Different 'Hawk bases

[gtpts27]

Long read: 'Hawk info that may only interest me...

Until I started working on a red base FireHawk I picked up from @tsquale a couple months ago, I wasn't aware that there are two (slightly) different moldings for 'Hawk bases.

Back story-
I have a pair of first gen corner DynaRays (Vector sized reflector, completely different assembly from the second gen corners typically seen) I got from @Pete L. a while back. I planned to mount them on another red base FireHawk I owned at the time but it was clear they wouldn't fit that FHL without cutting into either the 'Hawk base or the DR mounting brackets (due to wire spacing issues with the lower level flasher the DRs sit above). The second gen corner DRs fit it no problem.

When I received the second red base FireHawk from Tony, I tried the first gen corners just for the heck of it and they fit. That led me to discover that the molded mounts the lower level flashers sit on are slightly different than on the other FHL. That difference resolved the wiring spacing issue that caused the fit problem. After checking my two other FHLs (a white and a black) and a few black StreetHawk bases, I saw they all matched the base that didn't fit.

At any rate, here are a few pics showing the difference. The pictured red base fits the first gen DRs while the pictured black base does not. Note the slightly different spacing on the Red that brings the lower flasher farther out.

On a side note, this red FHL also had FireHawk name badges made out of the harder "lamenated" plastic that StreetHawk labels are, versus the more sticker-ish labels on the other FHLs I've seen...

 

[tsquale]

I have worked on dozens upon dozens of hawk bars and never noticed this. Very cool discovery you have made and shared with the rest of us

 

[Pete L.]

WOW . . . . . I've handled well over a hundred of those Hawks over the years and never noticed that.
Old dogs CAN learn new tricks - lol.

 

[CatBacker88]

WOW . . . . . I've handled well over a hundred of those Hawks over the years and never noticed that.
Old dogs CAN learn new tricks - lol.

Pete, you may recall you sold me several sets of sweeps a few years ago. Were those "second generation"? I ask because I also discovered there are two different moldings of bases as among the (I think) ten StreetHawks I've accumulated. All are black. The two versions of sweeps are not interchangeable between the two versions of bases. I hope that makes sense.

 

[Nolines]

Looking at the pics of those flasher reflectors shows the red one has a longer mounting bracket then the black one ( or the red has more space pushing it forward and the black one sucks it up close ), I have a box with new flashers I sold on here to a member so I will look and see if they are short and tight or long and forward pushed.

 

[Nolines]

Ok I found mine and took pictures, tell me what you think based on your photos I'm not exactly sure what the distance is between the reflector and the mounting base maybe you can tell.

 

[gtpts27]

Pete, you may recall you sold me several sets of sweeps a few years ago. Were those "second generation"? I ask because I also discovered there are two different moldings of bases as among the (I think) ten StreetHawks I've accumulated. All are black. The two versions of sweeps are not interchangeable between the two versions of bases. I hope that makes sense.

First gen corner:


Second gen corner (I see these far more often):


And, for what it's worth, the center mounted DR, which has a similar assembly style as the first gen corner, but was never revised/no second gen created... looks a lot like a Vector oscillating assembly but isn't the same:

 

[gtpts27]

Ok I found mine and took pictures, tell me what you think based on your photos I'm not exactly sure what the distance is between the reflector and the mounting base maybe you can tell.View attachment 223920View attachment 223921

I see what you mean. The issue I talk about above has to do with the plastic base's molded-in mounts the flashers screw into/sit on. The red above places the flasher farther away from the center section of the base, which provides the space needed for the flasher wire to fit into the gap in the first gen DR assembly. I think the space would be adequate no matter the metal flasher bracket.

 

[Nolines]

Are you sure? I'm just wondering why there are also 2 different size brackets for the same flasher setup... Plus I looked at mine the are angled off to the upper right not bent down straighter like yours are but I can see if you were stuffing it down into the base you'd like to have the room to hide the wires in there but I like the idea of them being straight off to the side so they don't interfere with anything going back to the flasher.

 

[gtpts27]

Are you sure? I'm just wondering why there are also 2 different size brackets for the same flasher setup... Plus I looked at mine the are angled off to the upper right not bent down straighter like yours are but I can see if you were stuffing it down into the base you'd like to have the room to hide the wires in there but I like the idea of them being straight off to the side so they don't interfere with anything going back to the flasher.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you. The additional spacing on the red base is a result of the molded mount and screw holes being farther from the raised center section. Look closely at the two pics without the flasher mounted and you can see the difference. As for the orientation of the wiring, I think that's just a matter of whether the thin metal ring is bent back or not.

 

[Nolines]

Oh no I saw what you meant I was also commenting on the orientation of the lights in the bracket and attachment point in the bar, it is odd....