort of like the other accessories like headlight visors with jewels, dashboard compasses, etc. By the Fifties, just the look of having a spot was enough to lend a "custom" touch, so they didn't even have to operate — also, the dummy spots were cheaper and easier to install. By the Sixties, spots were pretty much "out" but in the Seventies and later they came back as a retro item.

 

Because round curvy things look nice in pairs.

 

spot lights just plain look cool

 

I thought the spotlight stuck to the Kustoms because they were trying to get the low "draggin ass" look the Chris craft boats of the 40's have, which happen to have spotlights also.
http://www.californiaclassicboats.com/images/Photos/missarrow.jpg
https://www.quicktechhobby.com/Boat/DUMAS/1234-1.jpg
If you don't see a resemblance in a 1940's Chriscraft boat and a mid to late 40's custom, well then there are some issues.

 

Yes finally -the right aswer!!! Yes it has to do with the look of the classic speedboats, Just look at the stance of customs back then...... and the spotlights just put the cherry on top. I mean guys who build period cars are following examples of the early pioneers,so if it was good enough for westerguard and all the rest it is good enough for me. In my opinion if the stance is not right on the car the spotlights just dont look good but if the car is sitting right...well then ... you have your self one bad ass flowing custom.

 

They came with the car........?

 

Well the next natural question is why do so many states have laws against them now?

 

Like anything else.....To keep the man down!!!!!

 

I bought a '77 Ford cop car that was barely running for $200 to part it out about 10 years ago. It still had the spotlight and a P.A. system in it. When I drove it home, I pulled up in front of the house and shined the spotlight on the house and got on the P.A. and said in my best Brodrick Crawford voice, "This is the police, you are surrounded, come out with your hands up". I was laughing my head off as the whole family and a lot of the neighbors came out. It was pretty fun playing with that spotlight.

 

Your opinion or not, its very true. I collect Appleton 112/552's, and have studied their history/use a lot, and this is one of the best answers yet.

 

Very cool looking boat. Your reasons make alot of sense. So we really need to get to the bottom of this. Another thread?, "why are spotlights installed on boats?" LOL.

 

How about they just look FU#*IN GREAT on a sled. I mean when appletons are put on in the right spot,you cant beat that. There are a lot of people who think they have a idea of where they go and hence the word THINK. They dont take the time to look at the old books and magazines(doing homework) and see where they should be at.People say "well I had to put them halfway up the post,otherwise they get in the way of the hood" or I like this one .. " I had to mount them that high up, my mounting brackets dont sit flat on my post when they are that low". I mean come on guys...... IT'S A KUSTOM, nothing is going to go on easy or everybody would have one,it just means that you have to get out that file and KUSTOMIZE that mounting base to fit your post.

 

I don't know why. BUT, I agree, there's no good reason for them. They look too oongapoch on any car.

 

I googled "oongapoch" ... all answers led to your post, lol.

There is a spot on the 41 Cad I just got. The original owner was a logger, outdoor kinda guy. Im sure he put it on there for practical purposes, not looks. Im undecided whether to keep it.

 

U forgot curb feelers plastic waffle seat covers

 

Wooden boats are sooooo damn cool.