Vintage Frankenstein-ed lights, beacons and light bars.

Wailer

Member
May 24, 2010
2,290
Canada
Not sure if this qualifies. This is a project i have been working on for a while. Federal 184 beacons, grote par 46 View attachment 210350 imhousing, mars 888. But i put whelen led par46 and par36 lights into the vintage housing. It seems to be a great way to update old lights. I havent mounted everything into a usable configuration yet. I havent made any modifications to the beacons and everything can easily be converted back to origional sealed beams. Led par36 and 46 sealed beams are an easy way to update vintage sealed beam lightbars and helps with power draw.

If those lights were put on a rack and mounted on a vehicle, I like the idea of the speaker/light on the driver's side.
 

Skulldigger

Member
Aug 23, 2015
1,739
Georgia / USA
That is a Frankenstien for sure, but that is actually pretty genius. I have used the same type of bulbs to make aftermarket T3617 Bulbs. I'd like to see it work.
 
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Thomas1234

Member
Oct 4, 2016
266
Nterhelands
Well not so genius cause the light in the mirror is blocked by the DIY led-holder, but once removed its actually really effective and draws very low power. btw it was also used in a aerodynic PAR holder, 2 on each side.
 

Skulldigger

Member
Aug 23, 2015
1,739
Georgia / USA
I might be wrong, but I think this is a Frankenstein. Looks like an older Sireno with a 77 shroud put on it. A 77 should be a dual tone siren. The base definitely looks Sireno. Doubt there is a brake on it as the tag would indicate. I would look back at the Sireno Catalog in the Vintage section but all of the pics are still gone.

https://www.ebay.com/i/153016083257...rk=11&rkt=30&sd=323243749919&itm=153016083257

Sireno -77 Frank.JPG
 

CrownVic97

Member
May 21, 2010
3,350
Hazen, ND

cmb56

Member
May 22, 2010
746
Norrköping, Sweden
I might be wrong, but I think this is a Frankenstein. Looks like an older Sireno with a 77 shroud put on it.
This siren is a Federal C5 and everything is Federal including the base.
Someone has restored it once by replacing the rear housing from a model 77.
The only thing that I can see is not correct is the name tag.
It is a C5G, maybe a C5GA because I can only see the power cable comming out through the hole in the base not any cable for the brake.

Michael
 
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Skip Goulet

Member
Feb 23, 2011
4,241
Midland, TX
I might be wrong, but I think this is a Frankenstein. Looks like an older Sireno with a 77 shroud put on it. A 77 should be a dual tone siren. The base definitely looks Sireno. Doubt there is a brake on it as the tag would indicate. I would look back at the Sireno Catalog in the Vintage section but all of the pics are still gone.

https://www.ebay.com/i/153016083257?rt=nc&_trkparms=aid=222007&algo=SIM.MBE&ao=2&asc=20160908110712&meid=893bd41de3d84960b36724c6a582e0b1&pid=100677&rk=11&rkt=30&sd=323243749919&itm=153016083257

View attachment 212689
I don't think that this one is a Sireno at all. It appears to e a Federal C5G, with common Federal two-piece bracket, housing and grille. The only thing I see different is that the siren appears to have possible been a C4,the underhood version, as it doesn't appear to be chromed like the rest. It could well be, though, as you suggested, a Sireno siren. Their "Vanguard" series duplicated Federal's "C" series in size and appearance. I'd be interested in hearing how long it coasts. Some Sirenos would actually outcoast their Federal counterparts. Their large siren back-in-the day, the ED10 Jetstream, was duplicate of a Q2B. We had a Jetstream mounted on a '66 Olds ambulance back in the early '80s and it would coast like nothing I've seen before, aside from an S8B Siro-Drift that was on a local ambulance for many years, that I've seen coast nearly 10 minutes just sitting once-upon-a-time.

One Sun. afternoon we were working short-track motorcycle races, and at that particular track there was a small MX track inside the infield, and we had a habit of backing the ambulance up on the downside part of a jump. We could then stand on the top of the jump and have a complete view of the track. So this one Sun. afternoon we were standing at the top of the jump and there had been a short break in the action. And all of a sudden I heard a funny, fluttering sound coming from the front of the Olds ambulance. There had been a bit of a brisk southerly breeze that day, and there was that big Jetstream siren just spinning in the breeze...all by itself! While Federal Qs and all three of B&Ms Siro-Drift classes: the SC8B Super Chief; CS8B and the traditional S8B are all well known for "wind coasting" with the vehicle in motion; but I've never seen any of them coast on its own with the vehicle stopped like that Jetstream did!
 

soutthpaw

Member
May 2, 2018
135
Sparks, NV
Here is my in process contribution to the Frakenbar builds. 2 Whelen Centurion bases and centers combined. 64" overall length. Deciding what lights I want to put in it. Maybe add strobes on the bottom in addition to the existing arrow bar. Have a couple additional rotators too. 20180512_194602-1.jpg20180512_194917-1.jpg20180512_173422.jpg
 
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Skip Goulet

Member
Feb 23, 2011
4,241
Midland, TX
This siren is a Federal C5 and everything is Federal including the base.
Someone has restored it once by replacing the rear housing from a model 77.
The only thing that I can see is not correct is the name tag.
It is a C5G, maybe a C5GA because I can only see the power cable comming out through the hole in the base not any cable for the brake.

Michael
From the pic. it looks like a Federal nameplate, but you'd need a top view to see for sure. The horizontal bar on the port was common the Cs, but some of the 60 series had vertical bars on the port.
 
I might be wrong, but I think this is a Frankenstein. Looks like an older Sireno with a 77 shroud put on it. A 77 should be a dual tone siren. The base definitely looks Sireno. Doubt there is a brake on it as the tag would indicate. I would look back at the Sireno Catalog in the Vintage section but all of the pics are still gone.
Michael and Skip are correct...it is a FedSig C siren and the base is an early style. The grill appears to be off a C4 (painted). Originally, the stator is polished (not chromed) for the C5s. Having said all that, I suspect it was a C4 with the chrome motor housing stuck on it...not only is the badge wrong, there are no screws holding it in place....
 
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Skip Goulet

Member
Feb 23, 2011
4,241
Midland, TX
If you go to the eBay site, as long it is active, you will see several pictures including a close-up photo of the name tag. It says 77-GB.

Michael
Thanks, Michael. Didn't realize it was listed on Ebay. If it says 77GB, then it was off a doubletone siren, for sure. One nice thing about Federal's line of motor sirens back in the day was that housings and grilles from the 60s, 70s, and Cs were all interchangeable. Except the C series was a bit larger, with an 8" rotor, so the grilles or light sections wouldn't fit. I don't remember who he "built" it for because it's been several years, but the late John Dorgan adapted the light section from a 77L or maybe a 78 to fit on a "C" siren. Don't remember how he did it, but it looked nice.
 
Jun 18, 2013
3,709
PA
I spied this one at ball game just recently, It was sitting on a Ford Engine that was part of some charity event. I face palmed.. and chuckled and just kept going.

Optimized-20180521_195331.jpg
 

Skip Goulet

Member
Feb 23, 2011
4,241
Midland, TX
Somebody made a Euro-version TwinSonic....and you know it was cut down to make it work....

Photo from Vintage Wreckers on FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/313214229108650/
View attachment 212697
Interesting little truck. Reminds me of my late dad's '61 Ford Econoline pickup. A couple of interesting vehicles I've run across here in Midland recently (and didn't have a camera to get any pix): one was a very small Japanese-built firetruck with lights and working siren still attached. The guy has a trailer attached with a small kitchen built on it and sells hot dogs under the name (would you believe) "Fire Dogs"! The guy said that he bought 16 of those little trucks, all of which has converted for his hot dog sales and has them all over Texas. The second one was a Mercedes van-type ambulance (not a Sprinter) that served a German F.D. It still has the working high-speed blue beacons and European "hi-lo" horns. What's so unusual is that although I've seen both of these vehicles going down the street, this is the first time I've caught either of them sitting still: and both within days of each other at the grocery store where I trade.
 

348

Member
Feb 16, 2013
1,014
Idaho
Interesting little truck. Reminds me of my late dad's '61 Ford Econoline pickup. A couple of interesting vehicles I've run across here in Midland recently (and didn't have a camera to get any pix): one was a very small Japanese-built firetruck with lights and working siren still attached. The guy has a trailer attached with a small kitchen built on it and sells hot dogs under the name (would you believe) "Fire Dogs"! The guy said that he bought 16 of those little trucks, all of which has converted for his hot dog sales and has them all over Texas. The second one was a Mercedes van-type ambulance (not a Sprinter) that served a German F.D. It still has the working high-speed blue beacons and European "hi-lo" horns. What's so unusual is that although I've seen both of these vehicles going down the street, this is the first time I've caught either of them sitting still: and both within days of each other at the grocery store where I trade.


Did the little red hotdog truck look anything like this one?
00404_2i8CKS8hpcx_1200x900.jpg
 
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CrownVic97

Member
May 21, 2010
3,350
Hazen, ND

Safetyman

Member
Sep 18, 2017
52
Baldwinsville, NY
Back in 1981, I became an assistant fire chief of my small volunteer department. We could not afford big light bars at the time. I purchased a used Whelan Responder II 2-rotator mini bar from a local distributor. My car at the time was a 1978 VW Rabbitt. I was not quite happy with the single bar-the roof looked naked with just one bar. So I located another identical bar, except it had a clear lens. I located a piece of aluminum plate for the base to mount the 2 lights on, attached the bars to the plate, fashioned a solid center piece out of roofing/gutter aluminum, relocated the magnets to the base plate wired the two together and wha-la.....a one of a kind light bar.
I used the bar for a couple of months. But I needed something more! Around the same time, VW put out an commercial showing a North Carolina PD using a Rabbit with a monsterous roof bar (ot sure what kind of bar). And the 1982 annual autoshow near my home had a VW Rabbit with a Code 3 XL (maybe 43 or 45 inches long-just fit on the Rabbit). I ended up buying one of the Code 3's and installed in place of the home made bar. Sadly, I cannot locate any pics except the attached of the homemade mini bar which was scanned from a photo I found (no digital cameras or cell phones back in 1982). Could not find any pics of the Code 3 on my car. I sold the bar when I traded the old VW for a new VW.
VW RABBIT.jpg
 
Jun 18, 2013
3,709
PA
Thats an electric lights brand (did I spell that right) ranger bar.
@tsquale where you at.. you had one of these for sale recently.. if I remember correctly.
 
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OliverD

Member
Dec 31, 2016
179
Belgium
Yes I have seen this car in Charleroi during the years 80'.
They had also some VW Golf 1 each provided with one blue WHELEN PA 993.
 

LRGJr72

Member
May 29, 2010
790
Detroit, Michigan
Thanks for the info. I presume that "Lectric lights" was not a major manufacturer of lightbars.

Lectric Lites was a small to medium producer. Their biggest stretch was in the late 1970s. The Lectric Lites Ranger bar was an odd design. But pretty cool in that it didn't look like anything else. They had pretty brittle domes. Then they rebooted it with the Ranger II bar. HORRIBLE look in my opinion. Neither never really caught on. EmergencyLighting002.jpgEmergencyLighting003.jpgEmergencyLighting005.jpgEmergencyLighting006.jpg
 

Skulldigger

Member
Aug 23, 2015
1,739
Georgia / USA
The listing says
"This is a Federal Signal Corp. Beacon Ray Model 184 12 Volt. This was adapted to be used in a roller rink back in the 70's. (2) of the lights have been adapted to make them shine differently. I am unsure if anything else has been adapted, as I am not the first owner. It is missing the dome. The tag says Federal Signal Corporation and is 12 volts. It is untested. It is being sold as is. Please zoom in on the photographs for details."


Last-Listing-Federal-Signal-Corp-Beacon-Ray.jpgLast-Listing-Federal-Signal-Corp-Beacon-Ray-_57.jpgLast-Listing-Federal-Signal-Corp-Beacon-Ray-_58.jpgLast-Listing-Federal-Signal-Corp-Beacon-Ray-_59.jpgLast-Listing-Federal-Signal-Corp-Beacon-Ray-_60.jpgLast-Listing-Federal-Signal-Corp-Beacon-Ray-_61.jpgLast-Listing-Federal-Signal-Corp-Beacon-Ray-_62.jpg


 
Last edited:

cmb56

Member
May 22, 2010
746
Norrköping, Sweden
@Skulldigger
If I do not see wrong you more or less only need to remove the two home made brackets and unsolder the two cables the goes to the tilted lamp holders.

Unfortunately they have drilled a hole in one of the straight lamp holders but you might find an original from a model 14 somewhere but the little problem might be that this are early lamp holders before Federal cut them down to reduce metal.

Michael
 

stansdds

Member
May 25, 2010
3,533
U.S.A., Virginia
This is a Federal Signal Corp. Beacon Ray Model 184 12 Volt. This was adapted to be used in a roller rink back in the 70's. (2) of the lights have been adapted to make them shine differently. I am unsure if anything else has been adapted, as I am not the first owner. It is missing the dome. The tag says Federal Signal Corporation and is 12 volts. It is untested. It is being sold as is. Please zoom in on the photographs for details.


View attachment 219922View attachment 219923View attachment 219924View attachment 219925View attachment 219926View attachment 219927View attachment 219928


That one has been on eBay for some time now. I think it can easily be restored, but the seller wants waaaaaaaay too much money for it.
 

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