Vintage Sun Testing Equipment

[APEowner]

King tried about 10 years ago. I think they were in production for only a few years.
https://horsepowersports.com/distributor-test-machines-are-once-again-extinct/

I never used one but I remember the King machines.

I think that if I were to build one it would be capable of doing some diagnostiics. That would increase it's usefulness and make it more desirable for those looking for a tool rather than really cool and somewhat useful garage art.

 

[Stillgottimefor1]

Ford diagnosis test set.. Found this one out on a ranch in the weather. Also a picture of a nice one off the web. Anybody know anything about it? I may be able to get it just for the cabinet. The rest is almost certainly destroyed.


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[NYBODYMAN]

That thing is sweet!! I'd take it for the garage in a minute.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

This push-around model has been floating around my flea market for a few weeks and I keep forgetting to post the pics in case any of the resident Sun guys are interested.

 

[isb cornbinder]

In the last two decades I have be gifted 10 or more of these machines. I have managed to find homes for each one of them. They have no value and most often do not work on any engines after about 1959.
Last week I was gifted an ALLEN SYNCHRORAPH distributor machine. I found a home for it in 5 days. The person who I gave the Synchrograph to is an old time Ford Mechanic. He specializes in all Ford Flathead engines, babbit bearings cylinder boring and sleeving, and block and head milling.

The red Allen is the most recent. The green Allen is from a decade ago.
I hope no one pays anything for these machines. They are novelity only and only worth scrap.

 

[txvwnut]

In the last two decades I have be gifted 10 or more of these machines. I have managed to find homes for each one of them. They have no value and most often do not work on any engines after about 1959.
Last week I was gifted an ALLEN SYNCHRORAPH distributor machine. I found a home for it in 5 days. The person who I gave the Synchrograph to is an old time Ford Mechanic. He specializes in all Ford Flathead engines, babbit bearings cylinder boring and sleeving, and block and head milling.

The red Allen is the most recent. The green Allen is from a decade ago.
I hope no one pays anything for these machines. They are novelity only and only worth scrap.

I use mine regularly and it is quite a good machine.

 

[threeputt]

I use mine regularly and it is quite a good machine.

I totally agree.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Old Sun battery, ignition, tach, dwell, etc stuff has a rabid, cult-like following. There are 6 pages here on this GJ thread alone with a dozen guys as testimonial to its use and collectible value. I thought he was kidding.

 

[Alienbaby17]

Old Sun battery, ignition, tach, dwell, etc stuff has a rabid, cult-like following. There are 6 pages here on this GJ thread alone with a dozen guys as testimonial to its use and collectible value. I thought he was kidding.

While I’m not certain, I don’t believe he is kidding.

Coming from 25 years in automotive, I find his last sentence fairly accurate- at least among modern auto repair shops.

When I started it wasn’t uncommon for shops to still have some of this type of equipment tucked into an old corner of the shop gathering dust. As modern computerized technology became readily available and affordable most shops couldn’t get rid of this type of stuff fast enough, at a minimum at least to free up floor space. It wasn’t uncommon to see people trying to just give this stuff away and often I think it just got scrapped. As a vintage automotive guy I often snagged some or at least tried to re-home it with someone that I knew had a use for it. I think for most people the rarity of use it would see doesn’t justify the amount of room it takes up in a home shop. From that perspective it is mostly novelty or scrap.

 

[Alienbaby17]

Despite everything I said in the post above, I still had to to drag this home and find a space for it in my garage. The stuff is just too cool.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Some guys do use it, though, on older cars. Just for the fun of it, extending the period correctness of their ride to their tools and kits. If that's what you mean by novelty (more like luxury), then we're in agreement. That it has a collectible value beyond the utilitarian is not a matter of debate. Guys do sell it and buy it just because it's vintage. Just for eye candy. Maybe not in cornbinder's part of the world or in his experience. But it is obviously being bought and sold. Therefore, not scrap, by definition. Again, you don't need to go more than 5 posts on page 1 to see that.

 

[Alienbaby17]

Some guys do use it, though, on older cars. Just for the fun of it, extending the period correctness of their ride to their tools and kits. If that's what you mean by novelty (more like luxury), then we're in agreement. That it has a collectible value beyond the utilitarian is not a matter of debate. Guys do sell it and buy it just because it's vintage. Just for eye candy. Maybe not in cornbinder's part of the world or in his experience. But it is obviously being bought and sold. Therefore, not scrap, by definition. Again, you don't need to go more than 5 posts on page 1 to see that.

Totally agree. I was just trying to present the current perspective of 95% of the modern, professional automotive service world. Although, as we all know, this website is happily made up of the remaining 5% of the world that finds value and joy in these old relics.

 

[bctexas]

Some guys do use it, though, on older cars. Just for the fun of it, extending the period correctness of their ride to their tools and kits. If that's what you mean by novelty (more like luxury), then we're in agreement.

I dunno Lugz, try setting the dwell and idle speed on a '65 Cadillac using an OBDII reader. If you have old cars you pretty much need at least a timing light, dwell/tach and vacuum gauge. Maybe not one of these though:

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I dunno Lugz, try setting the dwell and idle speed on a '65 Cadillac using an OBDII reader. If you have old cars you pretty much need at least a timing light, dwell/tach and vacuum gauge.

Good point. I gladly take it back. Clearly not only still useful, clearly not just for fun, either.

Totally agree. I was just trying to present the current perspective of 95% of the modern, professional automotive service world. Although, as we all know, this website is happily made up of the remaining 5% of the world that finds value and joy in these old relics.

Understood. That's the problem, though. This IS the Vintage Discussion board. I think guys sometimes venture down here from the General Discussion board and forget that this board is dedicated to vintage automotive tools and equipment that would by definition often be considered obsolete. It's not only contrary to the whole reason for the thread, it's contrary to the whole reason for this entire section of GJ to declare it scrap from that perspective, though. Always bemuses me that people are unable or unwilling to realize that their own perspective is subjective. But it's doubly bemusing down here. I should probably just save this as a quote to requote for my own convenience, because I've probably had to say it a dozen times in 10 years. Whether one wants to acknowledge it or not, antique and vintage tools and equipment have a monetary value as collectibles regardless of their utility. I have antique Westinghouse tube era battery chargers, just for example, that I would not use even if I had a use for them. Not only are they not scrap, I've been offered hundreds of dollars for them by a well-known car museum.

 

[engineer2]

Do used distributor testers still bring decent money? They did a few years ago.
I have a Sun 400 distributor tester I never got around to fixing it up. No idea if it works. I may sell it because my Bear engine analyzer will do everything it does, except of course the distributor stays in the car.

 

[gnpenning]

I've never understood the" it's junk just throw it away" crowd. I don't know if it's beneath them attitude or they just have no clue to the world around them??? As mentioned these kind of things is what this section and thread are for. Can't figure out why they even come here to read these types of threads and comment,???. They are just unhappy people I guess??

I have more than one point type ignition vehicle and use the older equipment to keep them up. I would love to have a distributor tester, the only one I've seen local the guy wanted big $$$$ for. I have a Sun 1115 I use as well as handheld tach/dwell meters (looking for exhaust calibration manual for the 1115).

I'm grateful to the non throw it away crowd so I can properly maintain these classics and help keep there value up.

 

[bctexas]

I have a Sun 1115 I use as well as handheld tach/dwell meters (looking for exhaust calibration manual for the 1115)

Search for "sun electric 1115" on Ebay. There is a fellow that has a large collection of Sun documentation, and he sells scanned user and service manuals on CD. He lists what you are looking for - $20 shipped.

Happy Motoring!

 

[bczygan]

Just picked up a VAT40!

Bill

 

[bctexas]

Just picked up a VAT40!

Bill

Looks really clean. Nice score!

 

[Jim Caudill]

I just finished cleaning and repairing my newly-acquired VAT-20 this evening. Had to repair a broken wire connecting screw on the ammeter and fiddle with the needle on the voltmeter. I need to purchase a couple of Mueller Electric BU-25 automotive clips and I think I'm in business. I downloaded and printed out the manual, but I think I'm going to have to write down a few paragraphs on just using it as a generic ammeter/voltmeter and load tester. I don't see too many voltage regulators and generators anymore. I used the Sun VAT-28 when I first started working on cars for Sears in 1969.

 

[Jim Caudill]

This push-around model has been floating around my flea market for a few weeks and I keep forgetting to post the pics in case any of the resident Sun guys are interested.

That looks like the BST-11 battery tester. I just got a VAT-20 tester and got it working tonight.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

It is indeed a Battery Starter Tester BST-11. See Pic 3 in my original post. Compared to bczygan's VAT-40 (post #138), looking faded and tired, but I can picture it gleaming in the right shop.

 

[bctexas]

It is indeed a Battery Starter Tester BST-11. See Pic 3 in my original post. Compared to bczygan's VAT-40 (post #138), looking faded and tired, but I can picture it gleaming in the right shop.

FWIW, I found the BST-11 in a Sun price list from February 1974. Including the stand, it would have set you back $224, about $1,175 in today's money. The EET-947 engine analyzer in the picture with my Cadillac a few posts back was $6,214, or $32,620 today. Those machines were a pretty significant investment.

The price list also shows a chassis dyno called a "Road-A-Matic Computerized Vehicle Performance & High Speed Brake Tester" - for $26,000 - $136,500 in today's money!

Happy Motoring!

 

[gnpenning]

Search for "sun electric 1115" on Ebay. There is a fellow that has a large collection of Sun documentation, and he sells scanned user and service manuals on CD. He lists what you are looking for - $20 shipped.

Happy Motoring!

Thanks. I haven't seen it when I've searched, but I haven't tried in awhile and due. Appreciate it


Edit:. Found it. Thank you. I will be giving him a call and seeing what I can work out. My phone is my only computer with no printing options and I would like to use a hard copy while calibrating.

 

[gnpenning]

Just picked up a VAT40!

Bill

Nice find Bill.

We had 2 in the shop many years ago and they worked very well. Only issue we had was neanderthal co-workers that would burn up the carbon piles from leaving a heavy load on to long. I believe it was 15 seconds for the max time while keeping a hand by the vents checking for heat ????? Been a long time.

I would like to find it's twin that's reasonable.

 

[damon18]

Here's a beauty that's on the local FB, located in Drummond TN.

If I had a giant man-cave style garage I'd have one of these for sure.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/244685556988526/?ref=facebook_story_share

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[bctexas]

I recently picked up a "Model X" 6 volt timing light on FleaBay. Don't have a 6 volt battery to test it with though! It is riveted together so I won't attempt to look inside.

A retired buddy down the street stopped by yesterday and handed me this voltmeter. He has quite a car collection including a '50 Ford that was his first car as a teenager and a couple of Model A's. Anyway, I opened up the volt meter and found "June 11, 1947" stamped on the back of the meter housing. It cleaned up pretty well considering it is 73 years old, and it works well too! It has a button on the side that when pushed switches it to the 3 volt scale for testing individual battery cells from back when cell connectors were external. Now I just need to find a cable/probe for it.

These are the first Sun devices I have seen that have "SUN MFG. CO." instead of "Sun Electric Corporation" on them. They both show up in a late 1940's catalog.

I have read that Sun started making auto test equipment in 1931, but I have only seen a couple of pre-war devices on the Internet. The early stuff must all have been scrapped to make guns and planes....

Happy Motoring!

 

[damon18]

@bctexas Love the timing gun style, haven't seen one like that.

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[MustangMike67]

Hi, I am new to this site and just picked up a SUN 1120. I am looking for any information on which timing light came with the unit? All the gauges on the machine work, but the sun timing light that it came with does not have the correct connection for this unit.

 

[bctexas]

Welcome Mike! Nice looking machine indeed! It looks like the dwell/tach unit is a U-808. This will be on the tag below the dwell meter. If that is the case, I believe the timing light should be a U-100. BTW, the first two digits of the unit serial numbers should give an indication of the date the unit was made. A serial number starting it "28" would be from February of 1968. If there is a letter directly after the first two numbers, that is a revision number for the unit. You will also likely find dates stamped on the back of the units inside the cabinet.

There is another thread talking about Sun machines:

Anyone else a Sun Equipment junkie??

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...

www.garagejournal.com

You might post there too - that one gets more traffic than this one.

Happy Motoring!

 

[Heat84]

Since this topic keeps getting bumped and Sun test equipment is so cool, I thought I'd add this site to the mix. The owner has bought and restored quite a bit of old Sun test equipment.

Hello how do I get in touch ? I like to restore Starter Tester

 

[Heat84]

Hi, I am new to this site and just picked up a SUN 1120. I am looking for any information on which timing light came with the unit? All the gauges on the machine work, but the sun timing light that it came with does not have the correct connection for this unit.

Trying to down load picture but I have no idea how to just need info to get my Sun Battery Tester D.C, AMPERS & Volt METER

 

[Ayrhead]

Sun Equipment Starter Motor Tester SMT-3. I also have the cables that came with it…