NYPD AeroTwin Refurbishing!

Reno911

Member
Sep 15, 2012
389
Southern Oregon
I'll start with I found this in the trunk of my dads 72 CHP Polara underneath rat poop, paper shreds, a partition, gas tank, and a garbage bag. From what he remembers, he bought it at a local auction with a bunch of other police equipment and stuff back in the late 90's. He believes it came off of a firetruck that the local city FD bought from NYC about 15 years ago, or it was included with the truck or something. I'll never know.


It has the same model # as other NYPD bars talked about on this site.


Passenger side red lenses are broken, I'll replace the full segment with one from my other broken aerodynic lens, half segment I'll have to find elsewhere, along with the speaker grille(one pictured is from my other bar).


After I got it out of the trunk and brought up to the garage, testing the bar revealed that the flashers didn't work, rotators wouldn't rotate, and only two of the rotator bulbs turned on. I finally realized today that the motor was missing:duh:


I blew all the crap out of the crevices and begun to disassemble the whole thing for refurbishing. Other than the first pictures with the lenses on, I did everything this afternoon:D I think the results are pretty good for a 17 year old kids first real refurbishing:)


Warning, lots of pictures:crazy:


Start-


ai1171.photobucket.com_albums_r546_TheCopFoxStop_NYPD_20Federal_20Signal_20AeroTwin_P1010132.jpg


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Broken lenses


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Gutter clamps and really long bolts(fire truck?)


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CrownVic97

Member
May 21, 2010
3,350
Hazen, ND
Not too bad of a start, Reno. Time and patience will get that NYPD AeroTwin looking sharp ;) .
 

Reno911

Member
Sep 15, 2012
389
Southern Oregon
Note bent reflector


ai1171.photobucket.com_albums_r546_TheCopFoxStop_NYPD_20Federal_20Signal_20AeroTwin_P1010186.jpg


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Broken light whatchamacallit


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Borrowed motor from my other Aerodynic


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Dissassembly(one side at a time!)


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Chain was really loose on the Pass. side


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I had though the chain was broken, since one rotator wouldn't spin the other when turned, it had actually just fallen off the motor gear.


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Reno911

Member
Sep 15, 2012
389
Southern Oregon
Harness runs from the drivers side of the bar to the passenger side.


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Two feet held up well sitting on the Polara trunk floor, two did not fare so well.


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Passenger side was first to be cleaned


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Frame freshly washed. Keeping the original paint, I do have to repaint the clamp brackets still.


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How convenient! Counter corner gave a flat surface to straighten the reflector.


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Wire brushed all the bolt screws, before on left, after on right.


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Thought I was going to have to rewire the bar, instead they just needed cleaning


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Cleaned rotator. Just used a fine bristle brush, not a wire brush.


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Drivers side before shot for comparison


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Before


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After


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Before


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After


ai1171.photobucket.com_albums_r546_TheCopFoxStop_NYPD_20Federal_20Signal_20AeroTwin_P1010248.jpg


Seems I did not take any pictures of the re-assembly of the passenger side. I didn't take many of disassemble of the drivers side either, figured you would have an idea from the first side


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Reno911

Member
Sep 15, 2012
389
Southern Oregon
Finishing up


ai1171.photobucket.com_albums_r546_TheCopFoxStop_NYPD_20Federal_20Signal_20AeroTwin_P1010262.jpg


Bent reflector looks decent now


ai1171.photobucket.com_albums_r546_TheCopFoxStop_NYPD_20Federal_20Signal_20AeroTwin_P1010263.jpg


Putting the chain on the motor from the drivers side was a little hard to do, and still get the rotators in the pattern I wanted, white flash/red flash. I was successful though!


ai1171.photobucket.com_albums_r546_TheCopFoxStop_NYPD_20Federal_20Signal_20AeroTwin_P1010264.jpg


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Wiped half the dome off for comparison


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I guess I didn't take any pics with the domes on either. :duh:


Tomorrow I still have to-


Sand and polish lenses


Install center siren section


Maybe find a siren to stick in it. Will a 60W FS siren (from a CHP Motorcycle) work? How much quieter than a 100w? This bar is staying indoors.


Splice on connectors for the siren wires


Repaint clamp brackets


And maybe try and replace the red full segment lens.


Might wire the bar to a control head. Little tough though when you have fancy control heads, and no single switches:haha:


And as I have found, you guys just love videos, one is coming:cool:
 

Wigwam700

Member
May 25, 2011
1,009
New York Adirondacks US
That bar looks tired, I think I would have outsourced the cleaning of the said "Rat Poop" though! Looks great so far! :yes:
 

Reno911

Member
Sep 15, 2012
389
Southern Oregon
Thanks guys! I pretty much finished it up for now today. I just polished the domes. They came out better, but after looking at other bars, I want new lenses. :D


emtanderson51, your bar is much nicer than mine:yes:


Were there any before shots, or was my iPad not loading them?


Pictures of mine will be up later. Garage lighting not that good, most pics didn't turn out, and it's hard to see the beauty up on the shelf. Did get it wired to a control head too.
 

emtanderson51

Member
Apr 9, 2011
3,795
USA Massachusetts
Reno911 said:
Thanks guys! I pretty much finished it up for now today. I just polished the domes. They came out better, but after looking at other bars, I want new lenses. :D

emtanderson51, your bar is much nicer than mine:yes:


Were there any before shots, or was my iPad not loading them?


Pictures of mine will be up later. Garage lighting not that good, most pics didn't turn out, and it's hard to see the beauty up on the shelf. Did get it wired to a control head too.

When I got it I was like.....oh S#it is this ever going to be a challenge. Lots of steel wool and patience mixed with new domes (which I can get for you at a great price if interested) and some paint on the frame and she is as good as new! Thanks and I am sure once that bar is done it will sparkle!! (keep it off the porch though lol)
 
Oct 28, 2010
953
Kingston NY
I have to say I am impressed and proud of what you have done so far.... Thanks for all the pics and congrats!! Keep up the good work. We want to see this bar in its former glory....


PinballCharlie
 

Reno911

Member
Sep 15, 2012
389
Southern Oregon
PinballCharlie said:
I have to say I am impressed and proud of what you have done so far.... Thanks for all the pics and congrats!! Keep up the good work. We want to see this bar in its former glory....

PinballCharlie

Thanks! I'm impressed with myself as well. Didn't think it would come out as nice:D


Finished pictures, some good, some blurry...


ai1171.photobucket.com_albums_r546_TheCopFoxStop_NYPD_20Federal_20Signal_20AeroTwin_P1010283.jpg


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ai1171.photobucket.com_albums_r546_TheCopFoxStop_NYPD_20Federal_20Signal_20AeroTwin_P1010288.jpg


I didn't use the #1, as it was empty:(


ai1171.photobucket.com_albums_r546_TheCopFoxStop_NYPD_20Federal_20Signal_20AeroTwin_P1010295.jpg


Both domes finished


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I wired the bar to where when switched to 1, the rotators come on and the flashers are wired to the aux switch above the mic input:D


ai1171.photobucket.com_albums_r546_TheCopFoxStop_NYPD_20Federal_20Signal_20AeroTwin_P1010306.jpg


And it gets a special place in the garage


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HFD eng1ine

Member
Jul 27, 2010
974
Essex County. MA
Niceeee, where did you buy the 3M polish and what were the steps you used in applying it? Looks awesome!
 

Reno911

Member
Sep 15, 2012
389
Southern Oregon
HFD eng1ine said:
Niceeee, where did you buy the 3M polish and what were the steps you used in applying it? Looks awesome!

Thanks! My dad gets it at the automotive paint store in town. You can buy it on ebay too, but it's pretty expensive, probably cheaper at stores. I don't think it's available in stores like walmart.


All I did to polish was-


Apply dime size amount of #2 on lens, then rub it in with a microfiber cloth in straight lines and in circles. After I completely go over it with #2 I go over the lens again with #3 and wipe it off with a clean microfiber towel.


Or you can buff the lenses with a machine buffer.
 

toon80

Member
May 24, 2010
2,487
Laval, Canada
Very good job, man! :)


I did one like you 2 years ago, took me forever, but the results are worth it.


About the broken section of your dome, be careful when you will remove the broken piece on the NYPD dome AND the broken ones of your model 24EAH. They will separate but TAKE YOUR TIME. Usually, the sections are held together with silicone, and a drip of glue to the top and bottom of each section. Gently pry them apart, easy does it, and you'll get through it. :thumbsup:
 

chief1562

Member
Mar 18, 2011
5,840
Slaterville/NY
Turned out real nice.


That 3m compond is not cheap.


looked it up .
 

Reno911

Member
Sep 15, 2012
389
Southern Oregon
Pulled it back down from the shelf. Decided to sand and machine polish the lenses. That will be after my MX7k project is done. Took a night video of it after I got it down for you guys. The fog really showed how far the beam travel. They were hitting trees 100ft away, especially the amber flashers:D

 
Jul 24, 2012
153
Lawrenceburg, KY
Love the night video, Looks great!!! Awesome Job! I'd love to have an Aero to restore... :salivate:
 

Captain4164

Member
May 3, 2012
952
California
Reno911 said:
Thanks! My dad gets it at the automotive paint store in town. You can buy it on ebay too, but it's pretty expensive, probably cheaper at stores. I don't think it's available in stores like walmart.

All I did to polish was-


Apply dime size amount of #2 on lens, then rub it in with a microfiber cloth in straight lines and in circles. After I completely go over it with #2 I go over the lens again with #3 and wipe it off with a clean microfiber towel.


Or you can buff the lenses with a machine buffer.

IM going to hunt that stuff down and try it on my Jetstream lenses... THanks for the info
 

Reno911

Member
Sep 15, 2012
389
Southern Oregon
nick7542 said:
Great job on the bar, what did you use to clean up the reflectors, to get them so shiny?

I just gave them a once over with the 3M Perfect-It #3 compound. It's not as abrasive as #'s 1 and 2, so it won't take anything off:thumbsup:
 

Reno911

Member
Sep 15, 2012
389
Southern Oregon
While buffing out the domes on my Twinsonic, I decided to give a once over to the NYPD bar! The machine buffer definitely made them look better! Still have the busted red sections. Gotta try and replace them with the red sections I have. The domes still could use a good wet sanding, but they're fine for now!


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And another video!

 

stansdds

Member
May 25, 2010
3,533
U.S.A., Virginia
Other than the broken section on your AeroTwin, it looks ready for service. :thumbsup:
 

JohnMarcson

Administrator
May 7, 2010
10,971
Northwest Ohio
I have a bar of 5 sections of restore-able red lens I'll send you for free if you want it.
 

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