Price for Federal Signal Teardrop Fireball FB1

[Fruslore]

Hi everyone,

what would be a good price to buy for a Price for Federal Signal Teardrop Fireball FB1? Bhflasher.com and lightbarparts.com are selling one for 380-390$, in dcaptain.com he listed one for only 145$… is 380 still “normal”? Problem with dcaptain is that I never ever get a reply from him so I can’t probably even buy it… but still wondering what is a reasonable price for that teardrop! Thanks in advance

 

[dmathieu]

Condition is very important in pricing.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Not to be sarcastic, but how badly do you want it? That's your price.

 

[stansdds]

I see them advertised at $300-$400, but the question is do they sell for $300-$400? For me, the answer would be a hard "no". These days, I'd say somewhere around $100-$150 used, depending upon condition, would be reasonable. If truly NIB, then $200 and maybe just a bit more.

Beware, there are scammers who will claim they have a NIB FB-1 and will post pictures, but payment will likely be through something like Zelle or even crypto-currency, no option for checks, credit card, or PayPal. Direct payments like Zelle and crypto have no tracking and no method of retracting payment due to fraud.

 

[Fruslore]

Thank you guy! A technical question: does the FB1 rotate clockwise or counterclockwise? I see both in YouTube Videos…

 

[stansdds]

Thank you guy! A technical question: does the FB1 rotate clockwise or counterclockwise? I see both in YouTube Videos…

Excellent question and I do not have a definitive answer. The Beacon Ray series rotated clockwise until around 1963-64, when the 14 and 184 were introduced. About that time, the rotation was changed to counter-clockwise. Not sure why, but I think the Dietz 211, introduced around 1959, always rotated counter-clockwise and by the mid-1960's, Dietz was a major competitor to Federal's Beacon Ray line, hence the low profile, flat top 14 and 184.

I happen to have one of the first Model 14's, a Series A1, and it rotates clockwise, but all the Series A2 Model 14's I've seen rotate counter-clockwise. The Series A1 Model 14 also used the open frame motor of the Model 15.

 

[Fruslore]

Alright thank you guys for your help and information!

 

[Fruslore]

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