New Beacons for my 1977 Lifeliner...

Well I finally got to work and changed out the model 14's for model 184's...what do you think?

Mark

Trimming the skirts was not a fun project
 

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I had aquired the 184's and the high skirts almost 8 years ago and thought it was time...I never like the hokey black foam pads udner the 14's ....I think I would have really liked one, 184-H dead center but the roof had the holes and the roof-scoop box would have been an issue.....

Excuse my Coroner ride in the background......
 
I noticed that you also installed your PCS grille badge today.. Looks classy... now you need to find a Cadillac Ownership badge for the other side...
 

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184-H Beacons

Mark - I agree you made the right choice by installing the 184-H's. They look great and are a better scale overall. Did you have much trouble getting the bases trimmed to level?
 
the 184 are a lot bigger light. not to be picky. but next time you get to the car. take a level with you. if you can get a 4 foot one that will set across both lights that is better. then pull the globes,lights and the skirts and leave the bases. make sure you car is level first set the level across both getting them at the same height. then each one getting it level. side to side front to rear. I think you'll find that your skirts are trimmed OK but that the lights are tipped to the out side the red one more then the yellow. the problem with the twins are that when place either side of the top box being off just a tad really shows. working off the ladder and working close is vary hard to do. for me any way and I can't read a tape to save my self. so the only way I can get them is with a bubble and two dark lines. the key is to have the base set level and locked down first. use the load floor to check the car and a jack to level it or mark the bubble were it sets in the car. square with the car is all you need. but the roof of the car can be off 1/4 inch side to side if not greater. so measuring from the roof can put you off to the eye. but they really do look a lot more impressive then the 14s which were made to set on the bar of a patrol car. trimming the skirts is not fun. the brass is really hard to cut.
 
Thanks..... I'll take your advice and they are easy enough to access that I will use a level to get them adjusted.... The MM mount hole had stripped and come lose from the roof on the amber side.....
 
About time!!!

Funny thing is that I worked on mounting my 184-H's over this weekend. Great minds run in the same direction.
 
Your 184s look great, Mark! As Ed R. said, levelling these beacons is tricky. I've had a similar issue getting the 176 on my '67 Superior combo level. I noticed one day that it was tilting forward a bit-apparently it left the factory that way as I'm almost sure it is the original light. One of the maintenance guys at work helped me trim it and we solved that issue, but I later noticed it tilts slightly to one side now :(-plus the whole thing is a bit loose! I mentioned this while talking with Jerry Jacobsen in Flint at the Micro Meet in Feb. and he said I need to cinch up the three bolts holding the base plate to the skirt. As you trim the skirt down at some point the mounting shaft protrudes too far and you have to raise it. There's ALWAYS something to change, adjust, or otherwise fiddle with on these cars!
 
Looks great, Mark!

I think those beacons are exactly what your rig needed. The other ones were too small and looked like they didn't really belong on that car.

Was also interested to see you added a Deflecta-Shield. I know a lot of people who don't care for those, but we had them on every Cadillac ambulance (and even one hearse) when I was a kid. Still have one on our '75 Lifeliner and probably always will.
 
Beacons Plus Window Graphics Now Complete

All this conversation inspired me to get the window graphics replaced now that the beacons are in place. Slowly but surely it is starting to look like more than a junker.
 

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