McDonald Arneson Traffic Master

[southpaw]

On its way here to me, unsure of total condition but another project...

 

[kitn1mcc]

neat

 

[dmathieu]

Always an interesting light!

 

[southpaw]

Yep!! You have probably seen these Oakland PD photos. McDonald & Arneson were made in Vallejo which is just about right next to Oakland.. There is a 57 something Napa PD Ford that has one also..

 

[dmathieu]

The newer model had a flat top.

 

[Maxim2Eng]

57 Ford in background, 58 Ford behind the 48 Buick. 2nd photo is a 1960 Ford. Great find and cool pics!

 

[southpaw]

Thanks Max!! I noticed one looks more like a flat dome and the 60 Ford looks like the pointed one... I'd like to find a flat dome, but did find another glass pointed dome so if one breaks I can replace it...

 

[southpaw]

This is the one on the Napa car mentioned previously. I noticed it is the same model...."M" but a different label than the one I just bought.

 

[southpaw]

Things that happen.. A fellow contacted me and is sending me one, even have a tracking number, and at no cost. Just wanted it to go to a good home I think. We'll see... Don't know if it is a flat top or teardrop... Supposedly a retirement presentation, so maybe in working and decent shape... Photos to come...

 

[southpaw]

Just received a second dome. Cannot say for sure but possibly NOS...Can't find any wear or indication of use along the rim or edges or interior..

 

[southpaw]

Things that happen.. A fellow contacted me and is sending me one, even have a tracking number, and at no cost. Just wanted it to go to a good home I think. We'll see... Don't know if it is a flat top or teardrop... Supposedly a retirement presentation, so maybe in working and decent shape... Photos to come...

Well the light arrived today. Here.it.is. Can't make this up. God bless 'em. Definitely a teardrop!

 

[coop359]

It’s a Harley Fireball. Harder to find

 

[southpaw]

Pulled the patents for the McDonald and Arneson. Also, finally got it up and running... Works very well. Video link: https://youtu.be/1aqcicqhxBI

 

[southpaw]

Traffic Master

 

[southpaw]

The same light, but with a newly acquired McDonald and Arneson amber glass dome.Link attached... M&A Amber

 

[dmathieu]

That's a BEAUTY. I don't think I've seen that in amber before!

 

[southpaw]

That's a BEAUTY. I don't think I've seen that in amber before!

Thank you Dan.. It's a real M&A lens, has the right stamping on the rim and the arrows on the crown on top. Came out of a barn or something in Oklahoma. I've never seen another color besides red either..

 

[dmathieu]

I saw one blue, but yours is the 1st amber!

 

[southpaw]

I saw one blue, but yours is the 1st amber!

Excellent! They are out there! Now we only have to find the green and magenta ones!!

 

[dmathieu]

Not from that time period, I'd think, for that light.

 

[tsquale]

My blue one prior to me finding replacement pencil flashers

 

[kitn1mcc]

they are effective

 

[southpaw]

they are effective

Yes sir! Old School Works!!

 

[JohnMarcson]

Classic Car show finds

Just coming back from Das Awkscht Fescht (good luck pronouncing it, I tried and failed horribly) and managed to locate 2 things worth of interest. Not sure how I did on the Traffic Master, but both look like they will clean up very nicely. Need to do some testing which is coming up next.

elightbars.org

 

[Tango7]

Did the CA ones have an option for a constant light to front?

 

[dmathieu]

Just disconnect the front pencil flasher.

 

[JohnMarcson]

Did the CA ones have an option for a constant light to front?

I'm not sure that they so much came with it as they were easy to render as such. As was pointed out you could disconnect one of the flashers and the rest would still work. That being said, I'm not sure the individual lamps are up to steady burn brightness standards (I definitely don't know this for sure). I think the examples I've seen in the field seem to show an additional steady burn light somewhere, usually on the passenger spotlight. That said, I don't see why you couldn't simply make the the front facing lamp not flash and be a pretty convincing California set up.