spot light mount

John ED Renstrom

PCS Member
Super Site Supporter
been trying to find were the spot light should go on this 53 and what mount that was used. I have a number of pictures of this style cars Pontiac or Chevy that show it either on top of the molding. but none that are clear enough to show what style mount is used. Unity list the proper mount as the #31 I have a new set of them but they are the new style and they do not include the template for my car. contacting unity gave me the information that I need the template # B-261. but further contact has not reviled were I can get this mysteries template. the hole in the door is below the molding but it has a number of of small holes around it and the #31 will not mount were the shaft hole is located on that door. I have searched e-bay and found a few NOS ones at a price above new from unity. one showed a template that had instruction of were to place the #31 mount on the convertible. my offer to pay for a scan of that template have gone unanswered.

so if anyone has a clear picture of a spot light mount or has one that know came off a early 50s Pontiac or Chevy I could really used it or at least the number the number off it. here is the best I could do from my pictures on Barnette and one Acme.
 

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We will no longer be able to get any experienced help with our questions from Unity USA, since I learned yesterday, that Carl, the most knowledgeable person there about old cars, has passed away. I always found him to be extremely helpful and knowledgeable about the old products. Rest in peace Carl, your passing has put a large void of knowledge in the collector car hobby.
 
Here is a funny one I thought I would just google 54 Chevrolet police car and get a good view of how the spot lights are mounted. WRONG! There was not a SINGLE 53 or 54 with a spotlight. One has to wonder why? The Buicks and Cadillacs of the era the windshield posts were too slim and spot lights were put through the door. I had a 53 Roadmaster with a spot light a pain in the butt it stuck out and you caught things on it and banged you wrist when you were not paying attention.
 
Paul gave me a call today and we were talking about this there are two mounts that will fit this car the 31 and the 37 the 31 is below the belt molding and the 37 above it has a notch that fits agent the fold in the upper door frame. as all I was doing this after noon was watching paint dry. I got out the grinder and clean the mess on this door down to bare steel. the had a 1/4 of filler on the top side agents the molding. covering over the butchered hole and the round one next to it and there are three holes on the inside of the door and only one threw the inside trim. typical mess there may have been many attempts at putting a light on this on at Armbruster. it was probity a late Friday night attempt.

but the good news is I can use the 31s I have here we will end up redoing everything but at least it will fit on the door now that the filer is off. it's a little low and has a slight tilt down to it but if we move it up closer to the molding it should be good. one can only guess how they bent the door skin to get the shaft to go up as high as it was. but then needed to cover the hole they drilled wrong in a all ready painted car.

the other pictures are of the aftermarket mirror I aquired and the paint that was drying
 

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The mount that is closest to your hand in this picture is a GM spotlight mount. This is sometimes known as an Appleton or Autolite bracket, another company in Chicago, that was making spotlights back in the 1950's. They are very similar to the Unity spotlights, and it might have just been another division of Unity doing their own thing.
You will note that the handle isn't the typical Unity handle that was common back then.
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