I have a 53 chev bel-air 4-door,,blue bottom/white top,(possibly old police car)I was wondering how rare are the Unity spotlights with the spotlight/mirror,(this is all on one spotlight)and when did they start putting spotlights on cars,,,Just curious :confused:

Hi 53bel-air,

The spotlight with the mirror on the back is a correct Chevrolet accessory for the 1953.

After market spotlights were available in the 20's and possibly even in the teens.

They are out there, but they are not cheap. Saw one at Fall Carlisle last year in good shape for $400, occaisionally they show up on EBay but again they usually aren't cheap. Greg 54hdt

The correct spot light for 1950 and up was made by GM division-Guide.1949 and older spot lights as well as 1954 and older truck spot lights were Unity.A Unity would be considered after market on a 1954 but it was and still is a common light.

You are correct on the guide logo and that was what I was referring to in my previous statement. The only reason the one at Carlisle caught my eye is that I had bought one years ago (still have it) in similar condition for about $60 and was amased at how the price had changed. Greg 54hdt

Too bad the stock market hasn't done as well

I just had that discussion with my wife. I worked on my first 54 when I was between the ages of 12-18 and bought all the chrome and a bunch of accessories all NOS for a 210 model (the car was in no shape to be restored but paid only 25 for it and didn't know any better at the time. Still have all the pieces and will reuse them on my current project a Belair Hartop. I kept a notebook with the list of everything I purchased back then and what I paid for it and when I go to the shoes now the prices just blow my mind, here are some examples: complete grill $300, autronic eye $50 (it works), complete windshield washer unit $40 (it works), complete front clip in NOS less the hood $200 (thats all inners, outers and splash pan, hood bird $25, full front grill guard accessory kit $50, working radio (still does) $20, used outside sunvisor (good metal but banged up stainless) $30, rear accessory bumper guard unit (corner and center) $60, rocker molding $35 and I can go on and on. Now the chrome pieces will get a rechrome before I use them on the new project but they really have no major problem, just a little surface rust where they got a scratch or something but no dings or pitting. But back to my point. I look at the prices now and what I paid for this stuff back then, and then I look at the returns I have gotten on my investments. I should have bought all the NOS parts I could have grabbed and the heck with the stock market. Hind sight is always 20/20. But who new the 53/54 would become popular because when I got into this there where no catalogs for those years just the tri-fives, now the 53/54 are invogue. Luckily I got it all then and know as I do the current project all I really need is to by mechanical parts. Greg 54hdt

There was a Guide Spot light with mirror attached on ebay under"1948"which sold for 60.00 this week.The chrome looked real good!chef-

I saw that Ebay spot light also-it was a 1950-52-first time I saw an incorrect description on an Ebay item

You can find new ones that are suposibly still made by the original manufacture at www.kanter.com