Agent G

Actually, no they weren't. The Ford CVPI went to the #1 spot due to GM ceasing production of the Caprice 9C1. They remained #1 in fleet sales due to the fact they were the only RWD, full frame, 4 door sedan in production between '96 and '11. Us cops liked that. The Caprice 9C1 with the LT1 engine consistently outperformed the Ford CVPI in all areas that mattered. The Fords were rugged and reliable, but they were slow. Also, they burned more oil than the retreating Iraqi army. This did lead to many a blown engine. I did it early one morning responding on a hot call right after roll call. The original '92-97 CVPI's, with the 4.6l engine, did not have any low end torque to speak of. It was all high RPM horsepower. About the time I was really getting rolling in one, I had to slow or stop at the next intersection. They were also very unstable at speed. After the rock solid Caprice, you felt you were ice skating when driving a '92-'97 Ford. After the introduction of the Watts link rear end in '98, the car handled a lot better. It would still swap ends in a heartbeat though. Ford did retune the system for more low end torque. The Caprice was notoriously front end heavy. She would oversteer like a B at times. Young coppers unfamiliar with RWD scared the you know what out of themselves the first time they punched it a LT1, 9C1. Early Caprices overheated at the drop of a hat in Midwestern summers. Brakes were sketchy early on. They got better in later years. GM's replacement for the Caprice, the 2000 FWD Impala is and remains an evil handling, slow POS. Great detective cars, I drive one now BTW, but awful radio cars. I cannot even imagine using one on the highway daily. As retail cars, the Panther platform was a beast. I drove a Lincoln Town Car for 12 years with little problems. I still miss that beast. G

Thank you Joe. I do believe you are correct about the 396's. G

NICE! G

Thank you! Here's the blade antenna I made, thanks for the confirmation Pete! I was building a cylindrical type based on plastic and brass tube. G

Thank you all! Greg, thanks for the idea! I already carved a blade antenna from a .015 thick scrap of styrene. The glue is drying as we speak, so I'll post photos later. I work nights so early morning and days off are when I work on my builds. Matthew google USAF chase car sometime and read the articles. Fascinating piece of history that continues to this day. G

Thank you sir! G

El Caminos were definitely used! G

Thank you sir! The blade is being made as we speak. I was confused as to the shape, blade or cylinder, until I spoke to a co worker who is retired Air Force. He confirmed the blade shape. G

Did you bring this to Pasadena? It is just so outstanding I can't believe I missed it if you did. G

I have been planning this build for years now all due to finding that "Strata Blue" color. I was looking for Floquil paint on eBay and saw this color. I googled the rail line and saw that the "CSX New Image Blue" was a dead ringer. G

Thank you all! Looking at this, reminded me I forgot this. Gotta have tunes while chasing U2's! G

I took this as inspiration. Bought this when I found it at a LHS in Antioch, Illinois. Put it all together and built this. Paint is a Floquil Rail Road color called "CSX New Image Blue". I think it matches the real deal fairly well. Interior is painted with Tamiya acrylics by airbrush, then details picked out with Vallejo acrylic. G

Buttoned up, decals on ready to be put Under Glass. G