A-pillar Spotlight

Has anyone installed an A-pillar mount cop-style spotlight? It's been talked about, but never described on the boards. How involved is the cutting/drilling? I would get a spot and mounting kit from Galls. Doesn't look that bad, but looks can be decieving....I saw an Apillar install on a Crown Vic and it wasn't as pretty as just drilling a hole, an arc had to be cut out. The spotlight on an X apparently goes into the door pillar.....

spot
http://www.galls.com/shop/viewProductDetail.jsp?item=SL061
mounting kit
http://www.galls.com/shop/viewProductDetail.jsp?item=SL028
black cover
http://www.galls.com/shop/viewProductDetail.jsp?item=SL017

I think this base model is 160,000 candlepower which will greatly help me. Plus, $120 isn't that bad for that powerful of a light that you can control....

 

[Alec]

Just ordered it

Well I just ordered the light. I ended up getting the 230,000 candle power HIR spotlight, mounting kit, and black cover. Total with shipping: $160. They said the installation is fairly easy: only one hole to drill through the door pillar, but it's one of those measure ten times drill once deals: the hole has to be perfect. Hmmm, when I get the light I'll decide if I want to do it. If not, I know a guy whose installed spotlights on Crown Vics for the campus police.

Yay, another gadget to play with!
BTW, just got my Eaton posi in the mail, getting installed in the next few weeks. Now I just have to get my skid plates and I'll be ready for Moab!

 

[Brian8]

i will be installing one hopefully on each side in a few weeks. let me know how you make out. i am having my father help me with this cause he installed one already in his bronco.

 

[COMMOCOZY]

I also will be doing this in the next few weeks. My dad is a cop so they have they all over the place. i just have to wait till they throw them out.

 

[Alec]

Well the light arrived today. I should get a chance to install it tomorrow. The install kit came with a template so drilling the holes shouldn't be that much of an issue. I was bored tonight, so here are some pics of the light:

Dead Link Removed

 

[drmoore71]

well, doesn't that look like fun!! if you need any help, let me know. i get off work at five-ish.

 

[mattadams]

looks cool! Although if doug helps you, then you have to help him install the PIAA 1500's he'll be receiving in oh... about 3-5 days .

 

[drmoore71]

oh yeah...i'm always down for possible free labor!

 

[Alec]

Doug, we'll probably be starting on it around 630 or so. If you wouldn't mind, send me an email with your phone number as I seem to have misplaced it. The instructions are great and the template is very good. It shouldn't be a problem with the right tools. I'm always looking for a helping hand though! And I'd be happy to help you with your PIAAs, should be a piece of cake. We can do those sometime next week maybe.

 

[beavis195]

My friend just bought an ex cop car, a 1992 Mustang 5.0 with one of the spotlights, but we can't figure out how to get it working. Alec, when you install it, will you please describe the wiring for me, thanks.

 

[Alec]

i haven't installed mine yet, but the wiring looks very simple: its only one wire! Run a positive lead from the battery (with an inline fuse of course) to a switch. then run a wire from the switch to the spotlight. the spot should ground itself on the metal frame of the car, so thats it!

good luck

 

[beavis195]

hey thanks. The car already had the wire in place. They hid it under the battery somehow. They also just removed the fuse. I popped in a fuse and it came on but the fuse blew. What size fuse did it come with? Thanks

 

[Alec]

Hmm, my light didn't come with a fuse, I'll go down to Autozone to get an inline fuse holder. 15A fuses usually work for lights. Since this light is 55-100W, it should work since 15A fuses work for pairs of 55W lights. Also, I like the blade type fuses better than the cylinder ones, but thats just me

Also, see that the wire that's there is heavy duty enough. You probably want 12 ga wire to be on the (very) safe side. That way the wire's also thick enough to stand up to being routed through tight spots.

 

[wabbit]

I want one on top...

I'd like to get on for the roof. With the handle coming down throung the headliner.
Brian, where did you get your spotlight?
Anyone know of other places to get one of these? I'd like to check some prices...

 

[Alec]

I looked all over the net and the cheapest price I found for the Apillar light was at Galls. JCWhitney also has some but they're of inferior quality. But, JCWhitney is the only place I saw that has them specifically to go in the roof.

Among the places I checked out were Sirennet.com and GTdist.com. Both were a lot more than Galls.com.

 

[wabbit]

Thx Alec...

I'll check those places out.
I'd really like to go through the roof for 360 rotation.
Maybe I'll call Galls to see if there is a different mounting bracket available for roof mounts.

 

[Alec]

BTW: for wiring: I mentioned above to put a switch in. I just noticed that my light has a built in switch. Many of them don't, but mine do (yay). Of course, if your light has a built in switch, you don't need to wire one in.

Wabbit, as for roof mounting: the construction of the light itself needs to be different. With the Apillar lights, there's a right angle in the mechanism so the light points ahead. I think if you tried to put an Apillar light on the roof, you'd be able to get it to point ahead, but your movement would be severely limited due to that angle. But they should be able to help you out at Galls, they're very nice people.