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Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2010 4:27 pm
by 500 AT fan
San Dimas's gas powered Thunderbolt is gone now? That's a shame.
Wherever possible, we really need to start preserving more of these rare sirens.
Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2010 7:28 pm
by Archon
jerrylovessirens wrote:Archon wrote:wonder If it came off of the Grede foundry building
Im curious to as why you guess that Joe? The building Josephhad torn down was almost 6-7 year ago, when was the Grede foundry demolished?
The Grede Foundry Building was across the street for AB/Rockwell and was torn down about 6 years ago
Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2010 8:18 pm
by Captain Dynamite
jerrylovessirens wrote:Captain Dynamite wrote:My goodness a actual Petrol powered Mobil Directo
. This is a very unique siren to see. If it does get restored, it looks like it would need is a new projector made to go ontop the cover around the rotor and the stator and covers for the box above the motor, unless it still has them.
Nope, it was missing when he removed it. It seems like it happens to ALOT of the Mobil Directos. I can see why, as, the base of the output elbow is not reinforced to take the strain of the bolts that fasten the assembly onto the "sound donut". Especially after aging and being in the elements, all the bolt holes on the rear half of the elbow have pulled right off.
Joseph and I figure we could either A: Have a metal fabricator make a new projector horn; or B: Buy a fibreglass Allertor projector off of WSS or another source.
Jerry, if you and Joseph are able to get this Mobil Directo operational again, I think that getting a metal fabricator to make a all metal projector would be the best. Also, I think this Mobil Directo may have had a metal projector on the sound donut back when it was new.
Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2010 9:58 pm
by jerrylovessirens
Captain Dynamite wrote:
Jerry, if you and Joseph are able to get this Mobil Directo operational again, I think that getting a metal fabricator to make a all metal projector would be the best. Also, I think this Mobil Directo may have had a metal projector on the sound donut back when it was new.
The whole consept of us maybe using a Allertor projector is that they would be relatively easy and inexpensive to obtain, versus getting a whole new elbow and projector made up.
But this is all on the back burner. Like I mentioned before, we both want to get it running before fretting over frivolities like dents and paint.
If we could have gotten spark out of 'er yesterday, Im putting my money on that it would have fired right up with a bit of ether
Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 2:34 am
by EL1998P71
WSS has a few and Werden has at least one allertor fiberglass part.
Bottom right side of photo
Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 10:28 am
by weasel2htm
Would an Allertor horn work?, I thought I heard one time that Allertors were scaled down in size from Mobil Directo sirens.
MObil Directo
Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 1:01 pm
by countypoletop
Great find! A whole lot of elbow work , a couple turns of a wrench and a little paint and this oldie will look like new. Gotta be at the right place at the right time to get one of these
Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 4:08 pm
by Jim Z
AFAIK that Wisconsin engine is still made, so parts should still be out there.
http://www.wisconsinmotors.com/modwm.html
Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 9:19 pm
by jerrylovessirens
Mini-Update
Joseph took the distributor to the vintage auto electric rebuilders in Milwaukee. Since it is a standard Autolight automotive distributor, it can still be rebuilt, and tune up parts are still availible. I hope to call him up tonight or tommrow to see if there is another update from him on where that is heading
He also got new spark plugs for it, I was able to cross reference the vintage Champions to several newer numbers. These plugs are big honkers, with a 18mm thread, and 1 1/8" hex head!
Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 9:29 pm
by 500 AT fan
weasel2htm wrote:Would an Allertor horn work?, I thought I heard one time that Allertors were scaled down in size from Mobil Directo sirens.
Actually, the later Allertor horn was enlarged from the Mobil Directo pattern horn. It'd still fit on a Mobil Directo.