What is this dash socket?

[Steve Raucher]

Hey all,
This '58 Speedster has had forever a pair of under dash night lights that run off a toggle switch.
Also as seen in photo with chrome bezel is a round socket that looks like it would accept perhaps a bulb.
This has always been here and just wondering why. Not an original item and if lighting is in place already I guess I could just remove this.
Any ideas or anyone else with a similar piece under their dash? 6v still old school survivor.
KTF,
Steve

[Ron LaDow]

AFAIK, that is factory; it is a socket for an accessory light at the end of a wire.

[Mike Wilson]

Ron is correct as usual!

Mike

[Dick Weiss]

The light under the dash is NOT original.

[Steve Raucher]

Thanks Ron,
Any info on the bulb type to use is appreciated.
Steve

[Mike Wilson]

Is there a bulb in it?

Mike

[gregg hake]

At first glance, it looks like my accessory socket in the same location.

[Steve Raucher]

No bulb in there. If there was what would control the one and off?
Steve

[Vic Skirmants]

Steve! NO BULB in that hole. As already stated, it's for an accessory light.

[Scott McAdams]

Steve, the accessory light that plugs into that socket come up for sale every now and then. They aren't very attractive, but they are an authentic accessory. Think of that port as the original USB port....

[Al Zim]

This socket was a standard German auxiliary electrical port. In the early VW it was mounted on the dash with a cigarette lighter that had the element exposed. You would press on a button on the side of the lighter to activate it then remove it to light your smoke. As an accessory there was a hand held spot light that would plug into the socket. The best use is to mount a battery tender on the plug and which can be removed as you enter the car instead of driving off with the one under the front hood still attached. BMW motorcycles used this for a long period of time after WWII. al zim

[Steve Raucher]

OK got it guys thanks semi senior moment LOL!
Steve

[John Brooks]

Its an old DIN standard socket, you can still get the plugs. NOS originals are spendy, I run my old GPS on one. The center is hot and the outside ground. Scottie Fishing still uses them for there power fishing reels. BMW still uses them on Motorcycles.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R ... t&_sacat=0

[Peter Silten]

I have two vintage lights that plug into that socket. The first photo is of a safety light that clips onto one of the car’s roll-up windows. The second photo is of a light made by Hella that can be used as a trouble light as the cord is long enough to reach the engine compartment. The end opposite the light bulb is a magnet that holds fast to any metal surface -- e.g., the engine lid.

[Rick Albro]

Steve, you ask a really good question and there are some good responses. I believe this socket is vestigial and has roots in the very early tool kits and accessories for both VW and Porsche. The 1945 and 1950 VW tool kits both had an accessory light With a "magnet". The safety light and the trouble light shown by Peter are from the late 1950'sthroughtout the 1960's era. The earlier light shown in the tool kit image from the 1945 VW accessory catalog and the 1950 VW manual is made of a darker Bakelite material and has a smaller overall profile. These very earlier lights were likely in the Porsche 1950 and possibly early 1951 tool kits for those cars that had tools kits as evident by the existence of the socket and the tool kit bags. Notice the smaller profile of the earlier lamp and how the Hella lamp would fit into the pockets of the very early bags. The 1950 and possibly the earliest 1951 tool kits probably did not have the 11 12 Hazet 450 wrench as this size is not listed in the catalogs for these years and would also make room for the light in the lower pockets. By 1952 the change in the pocket configuration does not allow room for this light, however this accessory remained a very popular item as evident from the existence of a newer style light known to have been made in the 1960's and the fact that the socket remains in our favorite cars well after 1951. Since few good complete original tool kit examples exist I openly admit that the above mouse turds in the milk are some what speculative but the pieces fit together reasonably well. Also credit needs to be given to Tom Birch for posting the photo of the very early tool kit bag on his website and the tool kit bag for 11237 would be for a 1951 car which was for sale and had the image posted with its ad.

edited 7/21/2018 Another dash accessory is the one cup coffee pot. This plugs into the cigarette lighter and makes about one cup of coffee in about 7 -10 minutes or so...