Unusual DA Aqua-Master

[Bryan]

The only reason I purchased this regulator was because the shop told me the hoses and mouthpiece were in perfect shape and I have been serching high and low for a good set to put on a Spiro Royal Mistral I came across

discountdivers.com/fx/us.divers.aqualung.twin.hose.regulator.html?page=collectibles_regulators_2&text=Collectible%20Regulators

Anyhow I figured the regulator was just a regular old Aqua-Master that someone had put the wrong hoses on.
When I got it, the Spiro hoses and mouthpiece were like new! The regulator had a West Delhi label on it. Nothing out of the ordinary but when I took it apart, stamped on intake neck of the box were the words, Made in France....
This is the 1st time I have ever seen this on a Aqua-Master with a U.S. label??
Sam, Dick, Ron, Dan anyone else I missed, can you shed some light on why it would be stamped this way? Was there a shortage of parts ?

[bigdave]

Dunno the history, but it looks like you got a deal for $250 with the unusual mouthpiece and hoses..

[1969ivan1]

Bryan, Have you thought that it may be a strike regulator? I did hear from somebody that there was a strike at the US plant and as a result they brought in parts/regs from france. Perhaps this is one of those?
Rob S

[admin]

As far as I know, all the DA's with the West Delhi address were made in France. They all had the "Made in France" blue label below the name plate but most have fallen off over the years. If you look close at the serial number on the label, you will see that the stamped numbers differ in style from other DA's made in the USA.
This regulator was only made for a few years with the Delhi address. I don't know why they were made in France- maybe a strike had something to do with it or perhaps the relocation of the factory affected production and they had to have the DA's made elsewhere. I've never seen a Mistral with the Delhi address.
Dan