VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 CHEVROLET Sportlight

HELP HELP HELP

I need instructions for installing the Sportlight on a 1933. Does anyone have a close picture of the light mounted on either a 1932-33-34.

Due to my age and physical condition I have not been able to corral enough courage to drill the window post and dash.

Any help or encouragement greatly appreciated.

There is a detailed article on how to install the accessory Chevrolet Sportlight on a 1930 in the July, 1999 issue of the G&D. Most of the principals in the article are the same, so you might find that useful. :cool2:

Encouragement? Well since drilling the holes for the Sportlight is a scary procedure.....you can do the same as I did: Think on it for about a year and once you are sure that you do want to go through with it, drink about a case of beer in the two hours prior to drilling the holes in your pride and joy so that you will be totally relaxed.

And then....have someone else drill the holes while you are not looking!!! :eek:

That is basically my plan of attack.

Thanks to Gene for sending me some pictures which were invaluable. I would have started the outside hole in the wrong place.

I have almost a week before I load and take the coupe to the NW Meet. Will do some more meditating and then MAKE HOLES!

Make sure that you have the template and pilot hole bushing for the outside bracket (I did for mine) before you start because without those you are just guessing at where to drill the hole and at what angle. The angle is critical too and that is the scary part!

And....ya only get one chance at it!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

Ray

Is this going on a 33 Standard? If so I could loan you an original #364556 Safetylight template.

Ken

I have the bracket, both inside and outside. Sure would be nice if I had a template, but without it you do as much homework as possible and then give it your best effort. If you miss it, you can always enlarge the hole, mount an "L" shaped piece of iron and hang a flower pot on it. Use two pieces and I could hang one on the inside also.

Hi VCCA Son,

I am working on a 54,000 mile original 6-wheel Eagle coupe.

If you have a scanner it could be sent by email.

I don't know.....the more I think about it the better I like the flower pot idea! Less work....and ya don't have to be too accurate with your holes either. And..the flowers would add some color to the car too!

Since you have the outside bracket you can make a pilot hole bushing out of brass and use that for drilling your pilot hole. Then you will have the hole in the right place and also at the correct angle as well.

I'm lucky. I have the pilot bushing also. BIG problem is where do you mount the outside bracket. Actually, it is pretty much a matter of centering the bracket in the area available. (He talks a good story, but you don't see him drilling yet).

Hum.....since ya got the pilot bushing then you have it made! And, if you do get the template then you have it "double made"!

Another big help is to use a hand drill with a bubble level on the drill body. The dude that drills the hole for you will love it!

I'll try to scan the template tomorrow. It is for a 1933 1934 1935 Standard and 1934 Pontiac closed car.

Ray

Check your email as I sent the scan requested this morning.

A great big “THANK YOU” to VCCA Son for sending the template. Although it was for the “standard” car it answered my questions for the EAGLE.

Later today I plan to “PUNCH” some holes. It is predicted that it will only get up to 96 º and I want to do it while it is cool.

Ray,

I was heading over to lend a little 'moral support' but got delayed helping my parents with a couple of errands.

How'd it go???

Bill.

Other things more important came up and never did get to the project.

Today doesn't look any better.

Finally found a cool day (92º) and took time to install the Chevrolet Sportlite. Took 5 hours because we measured everything 10 times and then drilled once.

We are very close to having all the available accessories on this 1933 EAGLE. Available publications and memorabilia are near the end also.

Cool! The Chevrolet Sportlight looks great! Okay, how many cases of beer did it take to install it?

Okay, tell us about the Sportlight. Is it new old stock or did you find a used one and restore it? Also, I noticed that you have the accessory "Catalin" ball on the Sportlight. Those puppies are rare!! I have a new old stock 1932 Sportlight with the original tags, and the "Catalin" ball. Besides mine, I have only seen two others like that.....which includes yours.

Actually, I bought three Sportlites, took the best parts to make two and replated ever single item. You would not believe what it cost to plate every item, resilver the reflector and purchase the shielded wire. Also had to make one switch housing. I did two complete lights with the idea of selling one to cover some of the extreme expense of this project.

On the knob, I now have a matching set of Sportlite knob, horn button, gear shift knob, and cigar lighter. Took a while to accumulate those items.

Ya, on the knob I can imagine how hard that was to find. Those accessory "Catalin" Sportlight knobs are soooooo scarce, but they are way cool!

Looks nice, Ray.

Glad it worked out for ya!!

Bill.

Nice job on a beautiful spotlight...I wanted to see more pics of the car and the accessories.

Is that red rose an original Chevrolet accessory too? LOL