Vintage NYPD Signal Stat Question

Jchris1238

New Member
Nov 18, 2020
2
Denver, CO
A while back someone had a photo of one of these in their collection. I can't find the photo.

I was just curious about the NYPD use of the Signal Stat 374 / 377 light atop of a riser base. When I google image search, I found these photos below. This looks to be nothing more than a beacon ray base that is attached to the bottom of a 377 light.

Is this in fact what they used to raise the light prior to the 175-H with the tall skirt? Does anyone have an authentic NYPD light like this with the correct base?







1972-plymouth-fury-nypd-police-car-emergency-service-wagon-high-end-replica-8.jpgPulsator2 (WinCE).jpg
 

NESQ115

Member
Jan 21, 2012
118
New York
A while back someone had a photo of one of these in their collection. I can't find the photo.

I was just curious about the NYPD use of the Signal Stat 374 / 377 light atop of a riser base. When I google image search, I found these photos below. This looks to be nothing more than a beacon ray base that is attached to the bottom of a 377 light.

Is this in fact what they used to raise the light prior to the 175-H with the tall skirt? Does anyone have an authentic NYPD light like this with the correct base?







View attachment 226735View attachment 226736
No, what is underneath the Signal Stat model 377 beacon is not a Beacon Ray base. It is an actual extension base designed for the purpose. You can think of the base as a flat-topped cone.

What you can't see in the photos is that the top of the extension base has a 90 degree-to-vertical fold, creating a 360 degree mounting lip of about 2 inches. Within that lip are holes through which screws can be inserted to afix the beacon to the base. The inner top area of the base is open (imagine a doughnut hole), through which the power wire can pass.

Dietz offered a very similar product in the 1960's & 1970's. Their extension base was available in two or three different heights. It was nearly identical to the Signal Stat base, except that it had a very small lip around the bottom. The NY-NJ Port Authority PD used these.
 

Attachments

  • PAPD#5206; 1971 Plymouth Fury; Dietz 211 on extension base.jpg
    PAPD#5206; 1971 Plymouth Fury; Dietz 211 on extension base.jpg
    118.3 KB · Views: 59
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: MtnMan

MtnMan

Member
Dec 20, 2012
1,533
Eastern PA
Dietz offered a very similar product in the 1960's & 1970's. Their extension base was available in two or three different heights. It was nearly identical to the Signal Stat base, except that it had a very small lip around the bottom. The NY-NJ Port Authority PD used these.

I wonder... what their logic was in using an extension base for the beacon, and then mounting the speaker off-center, blocking the passenger side flasher?
 

NPS Ranger

Member
May 21, 2010
1,988
Penn's Woods
I wonder... what their logic was in using an extension base for the beacon, and then mounting the speaker off-center, blocking the passenger side flasher?

The PA kind of does things their own way, even today. Sometimes it works out great, like their tiny tunnel wreckers. Sometimes it's kind of meh, like here. Maybe they replaced an underhood siren or needed a public address capability, and already had a spotlight in the center roof? Who knows. Someone once told me they installed those high skirt beacons to get the lights up above car roofs in bumper to bumper traffic - unlike the NYPD, which used them to get the lights above the Pulsator sirens.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NESQ115 and MtnMan

CHIEFOPS

Member
Jan 24, 2011
1,532
NYC
IIRC this setup was only for the final model year of the white/green/black livery- 1972. I've never seen/heard an explanation for the switch from the Beacon Ray, only a guess it was simply the lower bid for an equivalent light.
 

NESQ115

Member
Jan 21, 2012
118
New York
IIRC this setup was only for the final model year of the white/green/black livery- 1972. I've never seen/heard an explanation for the switch from the Beacon Ray, only a guess it was simply the lower bid for an equivalent light.
I don't know either. Actually NYPD first used that setup on their 1971 Highway Patrol cars, and then made that general issue for 1972.

NYPD also tested out at least one other beacon in 1971, a custom made Unity light with two different size lamps, on an extension base.

The Signal Stat 377 on the extension base wasn't bought after '72 because NYPD went to lightbars in 1973.

During 1972, NYPD field tested various lightbars, and in 1973 they went with Signal Stat's model #9555 setup, I have never seen evidence, however, that the Signal Stat lightbar was included in the 1972 field tests
 

Attachments

  • 14568187.jpg
    14568187.jpg
    48.3 KB · Views: 55
  • Like
Reactions: Tony P

cmb56

Member
May 22, 2010
746
Norrköping, Sweden
@NESQ115
It might well have been an suggestion from Signal-Stat to field test the 374 beacon in the form of 377 before the purchase of the 9555 roofbar.

NYPD always have special features in their equipment so I assume they did not desided to buy over night.

They usually test before their desitions.

This is only a guess of mine and no one shall take this as a proof of any sort.

Michael
 
  • Like
Reactions: denko3

CHIEFOPS

Member
Jan 24, 2011
1,532
NYC
I don't know either. Actually NYPD first used that setup on their 1971 Highway Patrol cars, and then made that general issue for 1972.

NYPD also tested out at least one other beacon in 1971, a custom made Unity light with two different size lamps, on an extension base.

The Signal Stat 377 on the extension base wasn't bought after '72 because NYPD went to lightbars in 1973.

During 1972, NYPD field tested various lightbars, and in 1973 they went with Signal Stat's model #9555 setup, I have never seen evidence, however, that the Signal Stat lightbar was included in the 1972 field tests
Thanks for posting the image, I don't ever remember seeing it referenced by a catalog number and long wondered if it was a custom slap-together for us, now I know otherwise. Neat! I'd have put the can/barrel lights outboard of the beacons but that's just me.
 
I saved these images of the Unity light from a post (Mar 2013...that has long since lost its link) b/c the RV46 was my first light as a vol ff:
56501887-34B2-416A-AEA5-9BBD6417ABDC.jpeg F8422160-00C8-4D40-9EA9-DBD860F13CAE.jpeg
I emailed Unity asking about the setup and they sent me several catalog pages with this explanation: The horizontal lamps were par46 and the angled lamps were par36 holders so they could clear the interior of the dome. Here’s the catalog page description of the RV46RT:
C80CFE81-E623-4A2C-8DA9-A66AD25AE2F2.png
 
  • Like
Reactions: NESQ115

NESQ115

Member
Jan 21, 2012
118
New York
I saved these images of the Unity light from a post (Mar 2013...that has long since lost its link) b/c the RV46 was my first light as a vol ff:
View attachment 226814 View attachment 226815
I emailed Unity asking about the setup and they sent me several catalog pages with this explanation: The horizontal lamps were par46 and the angled lamps were par36 holders so they could clear the interior of the dome. Here’s the catalog page description of the RV46RT:
View attachment 226816
Thanks for sharing the manufacturer information! The two photos you posted came from me; they were taken in 1971; the only NYPD car I ever saw equipped like that. All these years I never knew the explanation.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Maxim2Eng

lotsofbars

Member
Jul 20, 2010
1,999
NYC, New York
Maybe I'm going blind but I can't see the tilt, either with the sealed beams or with the top view bulb holders.
The first picture shows the tilt the best. The NYPD beacons were all tilted at less-extreme angles than normal production models as per department spec.
 

stansdds

Member
May 25, 2010
3,533
U.S.A., Virginia
Maybe I'm going blind but I can't see the tilt, either with the sealed beams or with the top view bulb holders.
NYPD's Federal 175H's had tilt angles of 15 degrees up and 15 degrees down. From what I can tell, the Signal Stat 377's tilt is less, maybe around 10 degrees, but certainly less than that of the Federal 175H.
 
  • Like
Reactions: OliverD

Forum Statistics

Threads
53,964
Messages
449,809
Members
19,103
Latest member
Safetylight5

About Us

  • Since 1997, eLightbars has been the premier venue for all things emergency warning equipment. Discussions, classified listings, pictures, videos, chat, & more! Our staff members strive to keep the forums organized and clutter-free. All of our offerings are free-of-charge with all costs offset by banner advertising. Premium offerings are available to improve your experience.

User Menu

Secure Browsing & Transactions

eLightbars.org uses SSL to secure all traffic between our server and your browsing device. All browsing and transactions within are secured by an SSL Certificate with high-strength encryption.