Twin Sonic 12 MEF

CHIEFOPS

Member
Jan 24, 2011
1,532
NYC
NYPD used this exact setup between the Signal Stat and the AeroTwin lightbars for a very short time.

Correct. On the 1980 Volare and or the 1981 Chrysler Lebaron, and the passenger vans and 4X4s for probably longer. The Highway Patrol RMPs probably had them also during that window, could have been the R-body Plymouth and or the Ford LTD and or the Chevrolet Impala.
 

denko3

Member
Jul 31, 2010
866
SLOVENIA,EUROPE
Act you lucky guy!
You probably don't now that i first won that bar and then she relist it becauseof shipping cost but i misted it and i see you won it you lucky guy! Take care of it nice..... for very good price you got it i now.
 
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stansdds

Member
May 25, 2010
3,533
U.S.A., Virginia
I just got this off the USPS truck yesterday (not damaged, thankfully). E-bay purchase with a fairly low BIN price. Everything works, too! Got red and amber on the rear flashers. Should clean up nicely... I wasn't going to keep buying Twinsonic's but this was too good to let go.

View attachment 154498
And it's set up with the motor on the passenger side... very NYPD-ish. Hmmmmm... I wonder if it really was one of the NYPD 12MEF bars?
 
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jph2

Member
Apr 21, 2012
2,122
USA Michigan
That is a very nice Twin to add to your collection; different from most. :)
And it's set up with the motor on the passenger side... very NYPD-ish. Hmmmmm... I wonder if it really was one of the NYPD 12MEF bars?
Great catch! How did you even see that? That just adds to this bar, if you ask me.
 
Great snag! If I'm not mistaken, most NYPD cars had wires/cables on the passenger side (I recall reading a SignalStat brochure touting an armored conduit between bar and roof to protect wires from vandalism--for early twin beacon bars and DualComms--showing an NYPD car). If cars were delivered with wires coming up on the passenger side, then it makes sense that suppliers would configure their bars to accommodate this. I could be mistaken...I've had a couple of glasses of wine since then. Perhaps CHIEFOPS can weigh in and set me strait.

Old Irish proverb; "I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken."

Old Irish proverb 2; "Never let the truth (facts) interfere with a good story."
 

CHIEFOPS

Member
Jan 24, 2011
1,532
NYC
As for where the lightbar cables exited that memory only goes back as far when I started monkeying with the cars and bars myself, 1986 or 87, and it was the passenger side. I used to chuckle at all those conductors in the cable going to the bar yet only a single rocker switch to run the whole bar.
 
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bmd224

Member
Nov 3, 2011
324
NE Kansas
What's a 'good' price for these, versus a 'high' price for one?
I know of a Code 3 version (can't remember the model) for sale for $100 & didn't know if it's a fair price.
 

NESQ115

Member
Jan 21, 2012
118
New York
I have pics of a NYPD Highway Patrol Impala with a twinsonic with this setup.

Wow, I would love to see those photos; an NYPD Impala with a Twinsonic- that's a rare find.

In 1978 and 1979 NYPD used the DualComm, and in 1980, they went with the Twinsonic (most of which were on Plymouth Volares). The very next year however, 1981, NYPD went back to the DualComm (that is what the Chrysler LeBarons had). The year after that, 1982, NYPD went with the AeroTwin, and stayed with it through 1990.

Incidentally, NYPD tried out the Twinsonic many years earlier. In 1972 they field tested various new lighting arrangements, including at least one mirrored Twinsonic (before they settled on the Signal Stat light rack, which became standard equipment 1973-1977).
 

Attachments

  • NYPD 1761 1980 Plym Volare 107 Pct (NS).jpg
    NYPD 1761 1980 Plym Volare 107 Pct (NS).jpg
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  • NYPD #2241; 1972 Plymouth Fury; 20 Pct; experimental Twinsonic lightbar (Kirby McElhearn).jpg
    NYPD #2241; 1972 Plymouth Fury; 20 Pct; experimental Twinsonic lightbar (Kirby McElhearn).jpg
    189.3 KB · Views: 72
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CHIEFOPS

Member
Jan 24, 2011
1,532
NYC
They also field tested one or more all red Twinsonic(s) before settling on the Signal-Stat light rack for 1973. If IIRC the Twinsonic continued for more than one model year on the non-sedan vehicles such as 4X4s, passenger vans, REPs...
During the AeroTwin era the dealer(s) with the RMP contract installed the lightbars as part of the bid, all other vehicles- 4X4s, passenger vans, REPs, Roadside Repair trucks, had their lightbars installed in-house by the Electronic Shop at Motor Transport Division.
 

lotsofbars

Member
Jul 20, 2010
1,999
NYC, New York
Interesting. It's very bizarre seeing that '72 black and green RMP with a Twinsonic on it, I've only seen them with the Beacon Ray or Signal Stat beacon. The lampholders indicate that it's period correct, though. I'm kinda glad they went with the Signal Stat light racks, they're very distinctive.
 

CHIEFOPS

Member
Jan 24, 2011
1,532
NYC
Yup. As a precinct grunt I don't remember what years in the 80s HWY used what cars and whether it was more than 1 at a time other than I do remember the R-body Gran Furys which would be production 79-81, in-service probably no later than 83/84. By 85 or so the mainstay was probably the M-body Gran Fury and those rare Diplomats.
 

NESQ115

Member
Jan 21, 2012
118
New York
Interesting. It's very bizarre seeing that '72 black and green RMP with a Twinsonic on it, I've only seen them with the Beacon Ray or Signal Stat beacon. The lampholders indicate that it's period correct, though. I'm kinda glad they went with the Signal Stat light racks, they're very distinctive.

I was there when that '72 was photographed, and as you say, seeing that sort of equipment on a "green-&-white" was indeed bizarre.

That '72 Fury apparently started in service with the usual equipment. If you look closely at it, you can just make out the chrome base of the Pulsator siren that was apparently removed in order to install the lightbar.

The Nov. 1972 issue of NYPD's magazine, Spring 3100, also showed a red-domed Twinsonic being tested (see attached). That car also still has its original siren mount in place. A very interesting open light rack also appears in the article, appears to have a pair of Federal 184s and a CP-25. Perhaps that was the basis for the Signal Stat rack.

Ned
 

Attachments

  • Spring 3100, New Equipment Tested; Nov. 1972.jpg
    Spring 3100, New Equipment Tested; Nov. 1972.jpg
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Wailer

Member
May 24, 2010
2,290
Canada
I like that narrow speaker grille - just wide enough for one speaker. I haven't seen many pics of Twin Sonic light bars like that.
 

NESQ115

Member
Jan 21, 2012
118
New York

Attachments

  • NYPD Emergency Service - Truck 6; Ford-Saulsbury, front; Aug. 12, 1999 (NS).jpg
    NYPD Emergency Service - Truck 6; Ford-Saulsbury, front; Aug. 12, 1999 (NS).jpg
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  • NYPD Emergency Service - Truck 6; Ford-Saulsbury; @ FBF; Aug. 12, 1999 (NS).jpg
    NYPD Emergency Service - Truck 6; Ford-Saulsbury; @ FBF; Aug. 12, 1999 (NS).jpg
    133.9 KB · Views: 51
  • NYPD #5550; 1973 International ESD REP; HQ parade; Oct. 1973 (Kirby McElhearn).jpg
    NYPD #5550; 1973 International ESD REP; HQ parade; Oct. 1973 (Kirby McElhearn).jpg
    160.7 KB · Views: 48

CHIEFOPS

Member
Jan 24, 2011
1,532
NYC
I remember when ESU had IH REPs, but I think they were walk-ins, that IH pictured might have been some type of ESU support vehicle, not a line REP.
 

NESQ115

Member
Jan 21, 2012
118
New York
I remember when ESU had IH REPs, but I think they were walk-ins, that IH pictured might have been some type of ESU support vehicle, not a line REP.

I had thought it was a new style REP, maybe not, but whatever it is, I don't recall it/they being around very long.
 

Attachments

  • NYPD Emergency Service Div. vehicles (old & new schemes); 1973 (poss. Spring 3100).jpg
    NYPD Emergency Service Div. vehicles (old & new schemes); 1973 (poss. Spring 3100).jpg
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Wailer

Member
May 24, 2010
2,290
Canada
ESS 6 has a speaker mounted on the bumper, so I'm guessing that the speakers in the CJs are not connected to the siren.
 

NESQ115

Member
Jan 21, 2012
118
New York
Yeah it may have been the first generation of REP after the suburbans I just don't remember

I've found another photo of a/the '73 IH, this one showing at least some of the equipment it carried. Not sure about if it is complete, but does this look like the general assortment of gear that an REP would have?

Also here's a photo of what I gather was the next generation of REP; look at where the Signal Stat light rack is mounted.
 

Attachments

  • NYPD #55xx; 1973 IH; compartments open.jpg
    NYPD #55xx; 1973 IH; compartments open.jpg
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  • NYPD #5514; 1977 Dodge; ESU REP; Qns Blvd, July 1978 (NS).jpg
    NYPD #5514; 1977 Dodge; ESU REP; Qns Blvd, July 1978 (NS).jpg
    149.2 KB · Views: 34

CrownVic97

Member
May 21, 2010
3,350
Hazen, ND
aelightbars_internal_data.s3.amazonaws.com_2016_04_109968_0ee03cdb131052a860ca9bb523d66f55.jpg
That is a Signal Stat 374 on a high base. Pretty rare to find nowadays, I'm sure.

Also, I think the NYPD should have done this with that ESU Dodge Ram :D:
nypd dodge.jpg
 

CHIEFOPS

Member
Jan 24, 2011
1,532
NYC
I've found another photo of a/the '73 IH, this one showing at least some of the equipment it carried. Not sure about if it is complete, but does this look like the general assortment of gear that an REP would have?

Also here's a photo of what I gather was the next generation of REP; look at where the Signal Stat light rack is mounted.

I guess for the time that's all they carried- which may have been less than Squad 51! By 1977 they wre using walk-in REPs.
 

CHIEFOPS

Member
Jan 24, 2011
1,532
NYC
Also, I think the NYPD should have done this with that ESU Dodge Ram :D:
View attachment 154741
nypd-dodge-jpg.154741

Within a model year or so they did
 

CHIEFOPS

Member
Jan 24, 2011
1,532
NYC
The walls of the Special Operations Division base and/or the ESU base at Floyd Bennett Field have or had the best collection of vintage pics, I expect to be out there late this month I'll see about getting more pics of vehicles in use.
 

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