Norman, Oklahoma Thunderbolt 1000T Unit #2 Granted Reprieve

[woodyrr]

Thunderbolt Siren Rotator Box In Place by woodyrr, on Flickr

I had a little down time yesterday so I decided to do a little work on my Thunderbolt.

I think the thing that is most frustrating about this project is that pictures are so deceiving. In this picture and in pictures of other peoples? Thunderbolts, it looks so reasonable: there is a little box attached to a little pipe which is attached to a little bit bigger box. Go out in the back yard and the reality is that each of the pieces is huge and heavy. The rotator cabinet doesn?t even have the motor or gear reducer in it yet and it is tied to that sawhorse and to the ground as if it is held there by some tremendous invisible cosmic force.

The second issue that I had yesterday was that when I screwed the standpipe into the elbow a few weeks ago, I was careful to position the holes on the flange so that the rotator cabinet would be square relative to the blower cabinet ? or so I thought. When I slid the rotator onto the top of the flange and lined up the holes, the rotator was actually 45 degrees relative to the blower. I couldn?t turn the standpipe with an 18? pipe wrench and I could only turn the assembly a fraction of a degree by tugging on the rotator cabinet itself. I wound up getting an 8? 2x4 and drilling holes in it so that I could bolt it to the bottom of the rotator where guy wires are supposed to go. Hanging on the end of the 2x4, I was able to twist the rotator cabinet square.

With the rotator square with the blower, I remembered that the Thunderbolt Service Manual was specific about where the conduit fitting on the rotator cabinet should be. Well, it wasn?t. There are two pictures in the manual and depending on whether you look at the siren on the ground like mine is or erected on the standpipe, the hole for the conduit is in a different place. The hole is where it is and I have a conduit bender so its placement isn?t critical. If the manual is going to say ?Ensure that the conduit fitting is in the position shown in figure 3 - 4?, it would be nice if I were able to do so.

The next time I have some free time, I?ll reinstall the collector rings in the chopper tube; grease everything good; put the tube into the rotator and through the big gear; and reinstall the rotator motor and gear reducer. After I have installed the horn and bracket, I have a lot of touch up painting to do before I can ratchet it up into place.

[woodyrr]

Thunderbolt Almost Ready to Erect by woodyrr, on Flickr

Well, it's trick or treat time.

I have installed the collector rings and tested the chopper; installed the rotator gear box and motor, greased the gears and tested the rotator; and finally attached the horn.

Until now, I have been happying along, but at this point I have a deadline. If I don't want to mow my own yard, I have to have it erected and out of the way before the yard crew comes for the first time next Spring. I had better get busy!

Here is a video of the rotator test.

http://youtu.be/qfzNZqDj_Nk

And a close up of the interior of the rotator.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vm7nfusylY

I am going to install a new belt before I stand it up.

[woodyrr]

Still plodding along.

I took some time today to spray a first coat of yellow on the ARCH and RCM cabinets and covers.


ARCH and RCM Cabinets by woodyrr, on Flickr


I also sprayed the underside of the rotator pipe flange that attaches to the standpipe flange. I ran out of paint, so I have to go get some more before I can do any more, The next step is to raise the siren to the point where the horn is hanging vertically, and do some touch up painting. This thing is about to eat my lunch.



Thunderbolt Paint Touch Up by woodyrr, on Flickr

[woodyrr]

I havent abandoned the Thunderbolt project.

Yesterday, I took advantage of some 65 degree weather to spray a final coat of paint on the siren. Today, I applied the stickers that I had made.

The next step is to hoist it into the vertical position and attach the utility pole, electrical disconnect, and control boxes.

If you can ignore the background, here is what the head looks like with the sticker.


Thunderbolt Air Raid Siren Head With Decal Applied by woodyrr, on Flickr


And the blower.



1973 Thunderbolt Air Raid Siren Blower With Decals Applied by woodyrr, on Flickr

[holler]

Very nice, you did a good job on the "mating worms" FS logo.

This is making me want another Thunderbolt.

[woodyrr]

Thank you.

I still don't like the "intertwined" logo as much as I like the "circle F" or "F-S", but since this specific siren came from the factory with the "intertwined" logo, I ultimately decided to bite the bullet and apply the accurate ones. If it's not anything else, this logo is unique.

I have "circle F" and "F-S" decals so I can always change them later.

[woodyrr]

I spent today raising the siren to vertical.

There is a little touch up painting to be done along the bottom edge of the horn and around the standpipe.

Next on the list is installing the short section of the utility pole that I salvaged followed by the controls and conduits. The chopper and the rotator is wired and the wires are covered to shield them from the elements until I can slide them through the conduit.


My Restored Thunderbolt Head by woodyrr, on Flickr

[woodyrr]

Thunderbolt on Pole by woodyrr, on Flickr


For all intents and purposes, my Thunderbolt restoration project is complete. It has been just at a year since I had it removed and hauled it home. I do plan to run the wiring through a conduit from the head to the controls and finish wiring the RCM, but that is not a high priority thing.

I wanted to publish a picture of it before it gets all rained on and before the birds have their way with it so I can close this thread out. I hope all of you don?t mind my sharing my experiences ? warts and all. I remember how much I appreciated the published reports of some of the Thunderbolt restoration pioneers years ago. My hope is that by telling the story, those who are restoring Thunderbolts now and those who will be restoring one later will have an easier time of a grueling task. I feel for my heirs who will have to deal with it after I have passed.

The full size photo can bee seen by clicking on the photo above which will take you to my flickr account.

This restored Thunderbolt represents a dream come true. Here it stands, and with the exception of ?intertwined? decals instead of ?F-S?, it precisely as I pictured in my mind so many years ago.

Thanks for your encouragement and help.

[holler]

Wow, I can honestly say that siren probably looks better now than it did when it came from the factory.

Let the bird pooping begin. The birds loved mine so much I called it the crapperbolt.

The closeup picture of the siren head is now my background.

[Notre.Dame1003]

That looks awesome! Love the way it's installed too. Great job on the restoration!