Dietz 9-51 deck lights CHP

Mars Light

Member
Jun 23, 2011
1,491
Leipzig, Germany
Just found a bargain on ebay.
Three Dietz 9-51 with a 4001B, 4434A and 4001R. The second 4001R is a freebie. And the idea was born.
IMG_20190411_170025_Medium.jpg

I cleaned the chrome bases, repainted the red and blue SB.
IMG_20190413_100951_Medium.jpgIMG_20190413_101147_Medium.jpg
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And to create a smooth base for the trio I´ve built an socket in wooden style.
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video shows the correct placement according to the deck lights of an 80s CHP car.

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MtnMan

Member
Dec 20, 2012
1,533
Eastern PA
Very nice! I saw those on eBay and I'm glad to see you snagged them. I'll be doing a similar setup with some new Grote PAR46 housings that I found for cheap.

If you want to be historically accurate, I don't think CHP used steady red rear lights. According to the sources I've found, the original setup would have been a choice of amber/blue alternating or red/blue alternating. Easy to do with a DPDT, center-off switch. Let me know if you need wiring advice.
 
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cmb56

Member
May 22, 2010
746
Norrköping, Sweden
CHP did not use chrome plated housings but gray painted.

The red and amber was flashing from the same flasher either the red or the amber by a center off switch.
At least in 1968-1969.
I have the official electrical circuit scheme for the 1968 and 1969 Dodge Polara.

I am not shure how the blue was connected but I think there was a topic here that explaind that it seems to have been some different configurations.

Michael
 
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bpollard

Member
Jun 13, 2010
422
USA, SC
Nice work. The only piece of constructive criticism i would respectfully offer is this: PLEASE rotate the amber bulb slightly to the right so that the flutes are horizontal.

Yes i know i am OCD.

Bob
 

southpaw

Member
May 7, 2015
723
South-West
Original CHP brackets and set up. All Grote housings, which were very typically used.
 

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southpaw

Member
May 7, 2015
723
South-West
A Dietz 510 housing will fit your 4434A perfectly. They come a lot on Ebay are are usually reasonably priced..
 
Jun 18, 2013
3,709
PA
Again.. the only people who would know the difference in bulb placement are here on elb.. lol.
 
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southpaw

Member
May 7, 2015
723
South-West
:)

@southpaw - this vid was one option. The other one is this.
Can you provide me the wiring circuit to connect the trio correct.
Not really, because you have to decide how you want them to work, in what parings and combination and go from there. If you ever find a Fed. Sig. CC!1 grab it, but they can be a harder item to find and I think the last one I saw went for some bigger dollars...
 

cmb56

Member
May 22, 2010
746
Norrköping, Sweden
Here is a photo of a Federal CC1 and a photo of the switch installation in a 1969 Dodge Polara.

Personally I should connect the red and blue for alternating flash as primary mode and the amber to flash alone in secondary mode.
Or maybe let the amber alternating with the red in secondary mode.
Originally the amber was intended as secondary warning.

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Michael
 

cmb56

Member
May 22, 2010
746
Norrköping, Sweden
Here you have the instruction for the CC1.
You might get some information of how to configurate your lights from this.
The blue light is not mentioned probably because it was started to be used about the same time this instruction was printed.

Michael
 

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MtnMan

Member
Dec 20, 2012
1,533
Eastern PA
Here's the CHP motor shop diagram for 1984 vehicles, using the Federal Signal CC1 control head. This setup gives a choice of amber+blue flashing or red+blue flashing. The blue light will be either simultaneous or alternating with the other color, depending on the flasher used (both options are shown in the diagram).

CHP 1984.jpg


And this is a simple circuit with a DPDT, center-off switch that produces the same functionality.

CHP lights.jpg
 

Crownfire

Member
Jun 23, 2011
531
USA CA
The best explanation I’ve heard was the rear deck lights were originally conceived as a traffic signal light. Steady red= stop until the light changes (or directed by the officer). Flashing red= stop, then proceed when safe. Flashing amber= caution. Any driver would be expected to know what the lights meant without any help. The blue came along much later and identified the vehicle as law enforcement.
 

MtnMan

Member
Dec 20, 2012
1,533
Eastern PA
The best explanation I’ve heard was the rear deck lights were originally conceived as a traffic signal light. Steady red= stop until the light changes (or directed by the officer). Flashing red= stop, then proceed when safe. Flashing amber= caution.

It’s an appealing theory, but I’m not aware that CHP ever used a switching setup capable of three modes.
 

cmb56

Member
May 22, 2010
746
Norrköping, Sweden
It’s an appealing theory, but I’m not aware that CHP ever used a switching setup capable of three modes.
There was not any such function as steady red to the rear in the 1968 and 1969 Dodge Polaras as can be seen in the photo I uploaded earlier and the circuit diagram for the 1968 and also for the 1969 do not show any such option.

Michael
 

cmb56

Member
May 22, 2010
746
Norrköping, Sweden
Here are a few photos I had on file, taken sometime in the mid 80s by a person working at the Swedish DOT that I got from him after his visit to CHP.
This seems to be a vehicle using the later 550 flasher that gives simultaneous red/blue or amber/blue flash.

Michael
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LineSpotter

Member
Nov 6, 2013
195
AmericanSouthwest
I rescued these along with all mounting brackets off of some CHP cars used in a movie done here some years ago. Cars had been rigged and were pretty trashed, local salvage had contracted to haul them all (about 2 dozen vehicles total) for scrap value. I talked to the guy and asked if I could save any of the lights.... “Bring us both Chick-Fil-A and you can take what you like”

Would love to see them go to a good home :)
 

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AM1

Member
Oct 20, 2014
20
Louisiana
Just found a bargain on ebay.
Three Dietz 9-51 with a 4001B, 4434A and 4001R. The second 4001R is a freebie. And the idea was born.
View attachment 218220

I cleaned the chrome bases, repainted the red and blue SB.
View attachment 218221View attachment 218222
View attachment 218223View attachment 218224

And to create a smooth base for the trio I´ve built an socket in wooden style.
View attachment 218225View attachment 218226View attachment 218227

View attachment 218228View attachment 218229

video shows the correct placement according to the deck lights of an 80s CHP car.

<iframe width="1280" height="720" src="
" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Sorry for the bump but I feel like you have the knowledge to help. I’m working on a 1968 Ford Galaxie with the intention of restoring it as an old patrol car. I have two NOS Dietz 9-51 housings with red and amber lamps that I would like to put in the rear window like your display here. What is the best way to wire them up to alternate? Is it just simply having the two on a 537 thermal flasher and a fused toggle switch for on/off or is there a special schematic? I’m clueless on wiring. Thanks to anyone that can answer.

EDIT: should have looked through the thread first, I see someone added a schematic just above. Thank you.
 

cesarcelio24

New Member
Feb 23, 2024
2
Stockton California
I rescued these along with all mounting brackets off of some CHP cars used in a movie done here some years ago. Cars had been rigged and were pretty trashed, local salvage had contracted to haul them all (about 2 dozen vehicles total) for scrap value. I talked to the guy and asked if I could save any of the lights.... “Bring us both Chick-Fil-A and you can take what you like”

Would love to see them go to a good home :)
Still have these available? I have a 1986 chp mustang I’m restoring and would love to have these if they are available!
 
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