Anyone else a Sun Equipment junkie??

[blksheep]

I was a rep for Sun Electric years ago which probably fueled my passion for automotive service and test equipment. Now if I see an old Sun machine, I have to have it. Not only are they some great garage art, they actually are quite useful for diagnosing engine and electrical automotive problems.
So,..just wondering if anyone else has Sun test equipment in their garage??

blksheep...in Charlotte

 

[devoncoolman]

Have a sun distributor dyno. Old one too works good.

 

[theoldwizard1]

been looking for a VAT 28 orr 33 for a long time now !

 

[Provincial]

I have a #500 Distributor Tester in operating condition that I haven't used. Also a VAT 28 in rough shape that I intend to get working.

 

[Murphy4570]

I used to have a VAT 60. Sold it to a friend a while ago.

Old shop equipment like that has limited usefulness these days, and takes up a whole lot of shop space.

With that said, I wouldn't mind having an oscilloscope. Would be useful to eyeball ignition secondary voltages on older cars that use sparkplug wires.

 

[blksheep]

I have a '72 Chevelle, a '35 Pontiac coupe and have had several other street rods over the past 30 years. I can't imagine having to diagnose ignition or electrical problems without my sun equipment. Not to mention, it's garage art that makes my look real smart when I cure the stumble in your '68 Vette.

BTW,...Gary, at Ader, Inc. in Tamarac, Fl. has parts and can service your old Sun equipment, has a wealth of knowledge and a good selection of manuals as well. His web site is timinglightfix.com and his telephone # is 954-722-6849.

blksheep...in Charlotte

 

[bl00]

I have a cabinet, but no equipment. Bought it because it was cheap and looked cool. I'm still undecided if I like it better before the re-paint or after.

 

[BigAl62]

I got 2 VAT 40s when the company I used to work for shut down. I was told to toss them, so I asked if I could take them home instead. The boss said sure, just put them in your car so they're out of the way. I traded one to someone I used to work with for a bunch of stuff (I don't remember exactly what). Neither had a stand and both worked. The one I kept is stashed in my garage right now, I'm not sure what I want to do with it right now.

 

[bluebolt]

I have a cabinet, but no equipment. Bought it because it was cheap and looked cool. I'm still undecided if I like it better before the re-paint or after.

I like the repaint!

 

[e-tek]

I caught the Sun bug when I started on GJ and Built my shop. I have a scope and an EGA. Goodfellow, (who used to be a member but defected to the dark side) got me interested. He restores them and has a wealth of knowledge on them. You likely know that if you Google http://bambam.gmu.edu/sun/ you get to another top restorer.

 

[Outlawmws]

If I had the space I sure would...

 

[Tunger]

I really want a vat 28 or a 40. Would also like a gas analyzer and scope someday. I am a bit nostalgic about the good old sun machines, and for that matter the snap on mt2500 and otc monitor 4000 scan tools.

Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk 2

 

[bobcatdan]

I have an alternator test stand with a vat 33. I bought it because I saw an actual use for it.

 

[redwrench60]

A Sun VAT-40 is one of the best charging system/battery testers ever made. If I ever find one cheap it'll be mine.

 

[senlow]

I don't have any big test equipment. But, I do have a Sun UTC Compression Tester. I also have a BC-360 Battery Charger. I've had it for about 25 years.

 

[black gold man]

Hi everybody bill from detroit i have sun vat 40 with stand needs work on volt meter, pointer is gone and the mount for volt meter is cracked the rest is all there and very good cond. cheap will ship. see post in classified forsale
bill

 

[Outlawmws]

Hi everybody bill from detroit i have sun vat 40 with stand needs work on volt meter, pointer is gone and the mount for volt meter is cracked the rest is all there and very good cond. cheap will ship.
bill

Posts like this need to go in the "for sale" forum...

 

[newchris]

my mechanic owned a shop in armonk, ny back in the day hes got two sun machines he wants to get rid, hes got so much old stuff i think its really neat to see

 

[Higgins]

Use to use Sun all the time back in the 60's

Would love to find some Sun stuff to work on my 60's and 70's cars. But haven't found anything useable in yrs of looking..

AL

 

[Hpozzuoli]

When my dad and grandfather closed down our Sunoco station(formally Arco) most of the sun stuff was sold. I did manage to hold on to this kit. It's called the tune up testing kit. This is brand new and untouched. I miss that garage.

 

[Tic Terd]

I have three of them I want to sell one without the oscilloscope and two of them with oscilloscope I am in Milan, Indiana and if you come out here I will give you a good deal on all three they are big bring a trailer they are each about the size of a refrigerator slightly shorter email me at [email protected] if you are interested and want pictures or anything

 

[Tic Terd]

I have three of them in my garage I have been looking to sell they are big about the the size of a refrigerator slightly shorter two have oscilloscopes the other does not mostly complete may work I don't know need cleaned up the are old probably 1960-1970 I am in Milan, Indiana near Cincinnati area email me at [email protected] if you are interested and want pictures or anything

 

[martin666]

Nowhere as cool as the ' real ' test equipment posted, but I've had this set forever and still use it. ( drive a 78 caddy ) works great.

 

[NYBODYMAN]

Not Sun but still cool nonetheless.

 

[redmondjp]

I was in high school auto shop in the early 1980s when they bought a $26K Sun diagnostic center (the big daddy - 6' x 6' x 2') with the huge swing arm that held all of the wiring and hoses to connect to the vehicle. It was great for doing cylinder balance testing, secondary ignition kV plots, and if you wanted, engine vacuum, and volts/amps (it all depended upon how many sensors you wanted to connect).

But the thing was huge! Even if I had the space, I don't know that I would even use one. Now I use a hand-held kV tester that I can clip on each plug wire, and with most modern cars being coil-on-plug, even this tester is useless.

I do like their old distributor machines - those are really cool looking. The only place I can see having one to use is in a shop that works on vintage cars.

 

[Banjorear]

I had one of those old dizzy machines. I love the red arrow strobes that would light up to tell you the timing.

 

[NYBODYMAN]

Here's a VAT 40.

http://hudsonvalley.craigslist.org/tls/5344291772.html

 

[big56M]

I was a Sun technician in the 60s. I have 2 Tune-Up Testers, 1 Digital Motor Tester and a VAT 40. I left Sun earlier than any of the testers I have were built. I worked on everything from the 1940s Engine Tester thru the 1020. Haven't used any in a while, but one of the testers made quick work of finding a bad plug wire on my '56 Mercury. That raster setting on the scope is great. I got to visit the factory in Chicago in about 1967 - Harlem & Avondale. Almost forgot, the one I use the most is a BC-36 battery charger, probably from the 40s. I put new cables and power cord on it a couple years ago and still use it frequently.

 

[big56M]

Ooooo ... Sun's cyclopes arch-enemy ALLEN! Run for your lives!

 

[evintho]

Saw this sitting outside a thrift shop in the tiny town of Weaverville, CA. Thing is the store was closed and this was sitting on a table outside. A more unscrupulous person could've tossed it in their trunk and drove off. I'd be lying if I said it didn't cross my mind however, it only crossed my mind then shot out the side of my head. Sure is a cool piece!

 

[930dreamer]

Here's a SUN 1120 on the Abq CL for $400.

http://albuquerque.craigslist.org/pts/5337846325.html

 

[don long]

I have a few sun testers and a large one too.
They help decorate the inside of my Texaco gas station

I got wind of a warehouse full of stuff that that rents out to the movie studios and wanted to reduce their inventory.
There were about 50 different Sun units old and newer.
I settled on these 3 pieces $25.00 each

 

[engineer2]

I've got a Sun 400 distributor test that is a future restoration project.
I knew a few people with worked for Sun. Many went to Bear in the 80's.
When Sun moved from Chicago to Crystal Lake IL, they lost half of their people.

 

[don long]

Here are some closeup shots

Master engine tester

Volt ampere tester Vat 20

Older Volt-ampere tester

 

[RAMAIR]

I have some new in the unopened plastic bag SUN HEI test head for Sun engine analyzers $15.00 [email protected]

 

[SILVERPLATE]

I rarely have any luck at estate sales however today I think I did ok. I picked up a vintage Sun Engine Tester at what I thought was a very reasonable price in the back country of Granbury, Texas. It has the manuals, timing light, exhaust analyzer and lots of cables. Plugged it in and the dials move, gauges light and the engine analyzer screen lights up. Not sure I will keep it or see what I can make from it, but still a cool piece.

 

[Outlawmws]

If you have the space, and the Vintage car(s) I'd keep it...

 

[mr57]

I have two old Super Tachs. Does that count?

 

[MBfreak]

I bought the big one in non working condition. Two screens, one for ignition the other for presenting numerical info, with a big arm swinging out, a strobe the size of a small bazooka, two gas analyzer, the works. DC clamp amp , all the goodies, cylinder switch off for compression comparison.
I believe on of the designers of the gas analyzer ( from Beckman) has been visible on GJ!! " I was the go-to guy....."
Restored it, even managed to get hold of the special wavelength optic sensors. Got all of it working and very nicely.
A friend with a one man shop used it for a year and then found it to take up more space than he could stomach.
I tried to sell it, cheap, even give it away or sell parts. No interest. Scrapped it, crying. It was almost like putting down a much beloved , but terminally ill, dog.
Ola

 

[RentedDreams]

SILVERPLATE have you decide on what you're going to do with that vintage Sun Engine Tester? I've always wanted one but didn't have the space, but I've moved to a new place and now have a lot more room.


thanks
Ron

RentedDreams @t hotmail dot com