This is my next project that I will spend the most time on because this bar is relatively clean inside and out. The domes I know I can bring back. This to me looks like a very early model 25 Aerodynic as the motor has a date of 8/79 Model 25 Series F. I thought the model 25 came out in 1984 but I'm not a FS historian. A little history is this came of a recovery/safety vehicle at the Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. An odd flash pattern they chose to use too, with all the lamps in a straight line.
Federal Signal FS Aerodynic Model 25 Project
- Thread starter Master X
- Start date
Hi,
I always liked this version the best of the multi-rotator ADs. All light, and nothing but rotators. I had one on my truck long ago, bought it new when it was a new thing. Traded it, though. For a model 12. We received a nice Dodge for out first dedicated rescue truck and it needed a TwinSonic.
And, you guessed it. Same truck as on the old TV show. But it didn't have a model 12 and I really needed to fix that. So, goodbye to my model 25 and I went back to a 4-bulb beacon which I still have. I now have a late model 25 independent rotator variant but would rather have one of these original style again.
When I had mine, I used the outer to inner flash pattern and used different wattage bulbs. So the flash intensity went from very bright on the ends and then slowly decreased as the pattern moved towards the center. Made for an interesting effect.
Stan
I always liked this version the best of the multi-rotator ADs. All light, and nothing but rotators. I had one on my truck long ago, bought it new when it was a new thing. Traded it, though. For a model 12. We received a nice Dodge for out first dedicated rescue truck and it needed a TwinSonic.
And, you guessed it. Same truck as on the old TV show. But it didn't have a model 12 and I really needed to fix that. So, goodbye to my model 25 and I went back to a 4-bulb beacon which I still have. I now have a late model 25 independent rotator variant but would rather have one of these original style again.
When I had mine, I used the outer to inner flash pattern and used different wattage bulbs. So the flash intensity went from very bright on the ends and then slowly decreased as the pattern moved towards the center. Made for an interesting effect.
Stan
Interesting idea using different bulbs to create different light intensities. 35 watt incandescent and 50 or 55 watt halogen certainly produce not only different intensity, but different color too. Incandescent bulbs produce a yellowish color while halogen are a purer white color.
Today was complete disassembly of the bar. It looks like some sprayed cosmoline on all the reflectors and internals before putting this in storage. Luckily, the parts washer solvent was able to remove it with ease. That was also the cause of all the rotators being stuck. They're all freed up now and greased using a little Oregon Chanisaw tip greaser. No broken bolts on this one like the other aero I worked on. I also re-flowed fresh solder to the electrical contact strips underneath.
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I've come across 10 rotator model 25s with the upgrade of 796 lamps, I have not personally run into a 25H yet and I can imagine what a hog this bar would be with 10 H1 lamps, and not to mention cold surge draw. I know they are out there though.
It's all finished and put back together, Videos will follow, but I plan on repainting the table it's on first so it doesn't look so tacky. I was able to bring back one of the amber domes, the other one had cracks in the sections, I thought they were scratches at first, but it was not to be. So I have a 3/4 unfinished amber dome as a spare. I of course classic burst pattern timings [8,0,6,2,4][4,2,6,0,8]. I'm also considering putting some 795x bulbs in temporarily to see how it shows up on camera. All in all, I had a very fun time bringing this bar back to life.
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Super cool.
I was looking for that factory AD isolation switch product that allowed this to be used as a Left or Right traffic arrow ... I have a picture somewhere ... basically a factory option that allows the motor to run backwards with a flip of the switch. The rotators are staggered 18-36 degrees apart from the next. That would be fun.
I was looking for that factory AD isolation switch product that allowed this to be used as a Left or Right traffic arrow ... I have a picture somewhere ... basically a factory option that allows the motor to run backwards with a flip of the switch. The rotators are staggered 18-36 degrees apart from the next. That would be fun.
795X bulbs are 50 watts and will give nearly the same light intensity as the 55 watt H1 bulb. The downside is amp draw as the 1195 bulbs of the Model 25 are 35 watt bulbs.
Could do the Maricopa County Southwest Ambulance style Model 25 in amber/red if ya wanted to!