Mars Signal Light Co. Arrowflash Skybar Combo SWB-4

[tsquale]

I was extremely fortunate to pick this up today.

It is a Mars Arrowflash lightbar with twin model 600s. Also had a mount from an 888 in the center that I removed until I get a used 888 to complete it. While the original sequential flasher is long gone, I believe I found components to make my own.

Looking at old Mars literature, this setup was called a Mars Skybar Combo, model SWB-4 with an Arrowflash 22-A added on. With the sequential flasher, the 22-A changed model numbers to a 23.

Tonight was spent solely on cleaning it and putting it back together as it was completely torn down. Repaired a few cracks in the 600 bases, but hope to find some without cracks eventually. Domes need to be wet sanded and one motor may need repair as it is pretty sluggish.

Not for sale. No video for a while. The literature I have attached was previously uploaded to numerous groups online and on here.

 

[JennyCop]

The find of the century, a Holy grail!
Extremely great find, I am very jealous and envious! Glad it's in good hands but if anything changes you know who wants first dibs!

 

[ex416]

an awesome find.

 

[dmathieu]

Fortunate is putting it mildly!

 

[ERIC6913]

Wow! Nice score mister!!

 

[Benno]

Realy nice!

I was extremely fortunate to pick this up today...

Did you randomly picked it up in Maple Grove from Scott?

 

[lotsofbars]

Holy crap that's impressive. I've only seen these in catalogues. I think that thing would look awesome with alley lights, if you can manage to find those. Those, along with the takedowns (with flashing feature), would make for a "fully effing loaded" 70's police bar, complete with traffic advisor!

 

[StEaLtH2]

Drooling....

Unbelievable score!

 

[Skulldigger]

 

[tsquale]

Realy nice!

Did you randomly picked it up in Maple Grove from Scott?

Yes I did get it from Scott! Very nice guy with some great stories and a really nice 68 Cadillac MM ambulance

 

[Benno]

Yes I did get it from Scott!

I had contact with him via eMail after he posted 2 pictures of the Skybar-Combo here two years ago.
https://elightbars.org/forums/threads/mars-lightbar-with-arrow.68660/
I wanted to buy it and he told me it's mine if I want it.
I asked manytimes for a price and shiping but at some point he doesn't respond anymore. Unfortunately!

Sometimes you win and sometimes you los - that's the game.
So Congratulation that you got it!

 

[tsquale]

It was probably the hassle of trying to ship it. He was just a short drive away for me and I was able to pay cash, so there were no fees or middleman

 

[jph2]

That is a really cool addition to your collection! It's a bar few others have and it looks pretty dang good as it is right now. I can only imagine what a jewel it will be when you get done!

 

[emtanderson51]

Wow, I mean, what else can you say??

 

[kitn1mcc]

wow thats cool. we need a video

 

[Scoot163]

Damn, I'm calling the Crisis Hotline and getting a busy signal!! That's too amazing for words. We grovel in your massive shadow.

 

[tsquale]

FYI for those missing posts: https://elightbars.org/forums/threads/where-are-my-posts.82910/#post-628324

I meant to respond to a few of you but no longer can. Please post your questions again and I'll happily answer them

 

[Maxim2Eng]

OMG, I remember standing on running boards! At least we had safety harnesses! The bar and twin 600s alone (with the uber-cool color inserts!!) are worth the score, but I had no idea what an Arrowflash thingie was...way, way cool!! IMHO, I think a twin set of Mars speakers is the way to go for the complete setup....

 

[tsquale]

OMG, I remember standing on running boards! At least we had safety harnesses! The bar and twin 600s alone (with the uber-cool color inserts!!) are worth the score, but I had no idea what an Arrowflash thingie was...way, way cool!! IMHO, I think a twin set of Mars speakers is the way to go for the complete setup....

Thank you! I have found some blue filters NOS that should be here next week. I think a red and blue setup will really pop. I'd love to get my hand on just one Mars speaker, but those seem just as uncommon as of late. Knowing it had an 888 kind of makes me want to keep that part original and put one is those on as well.

I have ordered the parts to refurbish the Arrowflash and hopefully re-create the flasher relay with electrical components, fingers crossed on that.

 

[StEaLtH2]

Darn... my posts are lost.. hope ya got to read them before they dissolved...

 

[tsquale]

Darn... my posts are lost.. hope ya got to read them before they dissolved...

Unfortunately I did not

 

[toon80]

Same with mine. Post was lost. So here it is again:

This bar is simply incredible. It amazes me to still have the elusive bar, be it Whelen, Federal, Mars, that everybody thought as gone besides in litterature and then out of the blue: here it is.

It reminds me of that feeling you get when you arrive at that seller's place, or that local classified that is something you've been after for years and it's ready to take home. Or running into something you're not that much into in the first place, but know that others would be, so heck: you take it all the same so others can enjoy it.

Can't wait to see the video. Nice grab again!

 

[tsquale]

Same with mine. Post was lost. So here it is again:

This bar is simply incredible. It amazes me to still have the elusive bar, be it Whelen, Federal, Mars, that everybody thought as gone besides in litterature and then out of the blue: here it is.

It reminds me of that feeling you get when you arrive at that seller's place, or that local classified that is something you've been after for years and it's ready to take home. Or running into something you're not that much into in the first place, but know that others would be, so heck: you take it all the same so others can enjoy it.

Can't wait to see the video. Nice grab again!

Very true. I showed up and this was completely torn down in pieces and covered in dirt. I was happy that the seller took the time to contact me about it and had everything labeled. It is a very cool piece of history that one I get up and running like a top, will post video

 

[dg0223]

Definitely a museum-quality piece. Very nice pick-up.

 

[Thomas1234]

Wow! what a find, congrats!

 

[Benno]

And once again:

It was probably the hassle of trying to ship it.

That's the main problem for me here in Europe! Finding someone who is willing to ship outside the US.

Repaired a few cracks in the 600 bases, but hope to find some without cracks eventually.

If you find them and there is also a retaining ring: I need one for my Model 800 Skybar

 

[StEaLtH2]

Darn... my posts are lost.. hope ya got to read them before they dissolved...

So I remember establishing an approximate manufacture in the early 70's and stating eloquently how this may likely be the only specimen known to exist to this day, plus some other nice things. Lol
Again, congrats and thank you for posting and good luck on your restoration and display of it.
Maybe a vid of red red before you swap it to pd proper. Lol

 

[tsquale]

So I remember establishing an approximate manufacture in the early 70's and stating eloquently how this may likely be the only specimen known to exist to this day, plus some other nice things. Lol
Again, congrats and thank you for posting and good luck on your restoration and display of it.
Maybe a vid of red red before you swap it to pd proper. Lol

I'll be sure to take videos of it setup both ways. Several Mars gurus believe it is the only known one out there. I did find out they were used on some cars in Hill Street Blues, but you never get to see the arrow function working

 

[Maxim2Eng]

In the immortal words of Sgt. Phillip Esterhaus, "Lets be careful out there."

 

[Maxim2Eng]

So, just wondering', would a 600 dome fit on an Aurora Borealis? Looks like the same retaining ring and about the same size.
Hmmm....

 

[tsquale]

So, just wondering', would a 600 dome fit on an Aurora Borealis? Looks like the same retaining ring and about the same size.
Hmmm....

They are too different to make it work

 

[tsquale]

About time for an update I suppose.

This bar has been, by far, the most challenging to get up and going like it should. I started with rewiring the Arrowflash because the original wires were in very rough shape and at risk of shorting out. Got that all together and tested, slid it back in to the housing (total PITA), and then bam...none of it works again (despite just testing it). Pulled it all out again, took off the male/female connectors and decided to solder instead just in case it was due to a connection coming loose. Tested it as functional, slid it back in to the housing (yup, still a PITA and some blood loss this time), and viola! That works for steadyburn.

After several days of tinkering with the electrical components that I had thought would work to recreate the sequential flasher...it just won't work the way it needs to. I could get it to work Code 3 style making the 6 lamps light in pairs for a three part arrow...but it looked goofy knowing it was wrong. For the time being it is hooked up to a 537 can flasher alternating XXX--- / ---XXX which looks a little more like it was possible for the era.

So time for video, right? WRONG! One of the 600's motor is now only working intermittently, one is super slow, and the other two seem fine. Went through and double-triple checked all connections and wiring and it all appears proper and intact... Having an ever growing "honey-do" list...I had to call it a day and will have to work on it on my next set of days off.

As for the Arrowflash, I think I will search for a traffic director switch box that can appropriately recreate the flash pattern as seen in the second ad I posted in my original post above. If anyone has any ideas on that, let me know here.

 

[jph2]

Thanks for the update. It's cool to know it is so unique. It will be awesome to see when you've worked out all the ghosts.

...
Got that all together and tested, slid it back in to the housing (total PITA), and then bam...none of it works again (despite just testing it)...

Why does this happen sooo often? And why is it never the easy things? At least it's not just me.

 

[tsquale]

Got the Arrowflash hooked up to a Whelen TA836H controller. Pattern isn't 100% correct, but it'll do for now. Started getting the 888 mounted and wired up. I think I'm going to need to have skulldigger repair a motor or two and may need to replace two of the copper plates. I'm on nights at work for the next month so it's been hard getting time to work on this like I want.

 

[kitn1mcc]

what does it use for bulbs

 

[tsquale]

what does it use for bulbs

An incandescent 211 bulb, I can't recall the wattage off of the top of my head

 

[coop359]

Very cool lights. Like the flash pattern.

 

[dmathieu]

Common dome light (map light) bulb.

 

[Scoot163]

That is just awesome. Thanks for the video!

 

[jph2]

^^ Ditto. I actually like that better than the standard arrow stick; the spacing between the lights seems to emphasize the "go this way", in my opinion.