Re Howard's accessories brochure photo, that is exactly where the hole is on my car, so that's what it must be for. I'm going to guess and say it is 1/4" - 5/16", but I will measure it, just for clarification's sake. After looking at a goodly number of pre-war cars both with and without spotlights, I'm officially out, and will plug the hole for now with a nice neat grommet and body fill it down the road when I paint the car. I fully get that there are two sides to an opinion such as this; I guess it just boils down to a matter of taste. Nobody's right, no-one's wrong........ Good dialogue though.

Re Howard's accessories brochure photo, that is exactly where the hole is on my car, so that's what it must be for. I'm going to guess and say it is 1/4" - 5/16", but I will measure it, just for clarification's sake. After looking at a goodly number of pre-war cars both with and without spotlights, I'm officially out, and will plug the hole for now with a nice neat grommet and body fill it down the road when I paint the car. I fully get that there are two sides to an opinion such as this; I guess it just boils down to a matter of taste. Nobody's right, no-one's wrong........ Good dialogue though.

Thanks Dave. If I'm to 'stay original', that would rule out mirror combos for my car then. Like I say, I really am betwixt and between on whether or not I want to 'busy up' the car's appearance with one. A rubber plug or grommet might be the best way to go from here. I also wonder when I look at these lights and envision their install, if the hole in my Windshield post would be big enough. Not sure where the radio antennas went in '39, but I seem to remember seeing them running up the side of the windshield - maybe that's the origin of 'the hole'... When I am back at the car, I'm going to measure it and take a couple of picks.

Thanks for taking the time to dig that up, Don. I am not quite sure how these lights attach - the hole in the windshield post is quite small; does just the wire and the 'control cable' go through with the rest of it mounting on the post, inside and out?? I do like the mirror business as it could do something to help with rear vision and to me, these cars are really lacking in seeing what's beside and behind you. We can take this PM if I'm unintentionally hijacking BDC's original topic....

Thanks Packard Guy, good point and good info. I wasn't aware of a 'light/mirror combo' which is interesting. I'll do some research on the Unity site.

Thanks for the input Howard. I think I'll find a rubber plug for now just to keep the moisture out and 'do something' with the hole. When I eventually get to repainting the car, will probably just fill it in... I agree with you re the trends on visors and spotlights and fender skirts, etc., it seems like they kind of take on a life of their own and 'everybody does it'. Lot to be said for 'factory'.

Okay, okay, I stand corrected. But it is a pretty nice hole, nonetheless. Not sure how one would drill a hole with a perfect chamfer like that. Looks like it's 'always been there'.(almost like it was punched or stamped out) So, that would lead to the question, what is the 'thinking' on spotlights? Use 'em or lose them??? My take was to put one on the car to 'fill the hole' more than anything. I have always found them to be a bit of an ungainly accessory on ANY car. I guess they have their uses (like on cop cars or taxis) but as an add-on for a regular 4-Dr sedan, they seem gaudy and cumbersome. Any thoughts???

Is it possible Don, that the hole was factory and just came with a rubber plug, or some other blind, i.e. a chrome grommet? The hole in my car definitely does not look liked it was drilled, post-production.

Very nice repro, Howard! BDC, I too have that hole in the windshield corner post and do not have a spotlight. I have not quite decided yet what to do about it, but if you elect to 'lose' yours and fill in the hole, I might be interested in your light if you were so inclined to sell it. I have seen a few on Ebay, but not sure how they'd fit and was hoping to find a Packard unit, or at least one that had been IN a Packard so I know it would fit. Maybe you could advise once you got sorted on your dilemma?...It does seem that a ton of cars are 'without' them and I'm not sure how 'proper' one would look on my car ('39 Six) - they sometimes look a little ungainly to me but like you say, the hole sure looks factory. Maybe welding up the hole is the right way to go.....

Significant leg room difference!....