stanhas87
87thScale addict
1978 Dodge Monaco CHP
Posts: 4,906
|
Post by stanhas87 on Jan 26, 2004 7:53:19 GMT 1
Dear Sirs: I heard about it on the magazine Motor Trend and then,elsewhere:1969 Dodge Polara Patrol Car and it had a maximum speed of 147 mph,a 440 cubic inch displacement and could reach 60 mph in 6.3 seconds and run the quarter mile on 14 seconds at 99 mph.No police car since could match it ( Camaros and Mustangs do not count;these ARE NOT 4-door sedans).Kudos to the company who will model this vehicle.
|
|
|
Post by Alan on Jan 26, 2004 20:49:20 GMT 1
Dear Sirs: According to a movie that I saw the cops had a very sporty Ford Falcon as a pursuit car.If I remember well (I do not) it even had a wing in the back...................... Hang on, you wasn't watching Mad Max were you? Now some of those cars in 1:87 scale would be fantastic! ;D Here in the UK, we have all sorts of makes and models of Police vehicles, depending on what region they are from. In the Oxford area, for example, there are Vauxhall (Opel) Astras for patrol cars and bigger Vauxhall Omegas for the motorways. As for other police vehicles there are Ford Transit vans, and I even see a Land Rover 110 from time to time!
|
|
stanhas87
87thScale addict
1978 Dodge Monaco CHP
Posts: 4,906
|
Post by stanhas87 on Jan 26, 2004 20:58:20 GMT 1
Dear Alan:
It was not Mad Max.In that movie the main figure is driving a semi,and someone is killing people in the outback;I think is Road Games or something like that.
I found this site about Australian cars,and I will post it and the site section.
|
|
stanhas87
87thScale addict
1978 Dodge Monaco CHP
Posts: 4,906
|
Post by stanhas87 on Jan 29, 2004 6:29:15 GMT 1
|
|
stanhas87
87thScale addict
1978 Dodge Monaco CHP
Posts: 4,906
|
Post by stanhas87 on Jan 30, 2004 0:20:55 GMT 1
Dear Sirs:
I do not know about the'macho' attitude from the police officers,but I know that they just adored the large Plymouth Fury and final large Dodge Monacos because,as it was stated,a large wheelbase is steadier at high speeds.When the Vic remained by itself,police officers were not that happy because-their statement-it was not safe over a 100 mph speeds.A watts linkage corrected this problem.
It seems that the Ford Taurus was liked (I should know,I drive one,but I like my Aries better) and New York cops are buying the 2000 style Chevrolet Impala and it seems that its police package does the job.
To my understanding,Police packages do offer revised suspensions,and the former Caprice was as its best with the police package-in terms of suspension.And the final rear-drive Impala SS became possible BECAUSE of this suspension.
Thing is,at times it seems that suspension package did not worked.In Colorado,due to the extreme wheater conditions,the cops picked the Saabs over the Plymouths (or rear-drive cars) and that kept going for twenty or so years.
|
|
stanhas87
87thScale addict
1978 Dodge Monaco CHP
Posts: 4,906
|
Post by stanhas87 on Feb 6, 2004 3:37:12 GMT 1
Dear Sirs:
BillC stated so,and I agree:Busch gave a long life to the Plymouth/Dodge combo.Last year,it was Plymouth Kansas Highway Patrol (still did not get that);this year is the Dodge Monaco Idaho.For 2002 and 2001,the Monaco would come out as a Cab.
It seems that Los Angeles is getting priority by Busch management:Ford Vic 'LAPD' will be due this year
|
|
BillC
87thScale addict
Posts: 2,541
|
Post by BillC on Feb 13, 2004 8:27:00 GMT 1
Dear Sirs: I heard-and saw in its Catalog-that Busch did a LAPD Dodge Monaco.This falls on the prototype discussion:LAPD never used Dodges in the period,they choose the Plymouth (Fury). Now the question:does someone knows if that was done?I never saw it and think that is a 'phantom' model. Praline made a Dodge Monaco LAPD car the year before it went bankrupt. Not only was it the wrong car, it was the wrong color (blue and white). LAPD used Dodges for a few years in the early 1960s, but switched to Plymouths in 1964 and stayed with them until the first AMC Matadors were purchased.
|
|
BillC
87thScale addict
Posts: 2,541
|
Post by BillC on Feb 13, 2004 8:47:04 GMT 1
Although not an official police package, the Plymouth Valiant was used in police service in the late 1960s. Equipped with a 318 V8, it was popular with University police departments and similar agencies that had relatively small patrol areas.
In the 1970s, Seattle, Washington police used the A38 Dodge Dart as their regular police car.
|
|
stanhas87
87thScale addict
1978 Dodge Monaco CHP
Posts: 4,906
|
Post by stanhas87 on Feb 13, 2004 8:51:45 GMT 1
Dear BillC:
Thank you for the answer on Praline's Monaco.I will try to find it.For 2004,Busch is releasing the Ford Vic LAPD.At least,prototypicaly,that is right.
LAPD also did got the 1977 Furys and reportedly,these were the slowest units that they had (Encyclopedia of American Police cars).
|
|
BillC
87thScale addict
Posts: 2,541
|
Post by BillC on Feb 13, 2004 8:55:30 GMT 1
Police cars and taxis use the same general package, usually consisting of heavy-duty suspension, heavy-duty electrical system, heavy-duty cooling. They will also have special interiors designed for heavy use and rear doors that can be opened wider than standard doors.
In addition, a police/taxi package will also have additional electrical circuits, including one with a wiring harness that is routed into the roof at the factory to facilitate the addition of taxi signs or warning lights.
Differences will generally be found in choices of engines and tires. Police cars will have high-output engines and wider tires. Taxis will go for a more economical engine and cheaper tires.
|
|
BillC
87thScale addict
Posts: 2,541
|
Post by BillC on Feb 13, 2004 9:03:31 GMT 1
LAPD also did got the 1977 Furys and reportedly,these were the slowest units that they had (Encyclopedia of American Police cars). The late 1970s were not good years for fast American police cars. I recall a test of a full-size Pontiac police package; its top speed was only 103 mph. Those were the days when the CHP and other state police agencies began using cars like the Chevy Camaro, Pontiac Firebird and Ford Mustang for pursuit units. The California Highway Patrol even had an evaluation fleet of Buick Turbo Regals, but they proved too high maintenance.
|
|
stanhas87
87thScale addict
1978 Dodge Monaco CHP
Posts: 4,906
|
Post by stanhas87 on Feb 13, 2004 9:13:38 GMT 1
Dear BillC:
The Highway patrol had a bad year in 1980,when the 440 cu engined Monacos were replaced with the 318 cu Dodge St Regis.It was called the 'year of the dog',and the Saint Regis 'could not chase its own shadow'.On the 1980's,they discovered that the Diplomat would do well with the 318,and they liked it.
Interestingly,when the CHP tested several subjects for evaluation at the early 1980's,a Station Wagon-either Plymouth or Dodge-was performing quite well for then.Due to the slowliness of the Regis,the CHP Mustang was born and when the 1990's Caprice had speeds similar to the Chryslers of the yore,the role of the Mustangs were diminishing.
And still,no 4-door cruiser can beat the 1969 Polara......................
|
|
BillC
87thScale addict
Posts: 2,541
|
Post by BillC on Feb 13, 2004 15:10:22 GMT 1
I am not sure, but I think the BMW 540i sedans currently used by the South Carolina Highway Patrol may be faster than the Polara.
Various reports give the Polara's top speed as 147, 148 and 149 miles per hour. The 5er's top speed is listed as 155.
The SCHP runs the Bimmers as slick-tops, so there's no drag to slow it down.
Of course, the SCHP cars are a special case; BMW has a plant in South Carolina and leases a certain number of cars to the state at a very low price. No way the state could field BMWs if it had to pay regular price for them.
|
|
stanhas87
87thScale addict
1978 Dodge Monaco CHP
Posts: 4,906
|
Post by stanhas87 on Feb 13, 2004 18:56:49 GMT 1
Dear BillC:
There is a rumor that the Polara could reach 160 mph (modified,of course) but CHP always denied it.Otherwise,it was clocked at 148 mph-and that is impressive figure for a land barge.0-60 in the low 7 second bracket,quarter mile-at 99 mph-on the low 14 second bracket. (As always,Encyclopedia of American police cars).
Now:aren't these BMW modified?With current technologies,a 440 cu from the Monaco could have hundreds of horsepower added to it.
The final generation Caprice reached 141 mph.
|
|
BillC
87thScale addict
Posts: 2,541
|
Post by BillC on Feb 14, 2004 6:08:22 GMT 1
The SCHP cars may have some modifications for cooling and electrical systems, but as far as I know, the engines are stock. The top speed figures are the same as for a civilian 540i.
The Polara was significant because it was so fast even when equipped with a axle ratio geared for maximum acceleration instead of maximum top speed. Not bad for a two-ton sedan.
Today's regular squads are not too much slower. In the 2004 Michigan State Police tests, a Dodge Intrepid with a 6-cylinder engine that was the smallest of the cars tested hit a top speed of 135 mph. The Ford Crown Vic was next at 128 (118 with the quicker 3.55 rear axle) and the Chevrolet Impala came in last at 123 mph.
The Crown Vic with the 3.55 rear end was quickest with an 8.25 0-60 time. In each acceleration test, the Fords were fastest, followed by the Intrepid.
The Chevy Tahoe was actually quicker to the various test speeds up to about 70 mph than the Impala and Intrepid, though the Tahoe's top speed is just 99 mph.
|
|