Question about Old Glass Dome? and couple of Pics from Car Show.

[Hoser]

Just a couple of pic's I got at a weekend car show. I also found a old Red Glass dome that had a Lip on the bottom. Rounded top style like Federal used to use. Any Idea, sorry I didnt take a picture but the lip was about 1/4 of an inch thick. Like the Chrome Radar Unit out the drivers side rear window. Too bad the 66 Fd unit didnt have a period correct beacon on it.

 

[Skip Goulet]

Just a couple of pic's I got at a weekend car show. I also found a old Red Glass dome that had a Lip on the bottom. Rounded top style like Federal used to use. Any Idea, sorry I didnt take a picture but the lip was about 1/4 of an inch thick. Like the Chrome Radar Unit out the drivers side rear window. Too bad the 66 Fd unit didnt have a period correct beacon on it.

I like the pix, Randy. Sounds like the dome came off one of the larger Federal beacons....a 174 or 176, maybe. The glass domes have a bit thicker lip on them. I have a 174D on my '68 Olds ambulance, and it has a red glass dome, and the lip on it is pretty thick.

 

[Hoser]

Skip that is what I thought but all the FS glass Ive seen has the circle and a K in it. Any how I didnt get a chance to talk to the fellow as it rained and he bailed at the show. He did tell me that he sold the light but didnt remember what brand it was....

 

[Maxim2Eng]

Were there any other manufacturers of "gum ball machine" lights other than FS (round tops)? Could it have been an early FS dome?

 

[stansdds]

Federal was the first and most popular with the round top "gumball" dome used on their line of Beacon Rays. Badder-Brown made beacons in the 1990's that had a similarly shaped dome. Grote also made round top domes, but I think theirs might have been in the 1970's. I'm not an expert on the Badder-Brown or Grote products, so my dates could be in error.