Mars Aurora Borealis SN #336
- Thread starter - cor0colorado
- Start date
southpaw
Member
Nice Aurora Borealis but there is a little problem to be early, the lamp holders with these wire retainers are late. Early should have aluminium band retainers with springs.
Michael
Maxim2Eng
Supporting Donor
southpaw
Member
That thing is quiet! You did a nice job on the restore! And that tag, though! 
tsquale
Lifetime VIP Donor
the answer to the question how many where made is.. not enough
Looks good!
My AB has also a early Base with the SN 438 and newer internals with a F0944 stamped on
owing to the R in front of the SN - I thought it was refurbished sometime in the past
My AB has also a early Base with the SN 438 and newer internals with a F0944 stamped on
owing to the R in front of the SN - I thought it was refurbished sometime in the past
That's what I like about being part of this group. I get to see neat stuff like this!
Maxim2Eng
Supporting Donor
Interesting...this is my tag (obviously newer--tag, that is). Not the nice brass
Does anyone else have this decal ("Union Made", I think)?
Hey, mods! Let's set up a TABOC forum (The Aurora Borealis Owners Club) where we can show off our babies! And let's not forget SaschaUE's drop-dead gorgeous restoration (http://elightbars.org/forums/threads/full-mars-aurora-borealis-restoration.66201/).
Does anyone else have this decal ("Union Made", I think)?
Hey, mods! Let's set up a TABOC forum (The Aurora Borealis Owners Club) where we can show off our babies! And let's not forget SaschaUE's drop-dead gorgeous restoration (http://elightbars.org/forums/threads/full-mars-aurora-borealis-restoration.66201/).
southpaw
Member
Don't have that sticker, but have this one..
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894
Member
NOS?
With all that pitting in the chrome! To me it look used but a nice Aurora Borealis anyway.
Michael
marslights_IL
Member
kerry4951
Member
And then you have a chrome base one that has no oval tag at all. No serial#. Just one of those rectangular Mars labels. If I was ever lucky enough to own one I would want a serial#.
Stampeed Valkyrie
Member
894
Member
The unit was in the damp moldy basement of a firehouse, never installed. It was found in the original box with the original gasket. Both the box and the gasket fell apart when I pulled it from the shelf and were not savable. The pitting on the chrome is the result of 30+ years of sitting in that damp basement. If you look closely at the contact rings, the only scratches from the brushes are from when I tested it after getting it back to the shop. Other than that, it was never run, unless you count factory testing, I would guess. The holes for the mounting bolts were never used, again, this is an NOS unit. I'm not going to completely disassemble a brand new unit to have the base re-chromed and risk all that goes with that procedure. It is the way it is and once you mess with it, it will NEVER be original again. It IS a shame about its base but that's what happens when stuff sits around in an old damp basement for that long... They didn't chrome stuff all that well in the early 70's. Look at the bumpers on the cars from that era...
Thank you for your reply.
I stand corrected.
It is pity that the basement was so damp that it took so much punishment on the chrome.
I have a few NOS lights from the 70s that survived much better, like a Federal CJ184, a Federal Model 15A and a Sireno 203 which are in original condition. I have two NOS Sireno 44660-0200 that fortunatly have good exterior but the motors and gear boxes have a little corrosion on the finish due to moisture.
So there are good storage and bad storage.
You where unlucky about the finish but that was maybe the reason why you got it.
Michael
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894
Member
I scored it simply because they were tearing-down the old firehouse and was asked to help get rid of all the old equipment in the basement. Slippery old moisture-soaked ladders, rotten leather fire helmets, rusty axes and tarnished old copper and brass fire extinguishers. Nozzles so tarnished they were tossed because nobody could tell they were brass!
I called dibs on the A/B and a few other lighting "gems" and there was no argument. There was a "donation" to the "fire bells" in that town for the nice score but compared to what that thing is probably worth, I felt it was minuscule...
The other thing you have to remember with your CJ, Model 15 and your Sireno beacon is that those units are Stainless steel and chromed brass. This is a cast aluminum base w/ a chroming so thin that you can still see the scratches in the aluminum where outside was filed and polished before it was chromed. SUPER-Thin chrome coating. Lousy workmanship. Who knows who Mars had do their chroming. I'm sure they farmed it out... Probably why it rusted. Again, early 70's, probably one of the last A/B's built=cheap chrome. They probably didn't care much at that point.
By the way, the serial number reads #1221.
I also didn't know they made those with all colored bulbs like mine. I've only seen the clear sealed-beams to the front with one on an old truck near me w/ an amber rear-center bulb but I'm guessing that was swapped-out later in its life...
Personally, I'd like to put clears in the front/center and an amber rear-center but again, it wouldn't be original to this unit. This is a piece of untouched history that is undisputed as to its originality. I have to keep it as such for posterity.
I called dibs on the A/B and a few other lighting "gems" and there was no argument. There was a "donation" to the "fire bells" in that town for the nice score but compared to what that thing is probably worth, I felt it was minuscule...
The other thing you have to remember with your CJ, Model 15 and your Sireno beacon is that those units are Stainless steel and chromed brass. This is a cast aluminum base w/ a chroming so thin that you can still see the scratches in the aluminum where outside was filed and polished before it was chromed. SUPER-Thin chrome coating. Lousy workmanship. Who knows who Mars had do their chroming. I'm sure they farmed it out... Probably why it rusted. Again, early 70's, probably one of the last A/B's built=cheap chrome. They probably didn't care much at that point.
By the way, the serial number reads #1221.
I also didn't know they made those with all colored bulbs like mine. I've only seen the clear sealed-beams to the front with one on an old truck near me w/ an amber rear-center bulb but I'm guessing that was swapped-out later in its life...
Personally, I'd like to put clears in the front/center and an amber rear-center but again, it wouldn't be original to this unit. This is a piece of untouched history that is undisputed as to its originality. I have to keep it as such for posterity.
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894
Member
southpaw
Member
Maxim2Eng
Supporting Donor
My base is also pitted--it happens to any mid 20th century chrome--ask any old car guy/gal. In the old car world, we call it a preservation (unrestored and minimal cleaning). 894 has a pristine example of a "barn find". How cool is that! Imagine a '65 289 Cobra with rough paint and lots of dirt...it is more valuable to be displayed "in situ" than cleaned up and polished.
All the more reason for the TABOC!! Great stories!
All the more reason for the TABOC!! Great stories!
Maxim2Eng
Supporting Donor
I have never seen any myself but trust me, in my old Mars catalogs and price lists that was an option.
Michael
southpaw
Member
From your catalogs, and price lists, can you define pricing for each year that you have? Thanks!
When I find them.
I have not looked in them for years and am not sure where they are at the moment but when I find them I can post here.
Michael
ryan
Member
Here is my nos mars ab
http://smg.photobucket.com/user/fdn...pment collection 5-10-11/Mars Aurora Borealis
http://smg.photobucket.com/user/fdn...pment collection 5-10-11/Mars Aurora Borealis
894
Member
I don't know about all that...
If I were you, I'd start with the "digging" for that literature. You're going to have quite a few skeptics on that train of thought, including me. I'm not even from Missouri and I'm already hollerin' "sho-me". I can't say as I've ever seen a solid-color dome, in-person or in any photos, old or new. Again, I could be wrong but...
I know the newer mini Spectra bars offered colored domes but I'm not so sure about the original A/B's... Prove me wrong!
894
Member
894
Member
OK, for all that inquired and for some that didn't but may have a need:
I spoke to the reproduction early A/B dome supplier. A brand new replacement dome with a new gasket will run you just under $300, shipped to you. That's domestic shipping not Timbuktu. I will give everyone that inquired, about a week or two to decide as I'm heading to FL later this week and won't be back until after the 1st of July. This is me passing-on to you guys a sweet quantity deal so I can include the shipping costs. Let me know so I can put-together a complete order and get the man the correct quantity. Paypal or credit card is fine. PM me and I'll tackle the whole order when I get back!
Thanks,
894
Maxim2Eng
Supporting Donor
Maxim2Eng
Supporting Donor
southpaw
Member
Not the same lens. This one is for the Aurora and Spectra Systems.
This lens is a Skybolt lens for bars. When you look from the side it is identical to the lens for the SW-2.
The Aurora Borealis had a different lens and as I said earlier, it was available in solid red and blue.
Michael
This lens is a Skybolt lens for bars. When you look from the side it is identical to the lens for the SW-2.
The Aurora Borealis had a different lens and as I said earlier, it was available in solid red and blue.
Michael