Yankee Lightbar

72stormer

Member
Sep 1, 2011
71
British Columbia Canada
Yankee1.jpg yankee2.jpg Yankee3.jpg Hello

I just picked up an old "Yankee" police lightbar. I've never seen one before, and the price was right. It's missing feet, one plastic end cap is missing, and the other end cap is broken (hence the yellow tape in the photo). Are these a common bar? Are parts available? It has a speaker behind the grille, but it doesn't look original. what speaker should be there? There are no other details on the exterior other than the front sticker.

Cheers and thanks
 
Last edited:

OSP959(R)

New Member
Mar 22, 2011
720
Ohio
The Ohio State Highway Patrol used all red Yankee's in the 70's-80's. (see my avatar)

There were a bunch made, and you can find them. I don't think they were ever 'collectible'. These, the Signal Stat Dual Comm, and NAPA bars were all very similar.
 
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shibby1952

Member
May 8, 2013
593
Iowa
Good luck finding the end caps though. They ALL broke or were cracked at the screw holes from people over tightening them. I heard someone was making plain aluminum replacements, but they were expensive. There might be a thread on those.
 

LRGJr72

Member
May 29, 2010
790
Detroit, Michigan
Good luck finding the end caps though. They ALL broke or were cracked at the screw holes from people over tightening them. I heard someone was making plain aluminum replacements, but they were expensive. There might be a thread on those.

I keep expecting someone to try replicating these items (domes, endcaps, etc) using 3D-printing technology.
 
Jun 18, 2013
3,709
PA
I have a R/B dietz version of this bar.

I have an amber bar that I still need to go through.. but may have some parts if needed.

Rob
 

7d9_z28

New Member
Mar 15, 2012
3,048
West Michigan
It appears to have a small Mechanical siren in there? Interesting
 

72stormer

Member
Sep 1, 2011
71
British Columbia Canada
Research online shows the Signal Stat Dual Com to be very similar. Are parts interchangeable? I'd be looking for feet and end caps.... and whatever siren speaker is supposed to be inside. I put power to the rotators and both work, turning in opposite direction to each other.
 

shibby1952

Member
May 8, 2013
593
Iowa
Some of the Dietz and Signal-Stat pieces are different. Maybe others can shed more light on this, but I have a Dietz in my collection and the end caps on those are flat. The Signal-Stat end caps were more wedge shaped. It also seems to me the Signal-Stat lenses were a little more robust and had a metal edge attached to the bottom on one end. The Dietz lenses I have look to have circles cast into the top in the plastic and seem to be a little flimsier. Also I believe the speaker grilles are different between the two. I can't tell you how this relates to a Yankee though, I have never owned one.
 
I was trying to locate my previous posts regarding the differences between SignalStat DualComms and the Dietz/Yankee 911/NAPA bars but can't locate quickly, so I'll try to be brief.

The DualComm is very similar in appearance to the other bars, but the only "interchangeable" part is the rotator. I use quotes because it gets complicated.

DOMES: I have a Dietz half bar that started life as a full size bar on a Jefferson Co. P.D. (Louisville, KY) car, pulled from the dumpster and resurrected. It functions well as a half bar because the domes have sloped sides on each end. This is the first and most important distinction. (Dietz/Yankee 911/NAPA are the same in every respect except for badging. From here on I will refer to it as a Dietz because I think Dietz sold the line to Yankee.) DualComm domes are sloped on one end and vertical on the inboard (speaker) side. They are NOT INTERCHANGEABLE.

Dietz left, SignalStat right.
image.jpeg image.jpeg

SPEAKER HOUSING: The grill patterns are similar, but different. Again, NOT INTERCHANGEABLE.

EXTRUDED FRAME: The channels are different dimensions and cut at different angles: End caps on the DualComm are cut at a near 45 degree angle while the Dietz are 90 degrees. Yup, not interchangeable.

ROTATORS: Here's where it gets complicated...I also have a DualComm that needed two new rotators and in my quest to find them, I discovered SignalStat had at least 4 different versions.

-Dietz and SignalStat rotators are very similar in appearance and even share the same bolt pattern on the mounting plate, but the Dietz rotator is threaded whereas the SignalStat rotator is not.

-Dietz rotators have two different speed motors (slow/fast) and only rotated one direction. SignalStat had only one rotation speed, but in all but the earliest and latest (last) generation could be wired to counter-rotate.

-Dietz rotators have twin heat "chimneys" in the top of the can--and now it gets even more complicated. The early SignalStat cans were completely enclosed causing heat buildup and motor failure (and they weren't the most robust motors, either). Then they cast holes in the can for ventilation (didn't help the puny motors much), isolated the motor from the chassis for counter-rotation and moved the gears from top/inside of the can the the bottom/outside the can (1st-3rd generation). The last generation was an open frame holder with a bigger motor--think Dietz 211 with only 2 bulbs.

Dietz rotators
image.jpeg

SignalStat rotators--Gen 1 on right, Gen 2-3 on left
image.jpeg

There. That's as brief as I can get. I have extra rotators and V mirrors if you need one, but I sold the Dietz end plate to Rob.

Let me know if you need more info. :)
 

Mort

Member
May 18, 2016
35
Phoenix
View attachment 156165 View attachment 156166 View attachment 156167 Hello

I just picked up an old "Yankee" police lightbar. I've never seen one before, and the price was right. It's missing feet, one plastic end cap is missing, and the other end cap is broken (hence the yellow tape in the photo). Are these a common bar? Are parts available? It has a speaker behind the grille, but it doesn't look original. what speaker should be there? There are no other details on the exterior other than the front sticker.

Cheers and thanks
Yankee Metal products was purchased by the R.E. Dietz company. Any of the Dietz or NAPA lightbars use the same parts. You should be able to make about any of the feet work on this bar. Some internal Signal Stat parts will work but not lenses.
 

Mort

Member
May 18, 2016
35
Phoenix
View attachment 156165 View attachment 156166 View attachment 156167 Hello

I just picked up an old "Yankee" police lightbar. I've never seen one before, and the price was right. It's missing feet, one plastic end cap is missing, and the other end cap is broken (hence the yellow tape in the photo). Are these a common bar? Are parts available? It has a speaker behind the grille, but it doesn't look original. what speaker should be there? There are no other details on the exterior other than the front sticker.

Cheers and thanks
D&M Distributors in Columbus, Oh used to have a good size inventory of old Dietz stuff. You may call them and check it out. 614-268-2222 ask for Luke he is the owner's son.
 

acklover

Member
Apr 28, 2014
376
Southern Indiana
D&M Distributors in Columbus, Oh used to have a good size inventory of old Dietz stuff. You may call them and check it out. 614-268-2222 ask for Luke he is the owner's son.

I contacted D & M for end caps, they said that they had to sort thru many boxes...nothing yet.
 

Ash

New Member
Aug 7, 2016
1
florida
Just purchased some older police / military surplus items in a warehouse. Found some Smith and Wesson mounting kits #887 didn't know if this would be of use for you. You can reach me at afoster7837@gmail.com


ai.ebayimg.com_images_g_NI0AAOSwZVlXp2Eo_s_l1600.jpg
 

Mort

Member
May 18, 2016
35
Phoenix
The Ohio State Highway Patrol used all red Yankee's in the 70's-80's. (see my avatar)

There were a bunch made, and you can find them. I don't think they were ever 'collectible'. These, the Signal Stat Dual Comm, and NAPA bars were all very similar.
NAPA was the R.E. Dietz company's private label line. Signal Stat was a totally separate company. End caps and such will interchange on the NAPA products but not SS. I have a brand new 4 rotator R/B NAPA endcaps that I will sell if anyone is interested. Used for shows only never mounted
 

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