Just found a set! Whats the history on these? Seems to have the original speaker. What are they worth? This particular set came off a '76 c65 chev
Thanks!
Thanks!
70's Federal Visibar Model 11
- Thread starter VHI
- Start date
VHI said:Help me out here guys! This seems to be the place to go for light information
Not worth much, let me know how much it is to ship to me, I will pay shipping and $20 for your trouble!
Looks to be in very nice shape. Somebody will chime in with worth, but definitely worth hanging on to.
Thanks for the replies. I'd love to know some specifics! It will be going up for sale. I work for a truck salvage yard, this item caught my eye. I love vintage truck parts, some neat history for sure. The boss also owns a very large vintage firetruck collection so I'll prob contact him sometime
Zapp Brannigan said:Not worth much, let me know how much it is to ship to me, I will pay shipping and $20 for your trouble!
Your a funny guy Ace!
To the OP, it is a chain driven or each rotator independent of each other?
I have one, but mine is not chain driven and have the newer CP100 chrome speaker. I am thinking yours may be the chain driven one looking at the speaker.
They are work what someone wants to pay, but you can use this as an example.
Federal Signal Visibar | eBay
denko3 said:
Denko, you are somewhat out of American touch again, i would say around 225.00 as the market is low right now.
The lights have a worm gear to turn them
I kind of want to hook it up!
Also...here's the controller?
I kind of want to hook it up!
Also...here's the controller?
Last edited by a moderator:
Nice find! Any old lightbar like that is worth someones time
I think the lightbar controller was the two switches on the plate in the dash:haha: The controller on the stand is a PA20 Siren(or PA15 maybe, I don't know enough about the "early" Federal Signal PA model sirens), member Wailer will probably give you specifics about it if he reads this thread
I don't think it would be too hard for you to wire up the siren if you wanted to mess with it, or the bar for the lights.
I think the lightbar controller was the two switches on the plate in the dash:haha: The controller on the stand is a PA20 Siren(or PA15 maybe, I don't know enough about the "early" Federal Signal PA model sirens), member Wailer will probably give you specifics about it if he reads this thread
I don't think it would be too hard for you to wire up the siren if you wanted to mess with it, or the bar for the lights.
If it's the original chain drive Federal Model 11 with a working CJ-24 speaker it can be in the $250.00 range. The "controller" as you call it looks to be a late model series E Federal PA-20A Interceptor electronic siren. Nice find... Good Luck!
About the history of these bars: They came out c.1965. I'm not sure when they were discontinued, but the TwinSonic came out in the early '70s. The main problem with both bars was the chain drive.
When I was in Lubbock, the Texas Tech P.D. had a pair of the VisiBars on two of their cars, each with a pair of CP25 speakers and a Federal Interceptor siren. The bars replaced the old Federal 173 three-lamp beacons and small underhood sirens they had used for many years. But after replacing chains on both bars numerous times, they aimed the lamps of both beacons on the bars forward and hooked up alternator flashers two the two sets of lights and then mounted one of the old 173 beacons in the center of the bars. They now have LED bars on their units. Haven't seen them close enough when I've been in Lubbock to see what they're using.
When I was in Lubbock, the Texas Tech P.D. had a pair of the VisiBars on two of their cars, each with a pair of CP25 speakers and a Federal Interceptor siren. The bars replaced the old Federal 173 three-lamp beacons and small underhood sirens they had used for many years. But after replacing chains on both bars numerous times, they aimed the lamps of both beacons on the bars forward and hooked up alternator flashers two the two sets of lights and then mounted one of the old 173 beacons in the center of the bars. They now have LED bars on their units. Haven't seen them close enough when I've been in Lubbock to see what they're using.
My Visibar is from Texas DPS as it still has the asset tag, but when I got it there was no speaker. I did get some of the brackets for it, but the seller did not have the speaker. I later had found the correct chrome speaker on eBay but have not put it on as that is too much chrome for my old military truck that it is installed on.
http://elightbars.org/forums/f18/craiglist-find-federal-signal-visibar-r-b-used-texas-dps-36965/
I did find these picture on the net showing Texas DPS State Troopers did use them with no speaker.
Theophilus Family motor vehicles
http://phantomprod.com/MPhMotorDPS1967.jpg
http://phantomprod.com/MPhMotorDPS1968.jpg
http://phantomprod.com/MPhMotorAlpDPS.jpg
http://elightbars.org/forums/f18/craiglist-find-federal-signal-visibar-r-b-used-texas-dps-36965/
I did find these picture on the net showing Texas DPS State Troopers did use them with no speaker.
Theophilus Family motor vehicles
http://phantomprod.com/MPhMotorDPS1967.jpg
http://phantomprod.com/MPhMotorDPS1968.jpg
http://phantomprod.com/MPhMotorAlpDPS.jpg
Based on the serial number on the beacons, this model 11 was made in 1973. The model 11 was introduced in 1964 and remained in production until around 1978.
I just found one of these Visibars today in the attic/storage area of my FD. I am taking inventory so the town can claim surplus and we can sell some stuff. It will be listed on the surplus list and sold to the highest bidder along with a bunch of other stuff. Unfortunately, some moron decided to throw an old FS Jetsonic on top of it and it busted the red lenses on the Visibar. I have no idea how I am going to get it into decently sellable shape.
If it is just the domes that are broken and everything else is in good condition, domes are readily available new and used. The only difference with the newer domes is that the top of the dome has a frosted texture.
Eric in that condision you would get 300$ for it,trust me.about market at the moment it depend.......
ERIC6913 said:
Thanks for the info guys. I listed it for $200 but I could get someone from this board a better deal, let me know
CHEVROLET C65 Miscellaneous Lighting on VanderHaags.com
Disclaimer: I don't make any money off the sale of this, just want to give it a good home!
CHEVROLET C65 Miscellaneous Lighting on VanderHaags.com
Disclaimer: I don't make any money off the sale of this, just want to give it a good home!
K9Vic said:
Texas DPS used the VisiBars both with and w/o the CP25 speakers, as you note. When they first started using the VisiBars, they used them with just the lights only, and they continued using the small EG sirens underhood. Since DPS troopers have always been allowed to use emergency equipment of their choice at their own expense, some of the troopers began mounting Federal WG sirens on the bars. This was a far-cry from using the sirens underhood, which were hard to hear. Some troopers also began using a variety of electronic sirens, with some of them using concealed speakers and others using the more traditional CP25 speakers on the bars. The first DPS units to "officially" use electronic sirens were the down-sized Ford Mustangs which came with the pushbutton North American sirens. They also used North American red/blue bumper lights and the more DPS-traditional red spotlights on the drivers' side. As I've noted on another thread about Texas DPS units, the first departure from the state-installed underhood sirens and red spotlights I saw in 1965, when a local trooper added a red Federal Model 17 beacon to the roof of his cruiser.That seemed to go over well, so we began to see other troopers following suit with similar additions of their own.