Recently, I ran across this site: http://www.victorysiren.com/x/index.htm Here's some info from it. I thought you may find it interesting. I know that SOME of the info has been on here before, but not quite in this format, and perhaps not this much of it - in the "Service Reference Books" section are REAL, scanned-in manuals, WITH PICTURES!!! Here's the link: http://www.victorysiren.com/x/hemi331.htm The engine used in the Cold War model Chrysler Air Raid Siren is virtually the same 331 Hemi FirePower engine used in 1951, 1952 and 1953 Chrysler cars like the Saratoga, New Yorker and Imperial. Introduced in 1951 it was Chrysler's first V-8 engine. It represented an impressive improvement in engine design that produced 180 horsepower and a then high compression ratio of 7.5. A paper presented at the 1951 SAE National P***enger Car, Body, and Materials Meeting in Detroit touted that, "The performance, efficiency, durability and general operating characteristics of this new engine are outstanding, and further improvements are ***ured by continued development and use of fuels of higher quality." This early Chrysler Hemi is easily identified by the engine block extension at the rear that housed the fluid coupling. This is true of both the early vehicle and industrial models. Hemis can be also be easily identified by the numbers stamped on top of the block in front of the valley cover. Early vehicle 331 engines started with C51-8, C52-8, and C53-8. The two digits represent the year of manufacture. Industrial engines used on Chrysler Sirens start with IND-20. The engine number on the BigRed Siren is "IND-20-4068" Photo: http://www.victorysiren.com/x/photo-pages/bigred/br-photo-40-sm.htm The heads themselves are different on pre-1955 Hemi engines. Starting in 1955 the heads feature a water outlet on the front end. The early 1951-53 heads also had round exhaust ports that would be larger and oval in later years. Early 1951-54 Hemis also have a threaded extension on the front end of the camshaft where a nut is used to retain the cam gear. When Chrysler Sirens were being retired they became a popular source of hot rod engines. According to Hot Heads, a leading supplier of aftermarket parts for early Hemis, the 331 can easily attain one horsepower per cubic inch and considerably higher torque than the factory 312 foot-pounds at 2000 RPM. Boring and blowing this engine can produce respectable performance statistics for the hot rod enthusiast. In the 1960's drag racers, like fellow Chrysler Siren owner "Big Daddy" Don Garlits, dominated the unlimited category using the large V8 Hemi engines that evolved from the 331. [ 331 Engine Photographs ] http://www.victorysiren.com/x/photo-pages/331/331-photos.htm [ More Chrysler Siren Engine Information ] http://www.victorysiren.com/x/manual481/page-engine.htm [ Chrysler Industrial Engine IND-56 Operating Manual ] http://www.victorysiren.com/x/manual56/manual.htm [ Service Reference Books ] http://www.victorysiren.com/x/SvcRefBks/svcrefbks.htm [ General Siren Specifications ] http://www.victorysiren.com/x/specs/s-cars.htm
Thats some crazy sh*t right there Chrysler just had there hands in everything did'nt they Wonder if you could stand next to that sound when it went off?
There is a restored one at the WPC museum in Michigan Here's an article on the resto http://www.uaw-chrysler.com/resources/news.cfm?NewsID=1492
A few years back, I saw someone post a video of one of these rigs they had found and was able to get started...it was loud as hell. They ran the rig without a mount, right on the garage floor..friggin nuts. I bet ya its on youtube.
Love this quote from the siren website: "The Chrysler Air Raid Siren is so powerful that it can reportedly start fires with just the sound vibrations it produces. It can turn fog into rain, clearing the sky." Reminds me of a line from the Blues Brothers movie where one of the band members states that in the old days the band had a "sound powerful enough to turn goat piss into gasoline!"
From: http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ghostbusters Dr. Egon Spengler: It would be bad. Dr. Peter Venkman: I'm a little fuzzy on the whole "good/bad" thing here. What do you mean, "bad"? Dr. Egon Spengler: Try to imagine all life as you know it stopping instantaneously and every molecule in your body exploding at the speed of light. Dr. Ray Stantz: Total protonic reversal! Dr. Peter Venkman: That's bad. Okay. All right, important safety tip. Thanks, Egon.
Well, it IS Hemi Powered! Just hearing one done up right has caused many a hot rodder to have a religious experience... one dude told me he saw God! Of course, standing too close to one will probably cause you to actually MEET God... ~Jason
HOLY ****!!!! Look at the distortion caused by the soundwaves! <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GCL4fetXQkg&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GCL4fetXQkg&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Here's Part 2! <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jrF5Nj8lXNg&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jrF5Nj8lXNg&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
These had to be a pretty expensive installation. My guess is that by the mid 60's most of these sirens were replaced, at slightly less cost, by similar blown, Top Fuel engines burning 100% nitro and fitted with special "megaphone" zoomies. This setup would make an equally frightening noise that could also be heard a couple miles away. But they soon realized that they could only be run for a minute or so before they needed a rebuild.
Apparently not; the db level is 138. The thresh hold of pain is 130. Above that hearing damage results. That test didn't demonstrate the high level siren wail. It's possible that your brain might liquefy and run out of your ears through your ruptured eardrums. PLEASE HEED THIS GENTLE REMINDER FOLKS... Your ****ty camera phones produce ****ty images. Additionally, if you are recording sound make sure you block the wind noise at the ****ing microphone because your ****ty camera phones also provide ****ty audio quality at best. Thanks.
Where I worked we rebuilt electric sirens and they were 'crazy loud' but that 'hemi' sirene would probly blow them away!
Very cool, but it has been on here before I think. Wish I had one. My town (and many others in the Midwest) still blows the siren at noon everyday, 7 days a week. I guess they think we don't have watches or something.
If anyone is currently working on one of these jewels, be aware that I have two of the radiator ***emblies and several of the gauges...remnants of machines that I dis***embled over twenty ago. send a pm if interested. .
It kind of puts those Hemi powered motor cycles, snow blowers, BBQs, and drink mixers in perspective -- they're all traditional! ;-)
They still do that in a few towns around here, too. First time I ever heard one, it was in Union Star, MO (pop 400), where they do a lunch and dinner horn. I think I literally exclaimed, "Whiskey-Tango-Foxtrot! What is THAT?!??" Thought the Commies had finally dropped the bomb! ~Jason
I LOVE the stupid grin on Garlits face when he has that thing wound up! He's loving every second of it!
read somewhere (Guiness book of records?) that there is/was a siren that was lethal @ 50' & @ point blank could bore through concrete!
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