I finally got a debit card and I purchased a cheap OVF off eBay finally. I need to get a lamp too. What should I do now? how do I care for it properly? Mainly purchased it for the nostalgia factor cause my city used these in abundance lol.

As far as what to do with it, what I do is keep (most) my cobras in my bedroom, displaying them like they’re furniture propped against the wall. Making sure it doesn’t create an obstruction, or not in a location where it could get damaged from falling items. I prefer doing this as my room is climate controlled, as damp/humidity could cause corrosion if stored in let’s say a shed or garage.

Care wise, housekeeping is really the only routine item I’ve dealt with (that is optional). I clean the glass with Windex every 6 months to keep the glass looking good. I’ll also use a lightly damp rag (clean water) when necessary to wipe dust off the housings. This is completely optional but it keep my fixtures looking museum quality.

To get it functional, I’d use a simple replacement appliance cord (grounded) and wire it to the terminal block. If your ballast is 120V, great. If multi-tap, make sure the line wire is hooked up to the 120V tap on the ballast where you’d pick your voltages. Don’t forget a 120V photocell and the correct lamp obviously.

True! my OVF is actually dual wattage so I could use 2 different HPS wattages. 250 Watt and 400 Watt

Sweet. As far as lamps go, a Osram-era Sylvania LU250 or LU400 would look good in one of those and would be period correct. Of course it’s personal preference as it’s your cobra.

Mine was made in 2011 it appears. Idk yet though as it isn't here yet. I prefer those ET shaped HPS lamps that Sylvania made in the 2000's/2010s because it looks more fitting to the fixtures age.

UPDATE: It arrived safe into my home, much to my family's disappointment lol