United Motors Neon Sign?

Jolly_John · July 10th, 2007

I have just acquired a United Motors Service neon sign, with the neon tubing broken out. Does anyone out there have one of these signs? I'd appreciate knowing which color of neon goes where on this sign. Thanks for any help. Best, John in Wisconsin

Terry Bond · July 11th, 2007

Almost all I've seen had white neon, which I think is actualy sort of a very pale blue tint. Nice find - can you post a photo?

Jolly_John · July 11th, 2007

Hi, Terry. Thank you so much for posting the photo of the United Motors Service sign. I appreciate the time you took. Right now, I'm trying to get my digital camera to work with a new computer. So, I can't post a picture of the sign I found yet. But, I will as soon as I can.

Just two quick questions....from your photo it looks like there are two different colors of neon used. I read your comment about the off-white to light blue color of neon. Is that color used for all of the neon (what is around the car seems like a different color)? Second question....what little research I was able to do thus far showed a couple of these signs having an orange-red neon outlining the car. Obviously, that is not the case with the sign in the photo you provided. Any thoughts on that. I appreciate your time, and promise not to keep bugging you. Again, thank you. John in Wisconsin

mrpushbutton · July 11th, 2007

I restored one of those a while back--the oval ring around the outside should be a darker blue and the car should be red (orangeish-red) there is a second circuit for the wheels and an alternating contact assembly inside to simulate movement in the wheels when the sign is operating properly.

Terry Bond · July 12th, 2007

The photo was a restored sign I saw at a swap meet or auction (can't remember exactly where/when). I have also seen some with the "moving wheels" on them. The type in the photo seems to be the more common variety however. I think the moving wheel type is an earlier sign??? I've not seen orange neon outlining the car before but it sure would be neat looking. I've seen a lot of neon signs with what is called "white" color in the tubes but they all seem to have a slightly blue tint to them. Perhaps there is a neon expert out there who can tell us more. I've got a couple of signs that need to be restored with new tubes, starters, etc. I've heard it can be very expensive. Is Neon going to be a dying art eventually?
Terry

R W Burgess · July 12th, 2007

I don't think so Terry. The local pizza joint at the top of the hill has new ones in every window and they're bright enough to read by at night without other lights on. Of course they're probably made overseas.

Wayne

58srgreat · July 12th, 2007

JOHN,
THE COLORS OF NEON USED ON UMS PORCELAIN NEON SIGNS DEPENDS ON WHEN THE SIGN WAS MANUFACTURED.IF THE SIGN WAS MANUFACTURED BEFORE WWII,THE OUTER TUBE WAS CLEAR BLUE(CLEAR TUBE PUMPED WITH ARGON GAS),WHILE THE OUTLINE OF THE CAR ITSELF WAS CLEAR RED(CLEAR TUBE PUMPED WITH NEON GAS).SOON AFTER WWII,FLUORESCENT NEON TUBING BECAME AVAILABLE.IT WAS REFERRED TO AS "ZEON"TUBING.UMS PORCELAIN SIGNS WERE PRODUCED THROUGH AT LEAST 1953 AS I HAVE A UMS ADVERTISING CATALOG DATED NOVEMBER 15,1953 THAT SHOWS THE OUTDOOR DOUBLE-SIDED PORCELAIN SIGN(4 FT.)THAT WAS AVAILABLE WITH A ROSE-COLORED OUTER OVAL(BLUE FLUORESCENT TUBE PUMPED WITH NEON-RED-GAS)AND A BLUE FLUORESCENT TUBE OUTLINGING THE CAR.MOST OF THE ORIGINAL OUTDOOR PORCELAIN NEONS WERE DOUBLE-SIDED BUT SINCE HAVE BEEN TAKEN APART TO MAKE TWO SIGNS THAT COULD BE WALL MOUNTED.I HAVE SEEN SOME SIGNS WITH THE CAR OUTLINED IN WHITE NEON AS WELL.WALKER AND CO. OF DETROIT MANUFACTURED MOST OF THESE SIGNS.I HOPE THIS INFORMATION HELPS!
STEVE

Jolly_John · July 13th, 2007

Steve...your very precise, documented information on the United Motors Service neon sign certainly does help. Thank you for taking the time to share. WIth your help and the info from others on the board, I can now proceed to get my sign re-tubed accurately. Again, I appreciate your assistance. Best, John in Wisconsin

Steve Braverman · July 13th, 2007

Enlighten me, what was United Motors? I've never seen one of these signs.

As for neon, I was watching "Made in America" with John Ratzenberger the other night, and he did a piece on Yesco signs. They showed how neon signs were made by hand, in the US of A. The show is usually re-run on The Travel Channel. Check it out if you can find it.

http://www.yesco.com/

mrpushbutton · July 13th, 2007

Neon signs aren't in any danger of becoming obsolete. Every strip mall you got to or drive past has those signs with the metal channel letters and plastic faces, you know the kind "Supercuts" "the UPS store" etc. those all have custom-bent neon tubes inside, and that is a thriving business. I have all of my repairs and new work done at a company in Detroit that does a land-office business in the new-style signs (as described above). The new code for high-voltage transformers is that they must have an intergal GFI (no big deal, but if you don't hook up the ground wire the transformer won't work) and if the secondary wiring runs through anything flamable (plywood, beaver board, etc.) it must be run inside greenfield with a seperate ground wire run to the end of the greenfield and hooked to the fitting.