Police cars I have driven

[DanielG]

I know around here when the "modern" siren first appeared the old officers wouldn't use it like the old one. They would just hit it as they approached traffic or busy intersections!

Great Police car builds!

Had to go on a 35 mile run once, we started off with the yelp but it drove us crazy so switched to wail but that started to put us to sleep (it was around 2AM) so we ended up running without a siren except when needing to clear traffic! My left ear is a little short on hearing, too many gun-shots B-M (before 'muffs!

By the way, nice models, brings back memories.

Edited June 26, 2010 by DanielG

[Danno]

I was a deputy in a huge county - land-wise. I once had to run hot (Code 3, 10-100, whatever your regional preference) for apprx. 65-70 miles late at night in very rural, sparsely populated country on a nice, straight highway. Upwards of 100+ mph (at times) for what seemed forever. Many miles before I got to the scene, my electronic siren just kinda gave up and died. I finished the rest of the trip with the sound still in my ears, but I don't think anyone outside the car could hear it!

By the way, running hot is exciting ... at first. By the time I finished that run, I was exhausted ... from the stress and strain. Later in my career, I gradually came to realize that you often actually got places faster when you could leave the dang siren and red/blue lights off!

[Agent G]

Working in an urban area we rarely had long emergency runs thank goodness. Yes the first couple of tmes it's a blast, but after that fugeddaboutit.

FWNUT yes that's the Modelhaus kit. I love it and cannot wait to finish it.

[bsoder]

Well I've never been a police....but I've built a number of cop cars! and those are very nice..Ya know with all the die-cast Vic's out there you'd think somebody could mold one up in styrene!..ala Lindy's old style vics. which they have reissued..so they must sell a few...probably a ###### licensing issue..anyways I'd pay 20$ for a 2000+ vic. kit, just include the "office" details multiple light bars and some generic decals and I'll do the rest!! here's one a mine done as a SJPD unit

[Agent G]

That's a nice one Brian. How the heck did ya get all those antennae fixed in place?

I'd love to see a plastic version of this, man I'd buy a case.

G

[lizardlust]

SAWEET Crown Vic, Brian!!! Don't suppose you could let us know whose diecast that began as??

[Terry Sumner]

Speaking of sirens...in 74, my first cruiser was equipped with the mechanical siren mounted on the inner fender housing. The switch to activate it was under the dash..a simple 2 way switch. Catch was...it was wired to the car's horn button. When you threw the switch it changed the horn button from blowing the horn to running the mecahnical siren. As long as we held the horn button down, the siren would spool up...let off the horn button and the siren would spool down. So you gotta imagine how it was in a chase. We're driving like crazy trying to chase down the perp while also trying to stay as safe as you could. But you had to have one finger on the horn button to make the siren work, use one hand on the radio handset to call in your speed, location etc etc and keep steering the darn car! Cap that off with brakes that only worked on the first time you hit them above 80 and it made for a wild ride at times! Ahhhh...memories! LOL

[Terry Sumner]

Typical of a big city PD we didn't get to take them home. Fortunately for many years I only shared the car with one other sergeant. He was as anal as me when it came to our "office" so it was all good.

Ain't retirement great!

G

For sure! And the check has not been late even once in 14 years now! I'm hoping to live long enough to make more money in retirement that I did in my 22 years! LOL

[Agent G]

For sure! And the check has not been late even once in 14 years now! I'm hoping to live long enough to make more money in retirement that I did in my 22 years! LOL

I hear ya! My check covers the house payment with beer money left over. Told MrsG we will always have a house with booze in it! She just retired in March, 20 years in the same casino. She left as Director of Operations, keeps getting offers but she, so far, has said nope I'm happy.

Remember the anemic low watt alternators that came on the cars in the 80's? If you had the lights and siren on and tried to transmit, the car would actually bog down. How about parked at an accident scene with the lights on and the darn thing quit because the battery was drained. What fun! NOT.

G

[LVZ2881]

Wayne, pictures dont do your builds justice!!!

[Terry Sumner]

I hear ya! My check covers the house payment with beer money left over. Told MrsG we will always have a house with booze in it! She just retired in March, 20 years in the same casino. She left as Director of Operations, keeps getting offers but she, so far, has said nope I'm happy.

Remember the anemic low watt alternators that came on the cars in the 80's? If you had the lights and siren on and tried to transmit, the car would actually bog down. How about parked at an accident scene with the lights on and the darn thing quit because the battery was drained. What fun! NOT.

G

Hmmm...don't believe I ever had that particular problem. But what I remember most is that 73 Plymouth's HEAT! It had no air conditioning, the seats were bench type black pleather, the floors were black rubber mats and the outside air intake duct was metal and ran right alongside the exhaust manifold. The "fresh" air coming inside was super hot so you never even opened the vents! Add to that you were wearing a medium gray LONG SLEEVE shirt, tie, black wool pants, black socks and black corfam shoes! This made for a tortuorously hot day in that cruiser. They let us remove the tie and open the top button if it got above 85 degrees! A few years later we finally got short sleeve shirts and a straw hat for the summer months...

[Agent G]

Wayne, pictures dont do your builds justice!!!

James!

Good to hear from you, how the heck are you!

Coming from a builder like yourself that's quite a compliment.

Unless of course you refer to photography hiding a multitude of mistakes. Then it's a very true statement.

G

[Agent G]

Hmmm...don't believe I ever had that particular problem. But what I remember most is that 73 Plymouth's HEAT! It had no air conditioning, the seats were bench type black pleather, the floors were black rubber mats and the outside air intake duct was metal and ran right alongside the exhaust manifold. The "fresh" air coming inside was super hot so you never even opened the vents! Add to that you were wearing a medium gray LONG SLEEVE shirt, tie, black wool pants, black socks and black corfam shoes! This made for a tortuorously hot day in that cruiser. They let us remove the tie and open the top button if it got above 85 degrees! A few years later we finally got short sleeve shirts and a straw hat for the summer months...

I cannot imagine.

We had ditched the year long mandatory LS shirt and tie just a few years before I came on in 1979. Most of the cars had AC by then, unless you drove an old garage extra. Most often we had seats with some cloth. We had a Fleet Services section that actually put some thought into our rides back then. When the bean counters took over is when things began to slide.

I recall an '83 Dodge that had a front bench seat made from a single piece of dk blue vinyl. Some rocket scientist armoralled the darn thing, so when ever I turned a corner I slid across the seat.

Missouri troopers wore the LS shirt, tie, corfam shoes and the Sam Browne with the cross strap until '84? I think. They adopted a SS shirt finally but after all those years it looked funny to see a trooper wear one.

Young coppers today have no idea.

G

[bsoder]

That's a nice one Brian. How the heck did ya get all those antennae fixed in place?

I'd love to see a plastic version of this, man I'd buy a case.

G

Thank you sir..it took awhile!!..most of the time was drilling the tiny mounting holes in the METAL roof!! you'd buy a case I'd buy a case and I could think of 1/2 dozen other guys I KNOW would