Never Seen One Like This Before

I've had/worked on lots of combination coaches with removeable Beacons, and I've never seen one set up like this....until now. The 1964 Superior that we own needed to have the Beacon skirt replaced. The one on it is mounted in the center but cut for a left light on a 2 beacon car. As a result, it sets a little crooked. No problem, ordered a new light from Doug Kelley.

I finally had a chance to get at it to change out the skirts. What I found was something like never before. There was the usual Superior small stud with a wing nut on it. Next to it was the "hot" wire for the beacon mounted to a small bolt (insulated on top and bottom) running through the roof to a small stud on the roof behind the mounting bolt hole. The Beacon has the "hot" wire running to a small copper "contact" plate on the mounting bracket. It doesn't seem lioke a very good system, and will be replaced soon.

Here are 2 photos showing what I'm talking about. I've got an underside view photo that for whatever reason ju7st won't load in this post.
 

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That's not a Federal "D" mounting; it appears to be a standard (permanent mount) beacon converted to demountable. The Federal mounting would have the power wire(s*) running through the bolt itself.

*Federal #175 and #176 beacons came with two hot wires, which allowed the operator to use just two or all four lamps.
 
That's not a Federal "D" mounting; it appears to be a standard (permanent mount) beacon converted to demountable. The Federal mounting would have the power wire(s*) running through the bolt itself.

*Federal #175 and #176 beacons came with two hot wires, which allowed the operator to use just two or all four lamps.

Hey Steve, what possible reason would the operator only want to use 2 out of 4 lamps? To run in Beacon Lite mode or something?

Abe
 
That's not a Federal "D" mounting; it appears to be a standard (permanent mount) beacon converted to demountable. The Federal mounting would have the power wire(s*) running through the bolt itself.

*Federal #175 and #176 beacons came with two hot wires, which allowed the operator to use just two or all four lamps.

Steve, I'm aware that it's not a standard FEDERAL "D" mounting bracket, but I've seen them before on several Superior coaches. Fact is I just recently (before we purchased the coach) threw out a couple of them. They are a very "chintzy" set up as compared to the standard Federal one. Just never with this particular wiring set up.
 
Hey Steve, what possible reason would the operator only want to use 2 out of 4 lamps? To run in Beacon Lite mode or something?

Abe
I understand some folks were concerned about possibly blinding drivers with white lights while stationery on scene. A portion of an NC statute.outlaws rear-facing white light, except for backup lights. Unaware of it being enforced.
 
the reason for killing the whites was when you driving fast in inclement weather the white lights reflect back enough to blind you. so you shut them off. makes perfect sense to me. rain is bad enough but snow your in trouble with.

Russ some one has made up the mount, nice job also of doing it to. the contact was to be easer then messing with the wire. they did do some of the full value lights the same way. if it works Ok I would not bother to change it just put a dab of electric grease on the contact after you polish it up to keep the corrosion down. it's been working this long most likely wear you out. swap skirts put the other light back together. you want that 3 bulb light up there swap the top plate and you got three. add a strip of rubber on the ends will keep that rust off the roof.
 
My 1982 Superior combo has a two contact button system for the 175. All the detachable beacons I've seen that were on Superiors had a small diameter (1/4") mounting stud. It seemed to be impractical to try to put a wire down the center of it because of its size. This meant running a wire, or wires, through holes drilled next to the stud, or installing contact buttons. I have seen both.
 
the reason for killing the whites was when you driving fast in inclement weather the white lights reflect back enough to blind you. so you shut them off. makes perfect sense to me. rain is bad enough but snow your in trouble with.

Russ some one has made up the mount, nice job also of doing it to. the contact was to be easer then messing with the wire. they did do some of the full value lights the same way. if it works Ok I would not bother to change it just put a dab of electric grease on the contact after you polish it up to keep the corrosion down. it's been working this long most likely wear you out. swap skirts put the other light back together. you want that 3 bulb light up there swap the top plate and you got three. add a strip of rubber on the ends will keep that rust off the roof.

This one makes at least 3 of them that I've had in my possession over the years. As previously stated, we just threw 2 away when we did some "spring cleaning" earlier this year. They've all been related to Superior coaches. I think Superior manufactured them, instead of buying them from Federal.

This is the only one I've seen with this wiring set up. All the Superiors I've seen before always had 2 holes. One for the bolt, another one for the wire to drop through. Newer cars always had 3 holes, the bolt, and 2 wire holes for the aforementioned 175/176 beacons.

Anybody with a newer Superior combination care to confirm this (the 3 hole setup).
 
superior did a lot of that kind of thing that's the way they under sold everyone else. come to think of it the light for the 58 eureka has a similar mount but in it the wire goes down the post. just to compare here is a bottom plate on a federal. all they did was use the same plate as the top for there D. the cup on off the 17 type is just reversed so it flat on the bottom.
 

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