Aurora Borealis

[John Dorgan - Deceased - 1938 - 2012]

I'm surprised that no one has commented on the Aurora Borealis on ebay. We all know how rare these are and when an acquaintance told me about it, I looked it up. (Just do a search under MARS light). On looking more closely, I discovered that it was a very late model 9000 series with only four bulbs rather than five. There are several differences between this bar and what is truly considered an Aurora. The one on ebay is really an AUrora System. It has the injection molded lens rather than the vacu-formed lens as the original. The most obvious difference is the center light which appears to be a back to back rotator. The original had two forward facing red bulbs that slid from side to side while wigwagging slightly. The rear light just wigwagged about 30 degrees. Check it very carefully before bidding.
John Dorgan

 

[Steve Loftin]

Here's the eBay auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Fire-truck-ligh...166?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cb55f18f6

The light assembly oscillate as on the original. The dome is a Skybolt series, which means that the inside of it is ribbed so colored vertical plastic inserts can be added. I've attached a photo (below) of the one up for auction as well as a Skybolt beacon as an example.

Here also is a video of a Mars light bar with Skybolt beacons:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBXo6q5pKUI&NR=1[/ame]

Here's a video of the original Aurora Borealis, which is the "holy grail" of collectible beacons (seconded only by Federal's #174 Super):

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JO1yWL51w6E&feature=related[/ame]

 

[Scott Crittenden]

There was a M-M ambulance at NJ on '08 with one of those late model Auroras.

 

[Paul Steinberg]

It belongs to Dan & Nedra Brintlinger.

 

[Steve Loftin]

There was a M-M ambulance at NJ on '08 with one of those late model Auroras.

Was that the white over blue '66 Volunteer with a Solar Ray over the cab? I photographed that car while it was still in Maryland a few years back.

The Brintlinger car has an original-style Aurora Borealis that came off of the ex-Western Springs, IL '71 Lifeliner.

 

[Steve Lichtman]

Steve is correct. Here are photos of both of the Aurora lights that were on ambulances at Mt. Laurel.

Top photo is of Dan Brintlinger's white/gold '70 M-M Cadillac Volunteer, and the bottom is Rob Davis' white/blue '66 M-M Cadillac Classic 48. You can see the difference. (Rob's ambulance was from Maryland originally.)

Ironically, neither ambulance was originally equipped with an Aurora.

 

[John ED Renstrom]

my favorit pictures of Dan and his light I took at Mt Laurel

 

[Chris Mooney]

From what year to what year were these made??? and from the Photos the Lens with the more rounded top is the older Vacuum formed. and the one that is more flat on top is the late mode injection molded one????

I have a few of these for my models but want to put the correct light on the correct year Ambulance

 

[Russell Dalziel]

Was that the white over blue '66 Volunteer with a Solar Ray over the cab? I photographed that car while it was still in Maryland a few years back.

The Brintlinger car has an original-style Aurora Borealis that came off of the ex-Western Springs, IL '71 Lifeliner.

That's Where My Light went to LOL


Russ

 

[Cliff Bergum]

Love them!

Thank you for all the AB picture's guys! I love all the odd looking "MARS bars". I really prefer the look of the newer rectangular AB light.. A shame they did away with all those oscillating sealed beams pictured in the older version.
I just paid a ridiculous amount of money for a Spectasystem half bar on eBay. It has two rotators with a MARS888 in the center. The dome is in nasty shape.. Thankfully I have a clear NOS one for it Whew!

 

[Jeremy D. Ledford]

my favorit pictures of Dan and his light I took at Mt Laurel

He had to do the same thing in Kingsport too!

 

[Cliff Bergum]

Is he changing a bulb or having an issue with his AB light??

 

[Rich Groeber]

Aurora Borealis light

John... I have an "original" type...fair shape... What would it take to fix it up..put the base back in shape and either a new lens of buff out the original..Rich Groeber, Lafayette, IN. (By the way what are they worth?

 

[Jeremy D. Ledford]

Is he changing a bulb or having an issue with his AB light??

I think Dan was having issues with it in that picture taken in New Jersey. I've understood that the AB lights were problematic anyways?

 

[Cliff Bergum]

Ugh, that's not good. I'm glad I purchased the Spectra system 1/2 bar then.. I think? Time will tell I suppose.

 

[Jim Vowell]

I'll have to check my basement piles...

Mars made a few different styles of the smaller bars from what I see in a catalog here at home. I will check and see what I have and add more pictures to the post here at one time I had one of every type in some shape of repair or another.

 

[Cliff Bergum]

Looking forward to it Jim! I wish I had hung onto my old MARS catalogue.. But, I just wasn't into MARS twenty years ago?

 

[Terry Lange]

This discussion brings back memories of a "Mars" lightbar that I ordered for our Supervisor/Extrication unit back in the late '70's. It looked great in the catalog, but was a disappointment in terms of performance, quality and reliability. It also had the sequential signal built into the rear of the mounting bracket, but that seldom worked properly, either.

Terry