NYPD Aerodynic?

Jun 18, 2013
3,709
PA
What does the tag read? Should read 24RMVF-1Z I have seen some 2Zs

The NYPD bar has some differences.. but is generally the same bar. Endcaps should be clear on yours.. with Red to the front and amber to the rear.

See this video.. for explanation.
 

CHIEFOPS

Member
Jan 24, 2011
1,532
NYC
I think those bulb lenses are incorrect- faceted instead of spot, and yes the end caps should be clear but otherwise the bar itself appears to be accurate
 
Jun 18, 2013
3,709
PA
Going from memory.. the rotators should be 4416 and 4416R..
Flashers 4414.. I always get these numbers goofed so correct me if I am wrong.
 

NESQ115

Member
Jan 21, 2012
118
New York
Agreed. Rotators 4416 clear and red. Clear endcaps; red dome sections to front, amber sections to rear.

By the way, note that although the nameplate reads AeroDynic it is really an AeroTwinSonic.

Here's an actual NYPD one that was awaiting a replacement dome and outboard lamps.
 

Attachments

  • NYPD - Model 24RMVF, AeroTwinsonic lightbar, with rotating outboard sealed beams, V-mirrors, a...jpg
    NYPD - Model 24RMVF, AeroTwinsonic lightbar, with rotating outboard sealed beams, V-mirrors, a...jpg
    95.5 KB · Views: 92

Thomas1234

Member
Oct 4, 2016
266
Nterhelands
So the power cable is not on the passenger side, but in theory you could change that, basically swap the 2 units (light, flasher, mirror ) around? And in the end there is only one real characteristic and that would be the name plate right?
 

stansdds

Member
May 25, 2010
3,533
U.S.A., Virginia
The data plate will tell you if it is an NYPD bar. If it reads Model 24RMVF-1Z (or -2Z), it is an NYPD bar. If it lacks the "Z", then it is not.
 

cmb56

Member
May 22, 2010
746
Norrköping, Sweden
NYPD used at least two versions, the 24-RMVF and the 24-RMVF-2Z.
stansdds say it might have been a 24-RMVF-1Z too. I do not know.
No one seems to know exactly what sealed beams used in these versions.
4414, 4416, 4416R, 4464 and 4464R seems to have been found in different NYPD surplus bars.

You only need to remove the front and rear speaker covers and swap them around and you have the bar ”backwards” as NYPD used them.

Michael
 
As I understand, NYPD always had the cable exit on the passenger side (SignalStat even had an armored cable shield to prevent vandalism). Orient the frame thusly and you will know which is the front, then swap the domes (L/R, R/L) or change the speaker housing and you're in business.

Also common practice was to replace burned out bulbs with whatever was on the shelf that was the same color, but not necessarily the same type. Note NESQ115's photo..the forward facing flasher has the bulb mounted with the filament aligned horizontally--not a "fog" lamp that produces a diffused light pattern.
 

CHIEFOPS

Member
Jan 24, 2011
1,532
NYC
The dealer(s) who won the contract for the sedan RMPs delivered them with the lightbars mounted using the pass side cable configuration.
The Motor Transport Division (now Fleet Services Division) New Car Division generally upfitted the rest of the marked fleet- SUVs, vans, REPs, trucks, etc and in my experience also used a pass side cable.
On those non-sedan marked vehicles using the Aerotwinsonics, (excluding the 1990 final model year) the bars were dumbed-down with a KISS single rocker switch and the Dept installers got away with using a 4-wire romex cable to run the bar- power & ground for the motor and bulbs, the remaining 2 wires for the siren speaker.
To clarify, the dealer-installed Aerotwins had the OEM cables with multiple wires to support every possible option the bar could run, but since only 1 rocker switch was used to run everything all but 3 or 4 were used as I described above because IIRC the flashing lamp flasher and motor/bulbs were tied into the same position on the bar's junction block powered by the 1 rocker switch. A ground wire might not have been used because the bar itself may have been grounded by the 4 bolts connecting it to the roof.
 
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NPS Ranger

Member
May 21, 2010
1,988
Penn's Woods
The factory AeroTwinSonic like the TwinSonic before it, used 60 watt 4464 bulbs in the rotator positions. The NYPD bars used 4464 clear and 4464R red as supplied, attached is the FedSig data sheet for the model showing the correct bulb is the 4464. A 4416 bulb is 30 watts, the 4464 was considerably brighter particularly in clear. The 4464R was actually a lacquered bulb and those things ran HOT, it was common to see RMP's with the red rotator turning kind of orange in the center or flaking off the red lacquer as they aged. Those 60 watt bulbs are hard to find these days so many of these recycled bars are found with 4416 bulbs installed. Back in the day, I have no doubt that spare 4416 bulbs were used for replacements on some vehicles because the old NYPD Beacon Rays and Signal Stat beacons used 4416. For indoor display 4416 is the way to go.
 

Attachments

  • AeroTwin Sonic-24R & 24X.pdf
    378.5 KB · Views: 20

cmb56

Member
May 22, 2010
746
Norrköping, Sweden
As I stated in an discussion for 8 years ago the 24RMVF was equipped with 4416 as standard.
The 24RMVF is not shown in any catalog and it is only the 24R and 24X that is shown to have the 4464 as the original TwinSonic had.
I believe that the 24RMVF was intended as a cheaper version like the 12E/F/V was and these versions was equipped with the 4416.

The reason why I know that the 24RMVF had 4416 is because I bought one from Federal once. It was a normal stock item and in no way a special order by me.

There must have been some differences between the 24RMVF and the 24RMVF-2Z that NYPD used.
My guess is that they bought the 24RMVF with 4416 and upgraded it to the special version 24RMVF-2Z that had the 4464.
The 24RMVF had also 4414 as flashing lights as standard.
I also know that the flashing lights in the 24RMVF-2Z did not have the 4414 because it was spot lights in them and not flood lights like the 4414.
If it was 4416 or 4464, I do not know.

Michael
 

NPS Ranger

Member
May 21, 2010
1,988
Penn's Woods
I guess it all depends on the limited data which we have available decades later. Actually the 24RMVF is indeed shown in a catalog, attached are the FedSig catalog sheets for the AeroTwinSonic. On the first page (#18) it shows the model 24RMVF description which is "Sealed beam rotating lights, dual front and rear stationary sealed beam lamps, front and rear reflecting "V" mirrors." On the second page (#19) under "Technical specifications" it shows the model 24RMVF as having incandescent 60 watt bulbs of 50,000 CP. 4464 bulbs are 60 watts and 50,000 CP. 4416 bulbs are 30 watts and 35,000 (some say 33,000) CP. Believe what you wish. I have a veteran NYPD bar which was purchased as a pallet load from the NYC auction back in the 90's, all 4 rotator bulbs were 4464, the reds were a bit faded but back then I was lucky to find 2 new red ones for display. As I said above, I'm sure there was a lot of bulb switching in the field to use up what they had on the shelf. However the original poster was asking what was authentic for an NYPD bar, so that's my 2 cents, hope it was helpful.

fedsigcat019-1.jpg

fedsigcat020-1.jpg
 

Thomas1234

Member
Oct 4, 2016
266
Nterhelands
Do need some help for the shipping information, anyone knows the Weight, the length and height of this bar.(with & without speaker siren) Anyone got some experience with shipping of these bars?
 
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cmb56

Member
May 22, 2010
746
Norrköping, Sweden
This bar has amber to the front and red to the rear with amber sealed beams which make it a good light for a wrecker.
The lens configuration is not something special for NYPD but it is easy to reconfigurate it to a NYPD bar.

Michael
 
NYPD had the bar oriented with red to front/amber to rear. It may have been used on a wrecker, but it is easily converted back to an NYPD bar. As I said earlier, orient the power cable to the passenger side (as in NESQ115's photo) and mount the speaker cover/domes accordingly. ET viola! You have a genuine NYPD AeroTwin!
 
Jun 18, 2013
3,709
PA
So what does the -1Z or 2Z stand for? Also how rare and valuable are these NYPD Aerodynics nowadays? I can get this one for $150 plus $150 shipping

the -#Z designation was a custom order from federal. I don't think there was any documentation as to what the #'s meant but Z was custom order.

This occurs throughout the product line from this period.. the Twinsonic also had the tag stamp with Z suffix for custom.
 

Thomas1234

Member
Oct 4, 2016
266
Nterhelands
concerning the bulbs on this bar: GE 4416 and GE FOG (red pars have been changed to amber fog lights, as this light was used for towtruck function)
 

stansdds

Member
May 25, 2010
3,533
U.S.A., Virginia
Alright, i know a bit more, the 2 stands for second series.

View attachment 215142
Could very well be that -1Z, -2Z, -3Z indicate when the NYPD purchased Aerodynics. It would make sense that they would purchase a large number to equip their fleet plus some spares, then sometime later require more bars and Federal Signal might have changed the suffix number to indicate a new batch produced. I guess we need everyone who has these bars and still have the original motors check the date on the motor and post the information.
 
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CHIEFOPS

Member
Jan 24, 2011
1,532
NYC
The bars were included with the bid by the dealer who installed them before delivery. The Dept only installed bars on the non-standard vehicles - SUVs, vans, pickups, paddy wagons, etc.
 

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