Walkaround of Chrysler Victory Siren in La Canada Flintridge

[KFD]

What's up boys and girls. This is my first post here, I am more a vintage Chrysler guy, and a nut for Cold-War era stuff. In any case, here is my video taken last weekend of the siren at the Cerro Negro lookout in La Canada Flintridge. I have some pictures of I as well I will post up. I also went to find the West Hollywood Chrysler siren today, and I found out it was only recently taken down- Google Earth still shows the siren across from the sheriff's station! I try to get over to the West Hollywood City Hall to see if it is still at their city yard. I have also been pestering LA County for who exactly owns the siren sitting on top of Sugar Loaf mountain.

Alright, I am failing at embedding this video, so in the meantime, follow the link!
http://youtu.be/ML9dclkKa94
Later!
KFD

[Jared H]

Welcome to the board!

[thewoog34]

You seem very knowledgeable of these things. If you can successfully get up there (I doubt it. It's really sad how that thing has just been forgotten about) that'd be a first for this community.

[OhioSirenHunter]

Welcome to the board. Does Hollywood/Los Angeles have any more Chryslers left? From wht I read, LA now only has their remaining SD-10's and 500T's.

[SoundOff]

There's still the one at the tank farm in Compton about two blocks south of the 91 freeway on Wilmington Ave. An incomplete unit (no engine) is on top of the former Firestone tire and rubber plant in South Gate.

If you pay a visit to the American Military Museum on Rosemead Blvd just north of the 60 freeway in South El Monte, there is one owned by a museum volunteer named Danny French. I recorded that one back in 2009 when he first got it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGkWr4W35GY

I believe he mentioned that found this siren in Montclair and we think that it may had been located on top of the old FOX theater in Pomona. He also told me that he tried to acquire the one in Compton before settling on this one.

[SirenMadness]

Welcome aboard! Never knew Am. Blower cooperated with Chrysler outside the Victory siren.

[KFD]

Thanks for the warm welcome, fellas!

Welcome aboard! Never knew Am. Blower cooperated with Chrysler outside the Victory siren.

I honestly didn't know that until I googled AmBlower, myself. Knowing how Chrysler operated is businesses back then, it makes perfect sense as to how they got into the siren business when Ford and GM didn't. Like I mentioned in the video, American Blower worked with Chrysler with their Hydra-Drive system, it was a rudimentary automatic transmission, albeit with a clutch, but it had a torque-converter, with a rotor and stator, something I have heard you guys mention once or twice before on here. It's the same concept, just fluid instead of air. American Blower also worked with Daimler around that same time, Magic-8 ball is guessing the British Outfit, considering those Dimes had mini-hemis when municipalities were buying these sirens new.
So American Blower was ahead of the curve in 1946 when the first sirens came out, they already prefected that rotor drive! These things had the clutch/torque converter drive that actuated the siren itself, which had a bigger version of the rotor/stator. I gotta see if Danny has .PDFs of tech manuals on that clutch-drive system. All the Mopar Slushboxes I played with had two pedals...

You seem very knowledgeable of these things. If you can successfully get up there, that'd be a first for this community.

While I don't advocate breaking and entering, let's just say a swarm of bees chased me off the platform! Before the bees chased me off, I did see a plug wire going to the #1 Cylinder!!!

I had the luck of running into a La Ca?ada Flintridge maintenance dude up there who would "look the other way" if I really wanted to check it out. It helps to show up in your uniform! I am awaiting phone calls back from the Sheriff's office, and the LA County emergency communication and asset office!

Alright, instead of starting a new thread...

This was from my first visit, I climbed the fence to get this one...


Keep in mind, the #7 plug is on the opposite side...


This was taken the same day I shot the video, and right before the honeybees chased me away...


Yep, I wasn't lying! I am inside the fence, and I didn't climb it! Are you really going to bother that dude in digital-print camoflauge? Only if you want a history lesson!


Alright boys and girls, stay tuned. I am going to harass LA County until I get an answer I want (The folks at La Ca?ada Flintridge City Hall know me as "that Seabee guy that wants the siren!"). If I have the bike back together on Friday, I will venture to West Hollywood's City Hall to find that other Chrysler in storage!

[KFD]

Mr. Doke,

As we discussed over the phone, I will be looking into the ownership of the air raid siren in question. I anticipate it may take a week or two to actually find the person who can make a determination about its disposition. I will be in contact as soon I have some information.
Mark Glatt, Lieutenant
Communications and Fleet Management Bureau

Fingers are crossed!!!!

[thewoog34]

Big Mike Socal has been trying for this too and he hasn't gotten any answers, so you will definitely need some extra fingers to cross.

[KFD]

Big Mike Socal has been trying for this too and he hasn't gotten any answers, so you will definitely need some extra fingers to cross.

I saw that he had issues, went to council meetings and submitted proposals to LCF and Glendale to restore the siren, got red-taped and shot down. I know what I am up against. If I can handle Taliban, I can handle paper-pushing breaucrats. I am up for a challenge...