POLICE CARS!

I've always been interested in factory built police cars ever since reading about "Police Interceptor" features in some 50s and 60s Ford shop manuals. After seeing the original "Blues Brothers" film in 1980 I looked for a 74 Dodge Monaco with a 440 "cop motor" in vain. I thought I'd try starting a thread on police cars to see who else is interested in:

* What was the earliest factory made police vehicle?

* Police car photos

* How police cars differ from stock cars

* Collectible police cars

* Restored police cars

* Police cars in AACA judged shows?

* Old police cars used as drivers

* Police car memorabilia

I'll start with my own experience, although it involves newer vehicles. I owned a 1995 Chevy Caprice ex - Texas DPS car from 1999 to 2003 and currently own a 1996 Caprice just released from Santa Clara County, CA. Both of these cars were built with the "9C1" law enforcement option package and the "LT1" 350 CI 260 hp engine, they were both used for "unmarked" duty meaning they did not have spotlights, roof lights, or other visible exterior items and had regular cloth seats and carpeting. These were built as pursuit cars with heavy duty everything and have true 130 mph plus capability in a full size, very comfortable vehicle. My 96 only has 95,000 miles on it and is in very good rust free condition. I have modified it with the wheels, tires, and grille from an Impala SS but otherwise it is bone stock. There is a surprisingly large interest group for these cars and in a few years when they become eligible you may see some enter the AACA ranks.

As for equipment, this page is from the 1968 Oldsmobile Salesman's Specs

Ironically I just listed an NOS police car brochure for 1964 Ford on Ebay. Here is a link

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=191254732269&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:

there are a bunch of photos on the listing that show the contents. A pretty neat book with lots of illustrations.

I own a 2001 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor as my daily driver. Except for the exterior trim and basic interior with rubber flooring, mechanically it's the same as a civilian model in appearance. Mechanically it's no different except there is no speed limiter, it has an aluminum drive-shaft, no resonators on the exhaust and the stall speed is different on the torque convertor.

It still runs and drives great with just over 178K. It was an ex WSP academy car and looks like an unmarked car but it did have a spot light which I later removed. It's also still very nice looking cosmetically. It appears it wasn't subjected to any abuse.

Studebaker offered a "Sheriff" model in the 1920s, made and equipped for law enforcement. This is the first police model I know of, there may have been others.

Police were using cars and motorcycles by 1912, possibly earlier.

Here are some photos of the police brochure.

As for equipment, this page is from the 1968 Oldsmobile Salesman's Specs/QUOTE]

Joe, I remember in the mid to late 60s the Illinois Tollway system had its own police force with a fleet of large Olds sedans, Deltas or Delmonts, I'm sure they would have had the full pursuit package. Does anyone in the OCA collect any of the Olds police cars?

I own a 2001 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor as my daily driver. Except for the exterior trim and basic interior with rubber flooring, mechanically it's the same as a civilian model in appearance. Mechanically it's no different except there is no speed limiter, it has an aluminum drive-shaft, no resonators on the exhaust and the stall speed is different on the torque convertor.

It still runs and drives great with just over 178K. It was an ex WSP academy car and looks like an unmarked car but it did have a spot light which I later removed. It's also still very nice looking cosmetically. It appears it wasn't subjected to any abuse./QUOTE]

Bleach, nice looking car. My Caprice also had light use. Considering its an 18 year old car and was just released from county service I think someone signed it out and kept it hidden for their own use! Highway Patrol cars are probably the best buys since all the miles are highway miles, they actually stay on the pavement, and they are very well serviced. Regular city patrol cars are the worst - they basically are never shut off, spend half the time idling, and do a lot of curb jumping and pothole crunching. The old Caprices and Crown Vics are actually pretty amazing, they spent 100,000 miles in police duty then another 200,000 miles as cabs - a real testament to the durability and reliability of the factory police packages.

1929 Ford in LAPD Museum

Chicago Police

Don, your car looks much nicer than mine. I would have actually taken a Caprice 9C1 over a CVPI anytime. Sadly there were none to be found in the kind of condition like my car in my area. I was surprised even to find the one I now have. It had over a 160K when I bought it 4 years ago. I got it for really cheap because of the miles. I just keep changing the oil every 3K miles or so. It keeps going. I've only had one small problem since owning it. I needed to replace the idle air control valve and even that didn't keep the car from being drivable. I have to admit the car has some good bones.

There are a lot of pictures out there. Here's 577 mostly UK https://www.flickr.com/groups/1771657@N22/

There was an obvious photo of a bunch of Bobbies trying to hold back a huge crowd from a Beatles visit.

I remember a 1957 Oldsmobile 88 four door sedan Fire Chief's car belonging to the Milwaukee Fire Department into the early 1970's. Several years later, I met a guy who told me that he purchased that car at an auction, and that it had a standard shift three speed transmission, button hubcaps and probably a standard steering wheel and radio delete. He changed the color from red to black and after he sold it, it was never to be seen again.

Studebaker offered a "Sheriff" model in the 1920s, made and equipped for law enforcement. This is the first police model I know of, there may have been others.

Police were using cars and motorcycles by 1912, possibly earlier.

What was included in the Sheriff model that differed from the regular cars?

1929 Ford in LAPD Museum

Great pics Dave, do you know if Ford modified the cars at the factory or was it aftermarket?

Speaking of police cars in the AACA, here is a current listing on Ebay for an all-original 1988 Chevy 9C1 Caprice with only 26,000 original miles. They say it was never used in service and the pictures show it as spotless. Am I correct in assuming this would qualify for HPOF?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/261542133117?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I've always been interested in factory built police cars ever since reading about "Police Interceptor" features in some 50s and 60s Ford shop manuals. After seeing the original "Blues Brothers" film in 1980 I looked for a 74 Dodge Monaco with a 440 "cop motor" in vain. I thought I'd try starting a thread on police cars to see who else is interested in:

* What was the earliest factory made police vehicle?

* Police car photos

* How police cars differ from stock cars

* Collectible police cars

* Restored police cars

* Police cars in AACA judged shows?

* Old police cars used as drivers

* Police car memorabilia

I'll start with my own experience, although it involves newer vehicles. I owned a 1995 Chevy Caprice ex - Texas DPS car from 1999 to 2003 and currently own a 1996 Caprice just released from Santa Clara County, CA. Both of these cars were built with the "9C1" law enforcement option package and the "LT1" 350 CI 260 hp engine, they were both used for "unmarked" duty meaning they did not have spotlights, roof lights, or other visible exterior items and had regular cloth seats and carpeting. These were built as pursuit cars with heavy duty everything and have true 130 mph plus capability in a full size, very comfortable vehicle. My 96 only has 95,000 miles on it and is in very good rust free condition. I have modified it with the wheels, tires, and grille from an Impala SS but otherwise it is bone stock. There is a surprisingly large interest group for these cars and in a few years when they become eligible you may see some enter the AACA ranks.[ATTACH=CONFIG]260743[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]260747[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]260746[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]260745[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]260744[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]260748[/ATTACH]

Google "police car" and you will find a wealth of knowledge out there. Also check out this website: http://www.policeny.com/

BTW: Nice Caprice! My first department car was a 96 Caprice but it had the 4.3 V8.

1929 Ford in LAPD Museum

Great pics Dave, do you know if Ford modified the cars at the factory or was it aftermarket?

I can't say for sure. This is where it came from. They have a Jack Webb interview if you're interesred.http://www.pbase.com/samsast/lapd&page=2

In this link you'll find a few very early Police wagons.http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/08/brass-era-police-cars.html

Google "police car" and you will find a wealth of knowledge out there. Also check out this website: http://www.policeny.com/

That looks like a cool site. I have done the google search but my purpose was to get people to share on this site and find out how much interest there is in the AACA.

In this link you'll find a few very early Police wagons.http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/08/brass-era-police-cars.html

Dave, great pics, those are some very imposing paddy wagons!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]261218[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]261219[/ATTACH]I bought a 1966 Chevy Biscayne 2 door post police car in New Mexico several years ago with an original 396 engine with 400 automatic and 12 bolt rear axle. I thought some day I would restore it but I probably never will. I should just put it on EBay and free up some floor space. Are there many of these cars around as it would make a nice factory sleeper? Yes I have had it running. The pictures are where I found it sitting for 25 years.

I have a friend, four years older than me, who told me he once purchased, at auction, a former Wisconsin State Patrol car, grey and black, that was a '62 Chevy Biscayne 4 door, with a 409 CID 4bbl, with 3spd/OD transmission.

OK, here are you probably never saw, Berlin Police actually used Amphicars as police cars and there were well equipped Amphicars used in rescue operations. I have the original papers for the ordering of the these rescue cars....

OK, here are you probably never saw, Berlin Police actually used Amphicars as police cars and there were well equipped Amphicars used in rescue operations. I have the original papers for the ordering of the these rescue cars....

Makes a lot of sense!

Last day at work revenge in Kern County CA. ( bottom one was added by another) It took about 2 weeks for them to notice the top one.

Hilarious !

Hilarious but a total photo chop. There really was an indecent of "we'll kick your ass" stickers being placed on a couple of their patrol cars but that was in 2003 but it had nothing to do with someone's last day at work.

1959 Pontiac Police/taxi. Police, 389" engine 300hp 4bbl, taxi, 389" engine 280hp 2bbl. Both with Heavy duty 4 speed HydraMatic, HD conventional rear clutch disc, ft & rear heavy duty sprag-one way clutches and external-in front of radiator transmission oil cooler. Heavy duty radiator. Heavy duty finned drum brakes and 15" wheels ( standard cars had 14" wheels and a choice of poverty cap, deluxe wheel cover and super deluxe wheel cover) with only a poverty cap available, which means if you see a car painted like a police car and has a full wheel cover, either the brakes and wheels were changed or it's a fake.

http://images109.fotki.com/v82/photos/4/42477/3898876/DSC03140-vi.jpg

I was in Law Enforcement for over 35 years, starting in 1972. The first cars in the fleets I drove were originally Dodge's with 440's in them I think Polara's. Had to take them out on the Interstate each shift to blow them out since city cruising at slow speeds would just bog them down, then the city bought AMC Ambassadors. Nice looking cars painted blue, ran rather well and were comfortable. Not sure what engine they had in them, but it was the biggest AMC offered in 71 or 72. Then went to another department who bought Pontiac police cars. The looked good also, painted blue and white. When assigned to the Detective Bureau as the junior guy I was given a 1968 Plymouth fury with a 440 in it. Used about a quart of oil a month, but hey I was the junior guy. Slick seats and rubber floor mats with a spotlight on the pillar. If you took a corner too hard, you'd slide across the seat. No seat-belt laws then and most Officers wouldn't wear them anyway so they could exit the vehicle in a hurry if they needed to. Then went to another department and we had Chevy Nova's for awhile with a 350 I believe in it, also some Chevy Impala's and some Pontiac full size cars. It used to drive us crazy that the Sheriff had gotten in cahoots with GM testing to get a better deal on cars and we were the guinee pigs for various test equipment. We even had to put a special oil in the car that would promote wear and corrosion. The Nova's ran great when they were new and would really get up and go, but some of the cars that were older with the magic oil would just drag and knock when you got down on it. I think they had the 350's in them then. Back then there wasn't any chase policy, so it would frustrate you that you couldn't get to where you were going in a hurry due to the test engines. Oh and there was the gas crunch times. Management wanted to conserve gas so they took off all the A/C belts so you couldn't use the A/C. Down South here it was miserable so many Officers just went to the auto parts store, got a belt and would leave the station and put one on, take it off at the end of the shift. No one ever seemed to be found out or got in trouble over it. Besides the 440's one of the fastest police cars I drove was a Chevrolet impala a believe from the late 60's with a 427 in it. For a full size car she'd really move out. Engines would get hot and if you sat in the center of the highway too long, you'd catch the grass on fire. Lots of great cars, some good, some bad.

Found this on the net not long ago. I wondered why my parents complained about high taxes!

Gastonia, NC travel in style:

Confiscated in a drug bust, this Caddy is used primarily for public relations.

Don

In the mid-1970's I lived in a small town in Alabama. A well-to-do lady wanted to show her appreciation for the town so the mayor suggested she should buy police cars. "Coincidentally" the mayor happened to own the Buick dealership. We were probably the only town in the country to use Buick Electra Limited 225 police cars. Not a "base" 225, but fully loaded 4-door hardtops with full power, vinyl top, wire wheel covers, etc. You wouldn't want your policemen to suffer in the Alabama heat, would you? I wonder how many speeding Yankee tourists were caught by surprise.

They got new Buicks annually for several years until a concerned citizen spoiled the party by complaining that the police gave the lady a ride to the doctor in one of the Buicks she had bought.

The mayor also owned the AMC dealership, and the meter maids used a Gremlin painted with the police logo. I wish I had a photo of it. I don't believe it was ever used as a pursuit vehicle. Hey, maybe a Gremlin could be restored that way and entered in the AACA Commercial Class!

Don

We were probably the only town in the country to use Buick Electra Limited 225 police cars. Not a "base" 225, but fully loaded 4-door hardtops with full power, vinyl top, wire wheel covers, etc. You wouldn't want your policemen to suffer in the Alabama heat, would you? I wonder how many speeding Yankee tourists were caught by surprise. Don

I remember visiting Dearborn, Michigan in the early 80s and seeing Lincoln Town Cars used as police cars. I assume they got a good deal from FoMoCo...

Police cars; To Tex Riv 63 Concerning the Studebaker Sheriff special of the 20's. As far as I've been able to tell, there was very little different about the Sheriff spl. than the stock Big six Stude. They did have high speed rear ends and a 354 c.i.d.engine. B elieve me they have good torque and top speed. In 1927 the 2 Commander sedans and roadster set stock car records. In the 60's Studebakers were used as pursuit cars using the R-1 and I think some R-2 supercharged cars. I've presented off the top of my head and no mis-representation is intended.

Speaking of police cars in the AACA, here is a current listing on Ebay for an all-original 1988 Chevy 9C1 Caprice with only 26,000 original miles. They say it was never used in service and the pictures show it as spotless. Am I correct in assuming this would qualify for HPOF?

]

An update, this car just sold for $15,100! Not bad for a plain white 4-door sedan...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/261542133117?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

1955 Buick Century model 68 (tourback sedan)

there were 270 of these produced in 1955

135 with synchromesh 3 speed manual trans

135 with Dynaflow

268 were delivered to the California Highway Patrol

the other two were delivered to the TV show "Highway Patrol"

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