Twin 184's at last!!!

[Richard Vyse]

I just set the 184's up the roof after removing the middle one to see how they look. I like it!. Still need to add the siren speakers after I locate angled mounts.

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i277/RichardV_2006/74%20Criterion/EmergencyVehicleShow001.jpg
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i277/RichardV_2006/74%20Criterion/EmergencyVehicleShow002.jpg
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i277/RichardV_2006/74%20Criterion/EmergencyVehicleShow003.jpg

[Andrew G. Zajkowski]

Richard, the 184's Look great.

[Brady D Smith]

The skirts need to be trimmed to level up the beacons before you bolt them down. The correct installation will have the top of the lens level to the ground.

[Richard Vyse]

The skirts need to be trimmed to level up the beacons before you bolt them down. The correct installation will have the top of the lens level to the ground.

Just sent Ed an email asking for advice on how to trim a skirt. Hope to have a check headed in your direction Brady for the pump and hope to be able to pick it up within 30 days or so.

[Josh Gentry]

I like, I think there gonna look great.

Josh

[Brendan Martin]

I like the look of the twin 184's, we had a 74 Superior High Top at the FD (before my time) that had twin 184's. Can't wait to see them finished Richard.:boo:

[Bill Leverett]

Those twin 184's look great Richard...but then I'm biased because of my Lifeliner. Did you get them off ebay? I noticed that they have the original Federal lenses as well with the stepped top.

As for trimming the skirts, I know that Cliff Bergum has done that in the past as well. I think he used a Dremel tool and went very slow. Not sure how MM did the cutting but I'm sure they used a template as a guide. Perhaps consider making a cardboard template of the base to work at getting the correct angle so that the top of the lense sits level as Brady commented. Once you get the template correct you could use this as a marking guide prior to trimming.

Let us know how you make out.

[John Burchfield]

Richard, Jerry Jacobsen told me about a method of trimming beacon skirts last month in Flint that sounded good. He uses a compass (the kind you used to draw circles with in geometry class). You should contact him for the specifics as I'm not sure I have the method exactly right at this late hour! Basically you level the light on the roof w/ some blocks or somthing sturdy underneath the beacon, then use the compass to trace the roofline, marking the skirt at the same time. Obviously you need to mark the "uphill" side of the skirt, since that's where you'll cut an ellipse to make it level. Glad you finally found a pair!

[Jerry Jacobson]

Richard, Jerry Jacobsen told me about a method of trimming beacon skirts last month in Flint that sounded good. He uses a compass (the kind you used to draw circles with in geometry class). You should contact him for the specifics as I'm not sure I have the method exactly right at this late hour! Basically you level the light on the roof w/ some blocks or somthing sturdy underneath the beacon, then use the compass to trace the roofline, marking the skirt at the same time. Obviously you need to mark the "uphill" side of the skirt, since that's where you'll cut an ellipse to make it level. Glad you finally found a pair!

I couldn't have described it better.:cheers:

[Steve Loftin]

Just sent Ed an email asking for advice on how to trim a skirt. Hope to have a check headed in your direction Brady for the pump and hope to be able to pick it up within 30 days or so.

These need to be 184-H models to have a skirt long enough to trim correctly for your roof. Note that the lamp assemblies are mismatched, and the labels indicate they are 1975-or-newer models. To make your car look as good (and original) as it can, I would suggest holding out for a pair of 184-H beacons. I'll keep my eyes out, but they're not easy to find. Good luck!

One suggestion would be to find a salvage 1971-76 M-M or C/B 54" with a pair of these beacons already on it. The chances are slim, but they can be found. The last time I was in Warrenton, MO, there was a '72 Cotington 54 in a trucking company yard on the north side of I-70 with a pair of these.

Beacon skirts, by the way, were usually trimmed using tin snips (per suggestion in the Federal instructions!).

[John ED Renstrom]

those have been trimmed a lot. Robert had a pattern for the holes. not a lot of guessing for them and once you get the holes were you want the light then you can put the crush nuts in the roof and run the ready rods (all thread) in. then run a set of nuts on them to level the skits with. then just move it down till it touches on the high side. I used a level to set them even to the floor and laid a marker pen flat on the roof walked it around the skirt. I did not think I could hold a compass square enough. if you had something flat to hold it on maybe. but as I had never done any before I did not mind slipping it on and trimming it 4 or 5 times to get it all around. there brass and not easy to cut so I used a disk grinder to work it off. but it would be something you had to be comfortable using. they are easy to distort. it would look to me like there is not enough room to trim these skirts and keep the motor under them. but first get you rods in place then put the motor on leave it. then the skirt goes on top if the motor. I think as low as you can go is 4 inches. the motor will go to the out side. clearance between the last nut and the light is tight so you normally will trim the rod off after you get it all together. one could maybe find a deeper seal and still use these if your short a inch or so on the long side.picture should be right if you print it full page.

[Richard Vyse]

Thanks everyone. I'm not period correct and like hwta I like, after all thatis what matters, isn't it? I know the skirts are a bit short and will think this through before just cutting. My observation is they will work if I adjust the position of the motor to the outside position. :3some:

[Richard Vyse]

After reviewing Ed's email giving me detailed instructions on mounting these, I'm confident they will work and look great!!!! New gaskets are on order and hope to have them on by the Emergency Show in Ocala on April 17th.

[Richard Vyse]

Got them from another PCS member along with two siren speakers. Very thankful for their help and for selling them to me.
:thankyou2:

Those twin 184's look great Richard...but then I'm biased because of my Lifeliner. Did you get them off ebay? I noticed that they have the original Federal lenses as well with the stepped top.

As for trimming the skirts, I know that Cliff Bergum has done that in the past as well. I think he used a Dremel tool and went very slow. Not sure how MM did the cutting but I'm sure they used a template as a guide. Perhaps consider making a cardboard template of the base to work at getting the correct angle so that the top of the lense sits level as Brady commented. Once you get the template correct you could use this as a marking guide prior to trimming.

Let us know how you make out.

[Richard Vyse]

I wish to extend a most heartfelt "THANK YOU" to Larry Wilson for selling me the beacons and speakers. As you know I have searched quite a while for these items and appreciate him doing this for me. As I'm told, Larry does not sell his stuff so I'm honored.
Thanks Larry and glad to hear you, Nick, and the two Steve's had a good time in rainy Florida. We certainly had a great time with you especially eating B-B-q at the farm. :burp:

"What we have here is a failure to communicate!"

[John ED Renstrom]

the far left one for sure and the center on maybe. the the far right is to short to trim again. you'll have to mount it center on in the back.

[Brady D Smith]

Rick,
Where did you find gaskets for those? I need new gaskets myself.

[Richard Vyse]

John Dorgan. Bought two for $25 shipping included.

Rick,
Where did you find gaskets for those? I need new gaskets myself.

[Richard Vyse]

These need to be 184-H184-H beacons. I'll keep my eyes out, but they're not easy to find.

I know the 184-H's are hard to locate and love these. Spent about an hour at the house measuring and setting up one to see if I have enough skirt. Took the beacon apart, set bolts in place then set on top of the car. Got it where I think it should be and leveled. Took measurements from there and with the rubber gasket, it will work leaving a smiggen of room. It will be low with a low skirt, more like a mini-skirt (get it) but it will be level and operating. The motor will be just a hair off the roof. I will go to work on one this evening. Worse comes to worse I'll have a few holes to patch. :stars:

[Paul Steinberg]

If the motor hits, you can always take a hammer to the roof and hammer in a depression for the motor... :pat:

[John ED Renstrom]

you can do it just take you time and be careful trimming you don't have a lot to work with on that one.

[John Dorgan]

I didn't know that anyone was looking for 184s or CJ 184s. As it is, I have several on hand.
John Dorgan

[Brady D Smith]

It's 184 - H high skirts that seem to be hard to find.

[Lawrence W. W. Wilson]

Well, I feel bad the 184's got diced a little but I was just trying to help Richard out since I knew he had been looking for a couple of nice lights. I have about 20 of them and the skirts on all of mine are exactly the same height so that is what I hooked him up with. Richard was very nice to my friends and I who stayed at his hotel in New Smyrna Beach last weekend so I thought I would return the favor with the beacons and siren speakers. I'm sure he'll be able to make them work. They are in good shape and the motors are strong and quiet.

[Richard Vyse]

Well, I feel bad the 184's got diced a little but I was just trying to help Richard out since I knew he had been looking for a couple of nice lights. I have about 20 of them and the skirts on all of mine are exactly the same height so that is what I hooked him up with. Richard was very nice to my friends and I who stayed at his hotel in New Smyrna Beach last weekend so I thought I would return the favor with the beacons and siren speakers. I'm sure he'll be able to make them work. They are in good shape and the motors are strong and quiet.

They work and look beautiful. Whether these skirts will work or not is not a concern on my part. I'm pretty sure these skirts are too short but already found another NOS high skirt and with my current high skirt, it will be just fine if I follow through on this project. Thanks Larry and loved having you, Nick, and the two Steve's.

[Mike McDonald]

If you REALLY wanted to be unique there is a vendor who builds new "split domes" so you could have half red-amber, blue-clear etc. MM

[Cliff Bergum]

Got a little lost at the end of this post Richard. The "mini skirts" didn't work? I thought they would have. Even though they would certainly be low on the in board side. If you were able to locate another high skirt then you are now set for sure! Please post a picture when your done. It's going to look better than the singe 184H for sure :)

[Richard Vyse]

Got a little lost at the end of this post Richard. The "mini skirts" didn't work? I thought they would have. Even though they would certainly be low on the in board side. If you were able to locate another high skirt then you are now set for sure! Please post a picture when your done. It's going to look better than the singe 184H for sure :)

The skirts were too short and I butchered one trying to make it work. I probably should have moved the beacon a little more to the center but as of right now I'm just waiting on the new gaskets and will try again. I did locate a NOS high skirt if I need it. Ed has been very helpful in giving me guidance as I attempt to tackle this again.

[Paul Steinberg]

Practice cutting cardboard "skirts"... Less chance of making a mistake....

[Cliff Bergum]

I'm a little surprised. I thought it would have just made it. The gaskets should have given the skirt just enough "lift" to make it work out for you.
I pre measured mine with a tape measure then marked the skirt with a dry erase marker. A pencil works tool. Then used a dremel/rotary tool for the cutting. Remember to take the bulb holder and motor off the skirt it's much easier to deal with while your cutting! Keep us posted man!

[Steve Loftin]

I just set the 184's up the roof after removing the middle one to see how they look. I like it!. Still need to add the siren speakers after I locate angled mounts.


In case you're interested in period accuracy: Have you noticed that the two speakers in this photo are mismatched? The speaker on the left (second generation CP-25, started to appear in early 1972) is correct for your car.

[Kevin Lynch]

A long time ago I bought a pair of 184's pre-cut for a Lifeliner or Criterion, knowing that I'd have one some day. They are cut very nice. On my criterion, (back in '98) I did get a pair of 184s, but with the wrong base (all I could find); they had the siren speaker holes in them- forgive me....but I asked a body shop teacher how to cut them. He had me get some poster board and wrap it around the light to get the circumference. Tape it up so it won't move. Take it off the 184 and experiment with it (cutting a little at a time) until you get a good cut. At one point (outside) the skirt will be full length...but tapered the rest of the way around. If you screw up, start again. We took the "template" and traced it on the skirt with a sharpie and cut it slowly with tin snips. If the lights have no Federal ID (or any other tags), you can use the template on both. But if there is definately a front to each, then untape the template, turn it inside out and tape it together again. If you can understand all this you're very smart or lucky. I hope someone can give you an easier to understand solution!!!
Good luck
Kev

[Richard Vyse]

A long time ago I bought a pair of 184's pre-cut for a Lifeliner or Criterion, knowing that I'd have one some day. They are cut very nice. On my criterion, (back in '98) I did get a pair of 184s, but with the wrong base (all I could find); they had the siren speaker holes in them- forgive me....but I asked a body shop teacher how to cut them. He had me get some poster board and wrap it around the light to get the circumference. Tape it up so it won't move. Take it off the 184 and experiment with it (cutting a little at a time) until you get a good cut. At one point (outside) the skirt will be full length...but tapered the rest of the way around. If you screw up, start again. We took the "template" and traced it on the skirt with a sharpie and cut it slowly with tin snips. If the lights have no Federal ID (or any other tags), you can use the template on both. But if there is definately a front to each, then untape the template, turn it inside out and tape it together again. If you can understand all this you're very smart or lucky. I hope someone can give you an easier to understand solution!!!
Good luck
Kev

I know. What I did was like a lot of things in my life, "I did it too fast". God I hear that from Terri all the time. I'm thinking I'll get another skirt, bring them to Albany, and talk Ed into trimming it for me. Ed, up for a challenge?

[John ED Renstrom]

as you discovered trimming them is no problem. trimming them in the right place is. the way it was explained to me they did it in the MM plant was, they had a teem that only trimmed skirts. they went from car to car after the lights were mounted and trimmed the skirts on each car with a pare of snips. one strong set of hands to cut that brass with snips. or one vary good set of snips. tags go to the front or to the rear depending on were the light is mounted. each side is cut to the car as both sides of the car roof are different. the gasket is used to hid any whoops and keep things from squeaking. when your starting out with new stuff and the lights are set at the same heigth marking them would be a slam dunk. that and being able to walk over and get a different one if you messed up.but you get them mounted I'll trim them for you in Albany. or we'll come down do them and get to visit with Bill

[Scott Crittenden]

As Ed described I used threaded rod longer that what was needed when finished. I leveled the light with the skirt touching the high side of the roof. I attached a sharpie to a piece of wood just tall enough to make up the space between the low part of the roof and the bottom of the skirt. ran that around the outside of the skirt to mark where to trim. I tried using tin snips like in the Federal instructions and it was a PITA. I ended up using a small cut off wheel on a Dremel tool. Once trimmed, installed gaskets, wired up motors, bolted in place and cut off excess threaded rod, installed lamp holder and lamps, clamp down dome and there you are!

I had two 184-H's hanging around but some funeral director in Michigan got me to part with them