Twinsonic CTS1S

stansdds

Member
May 25, 2010
3,533
U.S.A., Virginia
That is a beautiful restoration of a fairly rare Twinsonic.

From my research, the California Twinsonics were CTS and CTSS for the Series A1 tags, but the model designation was CTS1 and CTS1S on the tags stamped as the Series A3. As far as I know, all of the CTSS bars were actually Series A3 internal parts, but the early CTSS bars had CTS Series A1 tags and an additional "S" was stamped onto the model designation area of the tag.
 

bpollard

Member
Jun 13, 2010
422
USA, SC
Your skill and attention to detail are very admirable. I truly respect anyone who takes this much pride in what they do whether its a hobby or not.

Our Chief back in the mid-70's had a Chevrolet Impala sedan with an all red version of this same bar, complete with the flasher to the front and amber flasher to the rear. People who see these today in less than pristine condition, with lenses that are cloudy and beacons rotating slowly, cant appreciate how effective this cutting-edge technology was back then, live and in color.

i can picture that bar's pattern of beams cutting through the smoke while on scene at night, we all thought it looked like a laser show!

thanks for sharing

Bob
 

CrownVic97

Member
May 21, 2010
3,350
Hazen, ND
Welcome to the CTS1S Club, my friend! You did an excellent resto on that bar :D.

I picked up mine in December 2017 up in Williston, ND from a couple who moved here from Nevada, and had the bar as part of an inheritance from the husband's godfather who was lead inspector for the San Fransicso underground municipality. Full thread on my CTS1S can be read here: https://elightbars.org/forums/threads/cts1s-restoration-first-bona-fide-cal-spec-bar.84020/

Some video ;)
 
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dg0223

Member
Feb 20, 2011
703
USA/Texas
Our Chief back in the mid-70's had a Chevrolet Impala sedan with an all red version of this same bar, complete with the flasher to the front and amber flasher to the rear...

It doesn't flash to the front. It flashes to the rear. That's the whole point of this bar. This is a California TwinSonic. In order to meet the requirements of California law, the red light facing to the front is a steady burn red, not a flashing light.
 
Jun 18, 2013
3,709
PA
It doesn't flash to the front. It flashes to the rear. That's the whole point of this bar. This is a California TwinSonic. In order to meet the requirements of California law, the red light facing to the front is a steady burn red, not a flashing light.


So yeah we all know that... but that doesn't mean CA specifications applied elsewhere in the USA, I know of a CTS bar that has both light flashing on a truck in NJ. Owner does not care what CA laws are, he likes the flashing par46 lights.
 

dg0223

Member
Feb 20, 2011
703
USA/Texas
Well if it flashes to the front, it'd certainly have to be called something other than a CTS. That's all I'm saying.
 
Jun 18, 2013
3,709
PA
Well if it flashes to the front, it'd certainly have to be called something other than a CTS. That's all I'm saying.

The purist in me hears what your saying.. but its still a CTS bar just not meeting California Code..

.. I just reread my previous post sorry if I came off sounding like an A$$ that wasn't my intent.

Rob
 
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