Hill Street Blues Pilot TV Show Chicago POLICE VTG Beacon Ray Emergency Light For Sale

Great for emergency vehicle restorations and antique vehicle parades, 1970s-80s police, fire or ambulance restorations where an \"Old School\" rotating warning BLUE beacon light was required for the emergency vehicle. The light seems to have been set aside for the pilot program of \"Hill Street Blues\" for use on the show\'s patrol cars that were painted very similarly to Chicago\'s patrol cars. The BLUE emergency light looked basically identical to emergency lights used on the earlier Chicago patrol cars, (except the T.V. prop light rotated 4 sealed beams instead of the traditional 2 sealed beams) and will be a perfect fit for the restoration of a vintage ambulance, fire or police vehicle, especially a vintage Chicago Police patrol car.

Hill Street Blues: This is the story of an overworked, under-staffed and under fundedpolice precinct in an \"anonymous inner city\" -- patterned after Chicago in the early 1980\'s. They followedthe lives of many characters, from the lowly beat and traffic cops to thecaptain of the precinct. The pilotscript said the show took place in an \"unnamed Midwestern city\". Throughout the show\'s award winning seven-year run, theexact name of the city was never mentioned, although there were visual hints as to itslocation, especially the markings on the patrol cars. The opening credit sequencewas actually shot in Chicago, at least the first episode (possibly as many as the firstthree) was shot on-location in Chicago.

The exterior shots of the Hill Street station were those ofan actual Chicago police station, now no longer used by the city. The titlerefers to the \"Hill Street Blues\" which uses the name of the precinct, Hill Street and most likely a reference to the police uniforms, as well as the blue on the patrol cars. A light blue uniform shirt was the most common color for uniforms worn by many policeofficers, who were most likely referred to as \"blue shirts\". In addition to the squad car\'s blue markings, BLUE revolvingemergency lights were being used on large metropolitan police department\'s patrol cars, especially in Chicago. The Chicago police superintendent, O.W. Wilson, hired by Mayor Daley to clean up the police department, changed the emergency lights from red to blue. The move to the color blue was to further try and change the image of the police department and to coordinate with the new color of the police uniforms and cars. The new colored emergency lights were referred to as the flashing \"blue gumball.\"

The show\'s METRO POLICE cars looked to be painted like those white and blue patrol cars used by the CHICAGO POLICE. It was possible the original emergency lights for the top of the T.V. show\'s METRO POLICE carswas to be the old style BLUE revolving \"gum ball\" lights identical to the lights originallyused by the Chicago Police before the use of lightbars.These early style BLUE revolving emergency lights were the widely used Beacon Ray style revolving lights, mounted in the center of the roof. It was surmised that later in the developmentof the show, a decision was made to use the newer style lightbars and changethe color of the lights from BLUE to RED, possibly to further distinguish that the show was not about the Chicago Police Department -- but an \"unnamedmidwestern city\".

This vintage Beacon Ray Model 176 BLUE light was possibly one of the last vintage lightsthat was originally set aside for the T.V. pilot to give the show more of an under-funded, struggling police department image, by still re-using vintage police emergency lighting equipment on the cars. The producer’s decisions on squad car\'s emergency lighting are lostin history, but the vintage BLUE Beacon Ray Model 176 emergency light has been found, with \"Hill Street Blue\" markings on the storage box. It is unknown if such vintage beacon lights were ever used on the show, all of the surviving METRO POLICE patrol car photos show some model of a RED lightbar.

It was found in an old garage that may have done old municipal vehicle repair and later may have also done vintage vehicle restorations or movie cars. It was wrapped in plastic, in an oldbox labeled:

“Hold for Hill Street Blues patrol car restoration or T.V. show --new lens and base”

PLEASE READ AND VIEWPICTURES: Pictures are a significant part of the description. View all of them before deciding to offer. These items are sold onlyfor collection or use in restoring antique, classic emergency apparatus and thebuyer is solely responsible using these items in full compliance with allfederal, state, and local laws and ordinances. We are not responsible for any legal issues that arecaused by improper usage of these products. Please verify that these items arelegal within your state before placing offer.

VINTAGE/ANTIQUE WARNING LIGHT is VERY CLEANLOOKING and WORKS GREAT: 12VDC. The rotating antique beacon is fully operational. It is basically identical to the light used on the vintage Chicago patrol cars and should fit perfectly also on a vintage Ambulance, Fire Engine or Police restored vehicle. It revolves in a full circle, fast, smooth and all the sealed beam lamps work. The light is approximately 11 inches high with a FULL HEIGHT, UNCUT polished chrome plated brass base skirt. It is marked as new, but we are selling it as USED. The lens looks to be new factory original heavy plastic BLUE plastic F1 lens from the 1960-80\'s. On the box the lens was also marked as NEW, but we are marking everything as USED. The lens looks new, is very clear BLUE with some very minor scratches, but no cracks or breaks -- see pictures. Again, the chrome plated brass base was also marked as new, but we are selling as USED and has very minor scratches. The 4 sealed beam bulbs are very bright. The lens gasket is in excellent shape. There is some slight weathering, scratches, blemishes on the base skirt, and minimal tarnish on the light\'s internal unit (as expected for a light of this age)--see pictures. It is unknown if the light was ever used in the 1980\'s T.V. show, but it is visually identical to the Beacon Ray model police light that was actually was used on the Chicago patrol cars, but with 4 rotating bulbs not the standard earlier 2 bulb version.

This item came from an estate, garage sale. I have no exact idea of theage of the light. The item is tested and working. I am not an expert in these items. I have no actual information if it has beenmodified or if parts are missing. Thepictures are of the exact item so as to provide detail and condition. No other parts are included. Pictures are part of the description, thepurchaser must decide if it is applicable to their use. The description above just repeats what was written on the old storage box. No motor vehicles or other lights are part of this offer, if shown, they are only shown to provide usage or installation-placement information. Only the light described above is available in this offer.

PAYPAL ONLY:Payment must be received in 3 days (a non-paying buyer case has been set to automatically be opened by ) and the item may be relisted. Immediate Payment Required under the Buy It Now option

SALES TAX:Arizona 8.7%

sale: All sales are final. We make no warranty as to exact replication, original correctnessor fitness for use. This merchandise maynot be returned for refund or credit. Aswith all electrical equipment it is sold AS-IS with no guarantees. No warranty expressed or implied, all sales final. (Light is out also for local sale)

SHIPPING:

announced the United States Postal Service (USPS) increases on shipping costs. The shipping calculator and labels rates were also increased automatically.

Extra care has been taken in packaging to protect the HEAVY vintage light in shipping which may increase cost:

Using Shipper, which Includes Insurance, and Signature Upon Delivery Required

New Shipping Materials, DoubleBoxed to properly protect merchandise. (An oversized outside box was necessary to protect the light)

ContinentalUnited States only,

Local Pick-up is not possible

The unit worked completelywhen packaged, however the old bulb filaments, wiring and contacts, etc. aresusceptible to vibration during shipping.Shipping damage is the responsibility of the carrier. Report any damage to the carrier immediately.

We are not responsible for a wrong address or a non-deliverableaddress that is provided by buyer. We use shipping, please verify the address on your account before placing order. If reshipping fees are incurred the additionalcharges are the buyer’s responsibility.

IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT OF ADAMAGED SHIPMENT: Great care has been taken in packaging. If an item should arrive to the winningbuyer\'s address broken, an insurance claim will be facilitated if the followingprovisions are met: Save everything, pictures taken of the damaged item\'s boxas well as the item itself so that the carrier knows what condition the item isin. Once you have taken the pictures, please report the damage as soon aspossible to the carrier (Online: Go to usps/help⁄claims for information on USPSdomestic insurance) and copy us. Only then can steps be taken to quickly andefficiently by you to resolve the issue.We will assist when possible, but all claim actions are the buyer\'sresponsibility.

100% POSITIVEresponse: So offer withconfidence. Please contact me if thereis a problem before leaving any response!

QUESTIONS: Pleaseask any questions you want, before offer closing! Please contact me if there are any problems before leaving response. Thank you

ATTENTION :This is a VINTAGE/ANTIQUE WARNING DEVICE that was manufactured in the1950s/60s and is no longer available. IT IS SOLD AS A COLLECTORITEM. THIS ITEM IN NO FASHION RESEMBLESOR REFLECTS ANY CURRENT WARNING DEVICE IN USE TODAY. THEREFORE, IT DOES AofferE with the ANTIQUE/COLLECTIBLE EXCEPTION FOR WARNING DEVICES. See the rules here, click on\"Emergency Vehicles. lighting and sirens\" down the page for class=\"MsoNormal\">