Anyone bidding on this Signal stat 374 beacon?

Crownfire

Member
Jun 23, 2011
531
USA CA
I’m not going over $75, so if you want it more than that let me know and I’ll back off. Don’t need the light, but I’ll buy if it’s a bargain.
 

Lyle

Member
Oct 28, 2012
302
Maine
Those 374s usually go for a fair piece more......
 

FCV96

Member
May 8, 2013
149
Queens, NY
I ended up winning that auction. I stumbled across this thread when the price had already surpassed Crownfire's limit, and I put in a bit of a joke max bid of $130 in the last moments of the auction. It was at $125 and I didn't expect my bid to actually surpass the high bidder at the time.

I'll get a video of it sometime later tonight or this weekend. It's my first sealed-beam rotating beacon, and I've always loved four-bulb beacons and Signal Stat stuff. It was also in very nice shape, though I had to order new bulbs for it. The seller did a great job protecting the beacon during shipment, but he shipped it with the bulbs inside of it. Presumably due to the handling of the box they popped out of their sockets and just jostled around inside of the beacon - one is blown and the others are scratched.

Now all I have to do is keep the wallet ready and my eyes peeled for a proper clear dome for it (and if that fails maybe I'll just pony up the cash for a North American Signal stratolite one, but I would like to have an authentic one).

Thanks a bunch for posting the link to it here, fireglen!
 
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kerry4951

Member
Mar 10, 2014
825
Central Pa
Most non collectors ( and even some collectors) dont have a clue how to safely ship a light.....when I ship a beacon I always remove the dome, wrap the bulbs and internals with bubble wrap just enough so the dome goes back on with slight pressure resting against the bubble wrap. Never had any damage or issues with shipping. Ive suggested to sellers to do this before shipping to me.....some do, some dont.
 

FCV96

Member
May 8, 2013
149
Queens, NY
Took me long enough, but here's a video. It turned out that the bulb I thought was blown wasn't - the bracket/holder that it slotted into was bent slightly and wasn't making a good enough connection with the bulb. A bit of bending back into shape and it was good to go, but I ordered new bulbs prior to discovering that and I figured I'd put them in anyway. All in all, I'm quite pleased with this light, and just need to keep my eyes peeled for a clear dome.

Also, does anyone have any ideas for a stand or base to sit this thing on top of, so that the wire coming out of the bottom doesn't get pinched? I was thinking small rubber feet, but I wanted to see if a better solution than propping it up with two books like I'm doing now exists.

 
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CrownVic97

Member
May 21, 2010
3,350
Hazen, ND
Most non collectors ( and even some collectors) dont have a clue how to safely ship a light.....when I ship a beacon I always remove the dome, wrap the bulbs and internals with bubble wrap just enough so the dome goes back on with slight pressure resting against the bubble wrap. Never had any damage or issues with shipping.
I'm gonna do this from now on, with both beacons AND lightbars!
 
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CrownVic97

Member
May 21, 2010
3,350
Hazen, ND
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ex416

Member
Apr 28, 2011
1,021
West Central Wisconsin
Also, does anyone have any ideas for a stand or base to sit this thing on top of, so that the wire coming out of the bottom doesn't get pinched? I was thinking small rubber feet, but I wanted to see if a better solution than propping it up with two books like I'm doing now exists.

i have a few Signal Stat beacons (350s/370s/374s) and had wondered the same thing. i ended up using 7/8 inch wide x 1/2 inch high rubber feet that look similar in shape to the ones member CrownVic97 posted above to elevate the beacons up off the wires and to get them to set level for display purposes.
 
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cmb56

Member
May 22, 2010
746
Norrköping, Sweden
Most non collectors ( and even some collectors) dont have a clue how to safely ship a light.....when I ship a beacon I always remove the dome, wrap the bulbs and internals with bubble wrap just enough so the dome goes back on with slight pressure resting against the bubble wrap. Never had any damage or issues with shipping. Ive suggested to sellers to do this before shipping to me.....some do, some dont.
That is a good way to avoid damage to a lens.
I recently bought one NOS boxed Yankee 354, made around 1973, with blue lens and mounting hardware.
I was very scared that the lens should not survive the shipping but the seller was quite experienced so he wrapped the sealed beams with bubble wrap inside the lens and also outside.
It arrived unharmed!

I also bought a well preserved used ex. South Carolina Highway Patrol Yankee 264 ”Trooper” with a perfect blue lens from the same seller.
He did the same with that light and it also arrived unharmed.

I would probably have ”died” if the very rare blue Yankee lenses had broke.

Michael
 

lotsofbars

Member
Jul 20, 2010
1,999
NYC, New York
You know, that dome you have is in such good condition AND the domes are so difficult to find, you may want to look into getting a cast made of your amber dome and simply reproducing the clear domes yourself. I know I and many other collectors would gladly pay for a reproduction.
 

FCV96

Member
May 8, 2013
149
Queens, NY
You know, that dome you have is in such good condition AND the domes are so difficult to find, you may want to look into getting a cast made of your amber dome and simply reproducing the clear domes yourself. I know I and many other collectors would gladly pay for a reproduction.

While I assume the initial cost would be substantial, that is definitely an interesting option. Out of sheer curiosity, where would one even begin with such an endeavor? How many companies could be willing to dedicate time/tooling to make custom casts and/or molds, and how labor intensive is that process?
 

shues

Lifetime VIP Donor
May 21, 2010
10,276
NW Indiana
While I assume the initial cost would be substantial, that is definitely an interesting option. Out of sheer curiosity, where would one even begin with such an endeavor? How many companies could be willing to dedicate time/tooling to make custom casts and/or molds, and how labor intensive is that process?

@nydiver was at one point reflowing lenses. If I recall correctly, he had obtained permission from one patent holder, but was required to prove that the process of making "new" lenses of a certain type consumed the same number of old lenses of that same type.
 
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