WHAT YEAR IS THIS THING

[Carson946]

What year is this? I Bought it today at a Carshow/Swapmeet for 45$ it still wroks!


The tag is, TYPE E101 # 2L12B5 Darley. The Red Lens is glass!


Why is the bullet so split? I know its SS metel so I can weld it back and maybe have it Chromed.

 

[cmb56]

W.S.Darley sold sirens from different manufactureres under their own name.


This is a Federal WL to what I can see.


This version was manufactured from about the late '40s to the late '70s.


Exact year is impossible to say.


The rear cover is more likely made of chrome plated brass.


The splitting of the cover is a common problem. It is caused by metal aging.


John Dorgan might be able to give you a better information.

 

[03crownvic]

Mr. Dorgan is definitely the medic you need to fix that right up and make it look new again! He is a member here and goes by "sirenman", so drop him a PM.


BTW, welcome to the board.

 

[Carson946]

Mr. Dorgan is definitely the medic you need to fix that right up and make it look new again! He is a member here and goes by "sirenman", so drop him a PM.
BTW, welcome to the board.

I was on the old board for a wile then it went crazy, So I have not been on in awile!


THANKS EVERY 1 4 the help

 

[dmathieu]

$45! Good deal!


Dan

 

[Sirenman]

The rear housing is indeed chrome plated brass. The cracking was caused by the fact that the housing was not annealed during the spinning process, thus causing stress to build up in the metal. The cracks are simply the stress relieving itself causing what are called stress cracks. You can weld them although that is a difficult process, but they will only crack again somewhere else. There is no fix for this problem other than replacing the housing. Since these are not available, what you have is pretty much a parts unit. It is indeed a Federal model Wl which was relabeled by W.S. Darley. With the front housing and base on this one, I would say that it is from the fifties or sixties. If you can find a military WGW or such, the housings are interchangeable. The military housings were made of steel and did not crack.


John Dorgan

 

[Carson946]

The rear housing is indeed chrome plated brass. The cracking was caused by the fact that the housing was not annealed during the spinning process, thus causing stress to build up in the metal. The cracks are simply the stress relieving itself causing what are called stress cracks. You can weld them although that is a difficult process, but they will only crack again somewhere else. There is no fix for this problem other than replacing the housing. Since these are not available, what you have is pretty much a parts unit. It is indeed a Federal model Wl which was relabeled by W.S. Darley. With the front housing and base on this one, I would say that it is from the fifties or sixties. If you can find a military WGW or such, the housings are interchangeable. The military housings were made of steel and did not crack.

John Dorgan

I have bulit some Car Frames and choptops on classic cars and I have done some brazing.


There is a few way to fix the problem where it wont happen. You can Cut part of it off and make a new part and braze it back on and grind it back flat, Braze on some steel bands on the inside to keep it from cracking and have it rechromed. Or make one out of SS Steel, make the two halfes and weld them togeather grind it back down smooth. Ford made them deep headlights so why can't I. LOL I think it woud be really fun to make my own!


On are Vol Fire Dept we have a old 1957 IH Pumper thats no good but I went to look at it today and it has the same siren/light I do BUT it has the round holes not the louvers.

 

[Sirenman]

The one with the round holes is an earlier version of the WL.


John Dorgan