Thread: My NAPA 490

Hello everyone! I just received a light from a friend to install on my truck.

I would like to do any service it needs before it goes on and need some guidance.
The tag says NAPA 490, SAE-W3-70, volts 12, serial 031571, RE Dietz, Syracuse , NY.

It sure looks like a model Dietz 211 to me. I tried searching but did not find the answers to these questions.
If I missed it, please point me in the right direction.

Are those drainage holes on the bottom exterior? Is ithere supposed to be a seal between the lens and the body?
Where can I find a base gasket or do I just fabricate my own? Any places I should apply grease/oil etc?

Thanks in advance.

Originally Posted by mrgoob

Are those drainage holes on the bottom exterior? Is ithere supposed to be a seal between the lens and the body?
Where can I find a base gasket or do I just fabricate my own? Any places I should apply grease/oil etc?
]

I can't speak surely about the holes, but the beacon is missing the retaining ring in between the base and the dome. This is a rebadged 7/2-11 beacon so I'm pretty sure the Dietz parts will fit just fine. Don't grease or oil anything if it works.

To confirm, yes, your light was manufactured by Dietz and badged as a NAPA for resale by them.

It does look like you're missing the retaining band in one photo, but looks like you have it in another. It needs to be attached around the light to seal the dome to the base.

The holes on the underside are for wiring and attachment to the vehicle. When they were mounted on a vehicle roof, there was a round pad attached between the light and the roof to seal the bottom of the light to the car. It was about 1" thick before installation, and was usually compressed about half-way as the light was tightened down to the roof.

Here's an install I have done with one...you can't see the pad that well, but it's there.

The other photo is of a recent NOS light that sold on eBay, you can see the pad in the background. You can see the pad has holes that line up with the holes on the underside of the light where the attachment bolts would go.

There is no rubber seal between the dome and base. As Tom said, the retaining band will make a seal.

I would take the light apart, and clean all parts up before installing it.

Tom, I like that WW instal.

if you not dead set on doing a retro install sell the light here and get a new one

Go retro. That'll look great on your truck!

Thanks for the replies. I'm sticking with the retro look-everything else on my truck is old so it will fit right in!

Another for the crew...

the rest are at the link...

66 Plymouth album | Tsheehy | Fotki.com, photo and video sharing made easy.

It is a rebadged Dietz 211. I would just clean it up, do not apply any sort of solvent to the motor as the ink markings on the motor will disappear (don't ask me how I know ). These motors and drives are permanently lubricated, so there is no need for oil or grease and they tend to be incredibly durable. As mentioned above, there is no dome gasket on these beacons, but you do need a gasket between the bottom of the beacon and the surface to which it will be mounted. The proper gasket is doughnut shaped and fits perfectly withing the circular recess on the bottom side of the beacon's base.

Originally Posted by stansdds

The proper gasket is doughnut shaped and fits perfectly withing the circular recess on the bottom side of the beacon's base.

Are the gaskets available for sale or do I fabricate my own?

You're probably going to have to make your own.

Yep, you will likely need to make your own. Once in a while I see a used beacon with the gasket for sale, but it's rare. Only one out of the three that I have bought actually came with its gasket.

Originally Posted by dmathieu

You're probably going to have to make your own.

Check with Joe Dorgan, the late John Dorgan's son. John carried the Dietz gaskets at one time and they may still be available. The website is Antique Police and Fire Sirens .

I love that beautiful 211-WW hill light. We had one many years ago on an ambulance, but it had clear bulbs with a blue dome. One night while responding on a fire call with my VFD, the dome came off, so the beacon was all-clear and nearly blinded the guys who were driving behind me. They wanted me to turn the beacon off and run just the tunnel lights, but they were on a single switch, so that didn't work!