Police Fleet Expo - St. Louis
- Thread starter C2Installs
- Start date
SoundOff Signal
Oklahoma State Police Charger, new SoundOff Lightbar.
Dual-Level Deck Lightbar
Front: Interior Pinnacle Lightbar
Ghosts in rear side windows
AR Small Municipal Agency Tahoe
Oklahoma State Police Charger, new SoundOff Lightbar.
Dual-Level Deck Lightbar
Front: Interior Pinnacle Lightbar
Ghosts in rear side windows
AR Small Municipal Agency Tahoe
cajunblitz
Member
JaBradt85 said:
Love your sig line! I don't think I could have said that better myself!....wait, I did say that! lol.....
Yeah, about that dash light looking like a ViperS2.....I've said it many times,.....if Star had to come up with anything original in design, they'd be up shit creek. Their best efforts to knock off everybody else's products always fall short of the performance target in my opinion, but hey,.... at least they look like the good stuff huh?
In those photos, I can see a knockoff of an interior and exterior SoundOff Pinnacle / ETL series light bar and knockoffs of a bracket mounted and surface mounted SoundOff Ghost....my guess is it won't be long before we see the "Star version" of that new SoundOff intersection light. Not a big fan of Star products for just that reason.....no originality.
ryanm said:Philpott Ford (TX) Raptor
So this is where that truck went to...... I saw it at Philpott a few weeks ago and the other weekend it wasn't out in the parking lot anymore.
I get the distinct pleasure of cruising thru there "upfit" lot on a regular basis because I work in Port Arthur during the week. Every once in a while I snap photo's of interesting vehicles or vehicles of interest, but the Raptor was parked in such a way that day that I couldn't get photo's of it. Next time I go by and it's gone......
I did get to get out and look at it and it has a mix of Whelen and Sound Off products on it. Interesting thing on this truck was that they mounted some Whelen 700 series LED's (5mm style) down where the fog lights would be in the lower air dam under the bumper.
Hey all. Just waking up after a real night's sleep now that I'm home. Show was great, but I partied too much Thursday night. Lots of neat stuff, Ryan's pictures are a hell of a lot better than mine! The 2011 Charger, bad as I hate to say it, is a far better car in many aspects. The above interior shots are wrong, however. It did not have a console shifter, it had a factory extruded aluminum mounting plate like the current car. The ass end of the car is nice looking, very much the same look as the Challenger. The LEDs for the taillights outline the perimeter and, at least on this car, the days of strobe HAWs are over (FINALLY). Dodge used Vertex units in the back, but there is no reflector for them, or enough depth for much else. In fact, my understanding is that all three new cruisers, NGPI/Caprice/2011 Charger, are looking at factory-installed LED HAWs. Good news/bad news kind of thing. Looking at the headlight/taillight assemblies for these cars, I would NOT want to be drilling any of them, so I like the idea of factory units.
The Star/SVP Versa Star light shown above (Ghost-ish lighthead) is bright and available in 4 or 6 LEDs. It does appear to be an attempt to copy the Ghost light's mounting capabiliites and design. My feeling based on conversations I had with several people is that it is a Galls request. Star/SVP does a tremendous amount of business with Galls and re-brands their stuff for them. Galls was pushing the Ghost light big time for a while but wanted something less expensive. They turned to Star and this is the result. Since SOS didn't apparently patent the Ghost hood-clip mount design, it was open to copy. The lighthead can be surface mounted to metal, but if not, has a attachable heat-sink. They stuck two of them in a shroud and that is the Viper-ish looking light shown. It is about 3/4 the size of the viper and close or better in brightness. Their new interior Phantom bars with TIR optics are impressive for the price.
Whelen's booth showcased the multi-colored lightbars and their new Can-Trol control system. Hugh A was there and explained it all to me. Essentially, it lets the car and aftermarket equipment communicate with each other and offers complete control and user-defined parameters for how things work. Example...say you are running code, the car communicates its speed to the warning system and the siren's scroll tones change, the number of lightheads increase, and flash patterns speed-up as the car's speed increases. Or, car know that it is night, the warning lights are on, and the video is recording (ala traffic stop)...when you shift into park, it automatically illuminates takedowns, highbeams, spotlamps, etc, and changes arrow pattern, and rear flash rates. Or, the system can use your LED HAWs to supplement stop/turn/tail and reverse light functions. Or put the entire warning system into cruise mode or low power or...well, almost anything you can think of is possible. The demo car was able to turn on only the left or right side of the car's warning lights, as well as just front or rear. Cool stuff, not sure about costs, and not sure how useful all of it really is, but is is very interesting and logical to me that a warning systems should offer more than just on/off.
Code 3 had several new lights, and now had the same Tri-Core technology that the Defender uses available in dash and perimeter lights. Powerful stuff and should be given strong consideration for anyone who relies on dashlights for primary response. TOMAR's booth was all but empty most of the time I passed by it. Spoke to them a bit, not a lot new, but the RECT13/14 series lights are spectacular. Bright as heck, low profile, simple, and priced well. Rontan's booth was busy, and they have a huge number of products. Some neat stuff and expect that their new SaberLux lightbar is going to give fits to other makers when it comes to winning bids. Rontan is being very aggressive in pricing in this market.
FedSig's booth was clean and uncluttered and reflected their simplified product line. The new LED bars are simply incredible. Very impressive and not much more to say about that. Again, I'm not sure 4 color lightbars are really needed, but the ability to go all white for takedowns/alley or intersection sweep is stunning. Like looking into the sun. The Vision SLR's LED intensity combined with completely random flash patterns (like a halogen rotator bar) will blow you away.
Sound-Off signal has been busy, and their new Apex lightbar has been a well-kept secret. It is a new design, the most aerodynamic available (wind-tunnel proven in Saab's Sweden facility) and very, very bright. Think Pinnacle viewing angles with ETL 5000 directional intensity, but better. All new mounting feet bring it to about an inch from the roof. Best-looking linear bar out there by far (IMO). Very nice product and if it prices out where they are aiming, it will be a huge seller and bid-winner. Their new handheld siren is sharp and offers all the features you could need. The Intersector mirror light is brighter than I anticipated and I suggested that they add alley-light capabilities... Sound-off's booth was busy, and they have a lot of satisfied dealers. One neat light was a dual-stacked rear deck Pinnacle that was custom made for the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. OHP requested it from several makers, but only SOS was willing to take on the project. Not a big sale, only 100 or so units, but SOS came through and is adding it to their line. I spent a lot of time talking to SOS's engineers...they really are top notch and want to make the best product. And they listen and really want to hear feedback, unlike other folks. The difference that makes all the difference.
Things I learned...
1. Everyone's stuff is bright. Almost too bright.
2. LED bars can do some cool stuff...if price is no object. And we all know it is, especially now.
3. Made in America is open to interpretation. Don't believe everything you hear or read. If it's really important to you, write it in your bid spec, specify that a certification be made, and then see.
4. Product lines are interesting, but a company's real selling point is, and should be, it's people.
5. Networking is about people, and I have several new contacts that are worth five times what this trip cost me. I spent an over an hour getting to know the head of customer service from FedSig in the hospitality suite. And when I call on Monday, I know I will be taken care of.
6. Car makers still don't get it. Talking to fleet managers is NOT the same as talking to upfitters about upfitting.
7. Cops really dress like cops off duty. I can pick 'em out a mile away. Call it 511 casual. :lol:
8. I have made some good friends over the past few years...you know who you are.
9. Hugh A can flat out install in ways that few can. His stuff is OEM on many of the big three's new vehicles.
10. Tucker's in St; Louis is the best steakhouse value I know. 8oz filet was $18.95 and perfect. 16oz (yes, 16 fricking ounces) filet was $25.95. 20 oz center cut sirloin was $23.95 and 100% of it was meat. Great food. Six of us ate all we wanted for under $200 with tax & tip.
Lots more, but that's the info dump for now.
Good to meet you, Ryan.
The Star/SVP Versa Star light shown above (Ghost-ish lighthead) is bright and available in 4 or 6 LEDs. It does appear to be an attempt to copy the Ghost light's mounting capabiliites and design. My feeling based on conversations I had with several people is that it is a Galls request. Star/SVP does a tremendous amount of business with Galls and re-brands their stuff for them. Galls was pushing the Ghost light big time for a while but wanted something less expensive. They turned to Star and this is the result. Since SOS didn't apparently patent the Ghost hood-clip mount design, it was open to copy. The lighthead can be surface mounted to metal, but if not, has a attachable heat-sink. They stuck two of them in a shroud and that is the Viper-ish looking light shown. It is about 3/4 the size of the viper and close or better in brightness. Their new interior Phantom bars with TIR optics are impressive for the price.
Whelen's booth showcased the multi-colored lightbars and their new Can-Trol control system. Hugh A was there and explained it all to me. Essentially, it lets the car and aftermarket equipment communicate with each other and offers complete control and user-defined parameters for how things work. Example...say you are running code, the car communicates its speed to the warning system and the siren's scroll tones change, the number of lightheads increase, and flash patterns speed-up as the car's speed increases. Or, car know that it is night, the warning lights are on, and the video is recording (ala traffic stop)...when you shift into park, it automatically illuminates takedowns, highbeams, spotlamps, etc, and changes arrow pattern, and rear flash rates. Or, the system can use your LED HAWs to supplement stop/turn/tail and reverse light functions. Or put the entire warning system into cruise mode or low power or...well, almost anything you can think of is possible. The demo car was able to turn on only the left or right side of the car's warning lights, as well as just front or rear. Cool stuff, not sure about costs, and not sure how useful all of it really is, but is is very interesting and logical to me that a warning systems should offer more than just on/off.
Code 3 had several new lights, and now had the same Tri-Core technology that the Defender uses available in dash and perimeter lights. Powerful stuff and should be given strong consideration for anyone who relies on dashlights for primary response. TOMAR's booth was all but empty most of the time I passed by it. Spoke to them a bit, not a lot new, but the RECT13/14 series lights are spectacular. Bright as heck, low profile, simple, and priced well. Rontan's booth was busy, and they have a huge number of products. Some neat stuff and expect that their new SaberLux lightbar is going to give fits to other makers when it comes to winning bids. Rontan is being very aggressive in pricing in this market.
FedSig's booth was clean and uncluttered and reflected their simplified product line. The new LED bars are simply incredible. Very impressive and not much more to say about that. Again, I'm not sure 4 color lightbars are really needed, but the ability to go all white for takedowns/alley or intersection sweep is stunning. Like looking into the sun. The Vision SLR's LED intensity combined with completely random flash patterns (like a halogen rotator bar) will blow you away.
Sound-Off signal has been busy, and their new Apex lightbar has been a well-kept secret. It is a new design, the most aerodynamic available (wind-tunnel proven in Saab's Sweden facility) and very, very bright. Think Pinnacle viewing angles with ETL 5000 directional intensity, but better. All new mounting feet bring it to about an inch from the roof. Best-looking linear bar out there by far (IMO). Very nice product and if it prices out where they are aiming, it will be a huge seller and bid-winner. Their new handheld siren is sharp and offers all the features you could need. The Intersector mirror light is brighter than I anticipated and I suggested that they add alley-light capabilities... Sound-off's booth was busy, and they have a lot of satisfied dealers. One neat light was a dual-stacked rear deck Pinnacle that was custom made for the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. OHP requested it from several makers, but only SOS was willing to take on the project. Not a big sale, only 100 or so units, but SOS came through and is adding it to their line. I spent a lot of time talking to SOS's engineers...they really are top notch and want to make the best product. And they listen and really want to hear feedback, unlike other folks. The difference that makes all the difference.
Things I learned...
1. Everyone's stuff is bright. Almost too bright.
2. LED bars can do some cool stuff...if price is no object. And we all know it is, especially now.
3. Made in America is open to interpretation. Don't believe everything you hear or read. If it's really important to you, write it in your bid spec, specify that a certification be made, and then see.
4. Product lines are interesting, but a company's real selling point is, and should be, it's people.
5. Networking is about people, and I have several new contacts that are worth five times what this trip cost me. I spent an over an hour getting to know the head of customer service from FedSig in the hospitality suite. And when I call on Monday, I know I will be taken care of.
6. Car makers still don't get it. Talking to fleet managers is NOT the same as talking to upfitters about upfitting.
7. Cops really dress like cops off duty. I can pick 'em out a mile away. Call it 511 casual. :lol:
8. I have made some good friends over the past few years...you know who you are.
9. Hugh A can flat out install in ways that few can. His stuff is OEM on many of the big three's new vehicles.
10. Tucker's in St; Louis is the best steakhouse value I know. 8oz filet was $18.95 and perfect. 16oz (yes, 16 fricking ounces) filet was $25.95. 20 oz center cut sirloin was $23.95 and 100% of it was meat. Great food. Six of us ate all we wanted for under $200 with tax & tip.
Lots more, but that's the info dump for now.
Good to meet you, Ryan.
Last edited by a moderator:
cajunblitz
Member
C2Installs said:
Love the write up Matt. On behalf of those most interested in the industry that just couldn't make it out there, I'd like to extend a BIG thank you to Matt and Ryan. Your photos and info are head and shoulders above what we hear and see form any of our vendor reps at any given time. KUDOS!
Matt, I love the comment about the SOS engineers. That's what it's all about in this industry, and the other companies could do themselves wonders if they followed in SOS's footsteps. Give the customer what they want! I love that new Apex bar, and was wondering what the name was while drooling over Ryan's photos! I also love the Dual Stack Pinnacle, and know from speaking with Jon Forbes that SOS is willing to do what it takes to get you the right custom product (dual color corner Pinnacle light bars) to fit your bid specs.
On your list, I'd respond:
1. Yep. I agree. When is really bright too bright? When it causes accidents rather than prevents them.
2. Yep. Multi color LED bars with ridiculous capabilities used to be just pipe dreams. No longer.
3. True dat.
4. Double true dat. If the people aren't personable and don't know jack about the product, the company will lose out.
5. That is why I kick myself every time those expos are held and I can't attend. You can't buy that kind of networking anywhere!
6. OH SO TRUE! Most Fleet Managers could give a rats ass about the equipment and all of its cool features. Now us upfitter guys......
7. No comment except for "did you resemble your description too Matt?" LOL!
8. Me too. Mostly from this and a couple other forums. It's nice to be able to talk to friends that share your passion and are as passionate as you are about this industry.
9. Uh, where can I get a job like that? I got mad skills too! LOL!
10. I love Red Meat!
Can't wait for the next post!
Cajun,
It's in St. Louis again next year. Bring your ass. Talk to your SOS guy or Tomar guy and they can get you a vendor pass. You can drive it in less than a day, so try offering a demo vehicle or agency vehicle for their booths. It is worth the cost, so save you pennies. Hell, I'll split a room with you. I sleep naked, though.
It's in St. Louis again next year. Bring your ass. Talk to your SOS guy or Tomar guy and they can get you a vendor pass. You can drive it in less than a day, so try offering a demo vehicle or agency vehicle for their booths. It is worth the cost, so save you pennies. Hell, I'll split a room with you. I sleep naked, though.
I hear its only gay if the balls touch.C2Installs said:Cajun,
It's in St. Louis again next year. Bring your ass. Talk to your SOS guy or Tomar guy and they can get you a vendor pass. You can drive it in less than a day, so try offering a demo vehicle or agency vehicle for their booths. It is worth the cost, so save you pennies. Hell, I'll split a room with you. I sleep naked, though.
Cajun, next year you can drive up through here and split the drive to St. Louis.
I definitely plan to go again.
I definitely plan to go again.
Matt, good to meet you also!
I didn't realize that Hugh was there. I would have liked to meet him also.
I didn't realize that Hugh was there. I would have liked to meet him also.
Ryanm. I was in the Code 3 booth and wish I had met you. Thanks for posting the pics of all the exhibitors. It was a good show. Hope you were able to come to the Code 3 open house.
c3john said:
John. I met several people at the Code3 booth. Looked like you guys were pretty busy. Everybody was talking to someone, all the time.
I really meant to send a couple of the 'c3' guys on here a message to ask who was going to be at the show... but got tied up at work and forgot.
I didn't make it for the Tuesday events (was driving in) and was sorry to have missed it. I did make the ballpark tour.
Thanks to you and yours for hosting.
cajunblitz
Member
C2Installs said:Cajun,
It's in St. Louis again next year. Bring your ass. Talk to your SOS guy or Tomar guy and they can get you a vendor pass. You can drive it in less than a day, so try offering a demo vehicle or agency vehicle for their booths. It is worth the cost, so save you pennies. Hell, I'll split a room with you. I sleep naked, though.
Matt, I will certainly do my best to make it up there next year, but I may have the wifey with me so keep your drawers on! lol! C3John had offered to get me a vendor pass for this one, so I'm sure I can get one of the vendors to pitch in for the next one. I would love some face time with you, Ryan, C3john, Hugh and others. I agree about the networking thing for sure.....no amount of money can buy those kind of contacts!
R, that definitely sounds like a plan, and if the ol' lady doesn't want to make the trip with me (she's my "professional photographer" and most likely will want to tag along to shoot St. Louis) we can hook up for the drive.ryanm said:
JaBradt85 said:
Dude, you make my day....you funny f'ker!
John, hopefully myself and Ryan can both meet you next year and attend the open house @ Code 3.....I'm betting it's pretty cool! Ryan's photography is top notch and maybe he'll get some spy photos while visiting Code 3! lol!c3john said:
cajunblitz said:
This could make for an interesting party.
Upfit contest next year?
Each participant is provided with a shop, a warehouse of gear, and one of the new police cars.
You have from Tuesday to Thursday afternoon to complete your upfit. Then St. Louis Metro goes out and runs the heck out of them in downtown traffic enforcement. Then we see whose work survives.
:lol:
C2Installs said:
I've been to Tuckers, that is one hell of a place!!
6. In my experience an install done by a car dealer is typically riddled with problems immediately, and for many years to come.
4. and especially 3. It sounds like you encountered something at the show to make you think Made in America is not really made in America? I am not writing this to start ANYTHING so please don't think that. I am just wondering what the back story is behind that. My department is exceptionally careful to purchase only American products so if something has changed, I would like to know.
Thanks for the review of the show.
cajunblitz
Member
ryanm said:
No contests for me thank you! Those things are all about how fast you can throw a unit together, and everyone knows that ain't me! This boy is built for comfort, not speed these days.
Now on the other hand, if they want the highest quality install and time is not a factor....well, you know......lol........
FireEMSPolice
Member
I'm pretty sure the first videos released of the next-gen Caprice used a FedSig Raydian.cajunblitz said:Love the photos so far. It looks like Whelenpalooza at the front of that Expo Hall. Just sayin'........
