B Body Cop Car

[66dart]

What books? Police/government-package car production is notoriously hard to track because their production is usually done outside of civilian car production. Makers are taxed differently, specifications are different (like the LAPD's obsession with 383 engines), and emissions requirements are different so their production is not counted in with normal production.

Galen Govier production number book
mymopar.com

 

[Bruzilla]

Yep, this kinda reminds me of the great Superbird production debates back in the 1980s. Everyone though there were about 1,920 cars built, but then cars with VINs that were never recorded by Chrysler started popping up everywhere. Now the number has grown to 1,935 or 1,971 depending on who you ask and there's still cars that show up from time to time that were made off the books, usually for race teams and the cars somehow made it to the street.

Govier's database is considered to be the best, but even he admits it is nowhere near complete. This is especially true of police cars since they were usually made by contract and tracked separately. For example, if you search for a 68 Belvedere with a 383-2 or 383-4, RK41G8 or RK41H8, which were what the LAPD ordered en masse in 1967 and 1968, that same database shows no results found. This is why collecting police cars is such a major PITA.

 

[66dart]

Yep, this kinda reminds me of the great Superbird production debates back in the 1980s. Everyone though there were about 1,920 cars built, but then cars with VINs that were never recorded by Chrysler started popping up everywhere. Now the number has grown to 1,935 or 1,971 depending on who you ask and there's still cars that show up from time to time that were made off the books, usually for race teams and the cars somehow made it to the street.

Govier's database is considered to be the best, but even he admits it is nowhere near complete. This is especially true of police cars since they were usually made by contract and tracked separately. For example, if you search for a 68 Belvedere with a 383-2 or 383-4, RK41G8 or RK41H8, which were what the LAPD ordered en masse in 1967 and 1968, that same database shows no results found. This is why collecting police cars is such a major PITA.

I hear you what would the value be for this car? needs standard mopar metal. lower quarters trunk and main floor (because of the rubber mat), its a roller. Also what would be the resale of these cars?

 

[Auggie56]

 

[mopar 3 B]

Would make one heak of a parts car for another project if nothing else.
Same as finding an old taxi but with far less miles.
Better brakes, steering, drive line and supension components. Depending how ordered.
Just don't expect to find goodies like gun racks and light bars.
When we serviced these at the dealership we never got trunk keys. Wonder why?

 

[Timmayy]

About 20 years ago I had a 78 Fury police car. It was an ex Virginia state police car. 440-4 stiff suspension, also had an oil cooler, tranny cooler and a power steering cooler. I still have the PS pump cooler around somewhere. I totalled it when some dumb kid pulled out in front of me at an intersection. That car could move pretty good for a tank and handled pretty well also.

 

[cudak888]

I've seen this Belvedere multiple times. What's up with the Rallye dash installed in it?

-Kurt

 

[MOPARENT]

My favorite summer toy back in the 80's....1977 Dodge Monaco ex-town cop car, 440/727/355, special handling package, thumping duals, black, bad *** and only cost me $250.00 at the local junkyard with 130k on it!! Straight vinyl seats, rubber floormat, full gauge package, handled like a vette and pulled like a freight train....the car could get second gear rubber. Stupid me sold it after trying to drive it in the snow....The suregrip and all that power just didn't work out in blizzards...Those cops knew how to handle those beasts better than me back then...Probably the scariest mopar I ever drove..It got to 100 mph way too easy and really seemed to like it up there........Looked like the car in this pic....would love to find another one...

 

[Dennis H]

Reno, Nevada.

 

[cudak888]

Would make one heak of a parts car for another project if nothing else.
Same as finding an old taxi but with far less miles.
Better brakes, steering, drive line and supension components. Depending how ordered.
Just don't expect to find goodies like gun racks and light bars.
When we serviced these at the dealership we never got trunk keys. Wonder why?

They probably left some of their equipment in the trunk - and if not, that's also where the rest of the radio was located.

Reno, Nevada.

Clone, no doubt. Never seen a Coronet 500 with all the trim that wasn't.

-Kurt

 

[Timmayy]

There is one cop care that I seen in upper Rhode Island about 6 or 7 years ago.

Let me know if any of you have heard of this because I don't know if it's legit. It was for sale needing a resto.
It was a 66 Belvedere 2 door. Black with white doors. You could still see where the big door stickers used to be. I looked inside, couldn't open the door, no one was around. It had the big police radio, the vertical shotgun racks on the passenger side front AND it had 426 badges. Big gumball light on the roof with big round marker lights on each side of it and on the trunk also. No drivetrain.

Could it have been a special 426 street wedge high pursuit car? I used to have pics on an old phone but they are long gone.

 

[Bruzilla]

I hear you what would the value be for this car? needs standard mopar metal. lower quarters trunk and main floor (because of the rubber mat), its a roller. Also what would be the resale of these cars?

The police car market is a very small niche. People buy them for very specific purposes. The ADAM-12 cars haves always been top dog. Years ago, I found a 72 Matador that had been a Prince Georges County Police car in a junkyard in MD. I called a friend in Texas, who immediately jumped on a plane, flew to DC, and then drove to my house so I could take him to see it. The yard had a hard policy on not selling whole cars, and I don't know what he paid them but he got that car. I'm wanting to do a PA State Police tribute Fury, and normally I wouldn't cross the street to look at a Fury, but if I find a retired cruiser in good shape I'll be the one hopping on a plane.

So you need someone who wants that specific model and year for a project they are wanting to do, and you're likely looking for two or three people out of 320 million. To the rest of those people, you're looking at a value of $250 to $700 (without seeing any pictures), but to those two or three folks who really need it, it could be worth $5,000+.

I would suggest contacting the folks at the Police Car Owners of America (PCOOA) and get their thoughts. Their website is http://www.policecarowners.com/Home_Page.php. They used to have a want ads section, but I don't see that anymore.

 

[Bruzilla]

Would make one heak of a parts car for another project if nothing else.
Same as finding an old taxi but with far less miles.
Better brakes, steering, drive line and supension components. Depending how ordered.
Just don't expect to find goodies like gun racks and light bars.
When we serviced these at the dealership we never got trunk keys. Wonder why?

Most police cars are ordered with single key locks, so one key works the doors, ignition, and trunk. Many agencies also have fleet keying so the same key works on every car. They'll tell you this is to reduce costs, but the truth is cops are always locking themselves out of their cars and this lets them call a buddy and have him open their doors instead of having to call in for a wrecker.

 

[YY1]

copcar.com is also a good resource.

I agree that it is a specific niche market.

Some have a more universal appeal than others.

There is a small group that appreciate "4 door road runners", and/or caop cars in general, but most of these folks aren't buyers and certianly aren't interested in paying top dollar.

I'd value it at the same as a 383-2 440 model, even though it has base trim, but some performance options.

 

[66dart]

Ok, thanks Everybody for the input.

 

[Bruzilla]

copcar.com is also a good resource.

I agree that it is a specific niche market.

Some have a more universal appeal than others.

There is a small group that appreciate "4 door road runners", and/or caop cars in general, but most of these folks aren't buyers and certianly aren't interested in paying top dollar.

I'd value it at the same as a 383-2 440 model, even though it has base trim, but some performance options.

I don't know that I would agree with pricing it the same as a civilian car. There has always been an institutional bias against retired police, government, and taxi cars. The last of those I get as taxi companies will skimp on every maintenance dollar they can, but government agencies generally have the best maintenance of anyone.

When I buy a Police Interceptor, it usually comes with it's maintenance records and I can see where the oil's been changed with the correct weight every three months or less, tires have been replaced every 10,000 miles or less, alignments and brakes were done annually minimum, etc., yet these cars are priced at half what a Crown Victoria of the same year/mileage would be priced at because of the perception that police cars are used and abused.

 

[YY1]

80's/90's crown vic 4D versus 70 Coronet 2D.

Not the same.

90's mustang. Closer

I've seen a couple of members on here equate ex cop cars with ex taxis.

No way. Just as you said taxi equals cheapest possible with usually a 225 and maybe big brakes, plus triple or more miles and more likely than not, way worse maint (but some are exceptions)

OP should also keep in mind that 70 front ends are very polarizing.

That also limits the market, and the value.

 

[Dibbons]

When I was CHP, we had hidden keys in a certain accessible spot, but I am sworn to secrecy.

During academy training, some of us volunteered to transport patrol vehicles on the weekend to offices near our homes, with "out of service" signs posted in the side windows. We were warned not to ever use the lights/siren. Well, some cadet(s) do not listen to the warning and were caught and found themselves in trouble.

My roommate at the academy vanished one day. I saw him walk out to the parking lot at lunchtime, and he never came back. He was a newlywed and this was a "live-in" full-time academy. I guess he got homesick, but in doing so he threw away a good chance at a career position.

When it came time for final range qualifications, I did not qualify along with two other cadets. I was sent to remedial firearms training, but my scores did not improve. The instructor tried using my Smith & Wesson revolver, and his aim was not any better than mine. Come to find out, the barrel had somehow come loose. After replacing the revolver, I started hitting the bulls-eye again. I lot of mental stress for nothing.

On the banked speedway used for high speed pursuit training, I spun out twice and the instructor was a little upset because he said they would have to change the tires out.

Then they made us go into a little shack and breathe tear gas momentarily, I coughed for months after that. They burned some marijuana in the classroom one day, so if we searched a car that smelled of the stuff, we could testify in court we knew what pot smelled like without having ever used the drug.

 

[Bruzilla]

When I was CHP, we had hidden keys in a certain accessible spot, but I am sworn to secrecy.

Our department had fleet keying, but the Maryland State Police didn't. I was on duty one night and my PCO told me a trooper was calling in wanting to know if we had a deputy in the north of the county who could meet him. I asked why, and the PCO told me the trooper had very sheepishly told him he was locked out of his cruiser.

Never being one to stick it to the state guys, I went over the air and directed my deputy to meet up at the trooper's 20 and make sure he brought his slim jim, which tipped off everyone on the frequency what had happened. The whole barrack was pissed at me for weeks.

 

[FU64RY]

Most police cars are ordered with single key locks, so one key works the doors, ignition, and trunk. Many agencies also have fleet keying so the same key works on every car. They'll tell you this is to reduce costs, but the truth is cops are always locking themselves out of their cars and this lets them call a buddy and have him open their doors instead of having to call in for a wrecker.

LOL...................Ya! can't lock yourself out of a 69 Plymouth.