Highway Patrol

From the interweb we learn that this is a portrait of Trooper Clay W. Keith standing next to  his patrol car in Bartow, Florida.

Born on July 4, 1917 in Asheville, North Carolina. He was one of Florida's earliest troopers joining the FHP in 1941, a few years after it was officially established. He served 30 years in uniform, rising to the rank of major and becoming the state's first director of driver licensing in 1963. 

He left the FHP in 1978 to become the civilian head of driver licensing, and he remained in that post until retiring in 1987. In retirement, he became the official historian of the Florida Highway Patrol. Clay Keith died on December 18, 2000.

The automobile in the image appears to be a 1939-40 Ford Standard Tudor Sedan - commonly used by law enforcement agencies including the Florida Highway Patrol in the early 1940s.  

The rounded trunk and rear fenders are characteristic  of the 1940 Ford models .

Highway Patrol

Preferred by police fleets everywhere this happens to be a 1956 Wisconsin State Patrol Customline police interceptor.  

And a 1957 Michigan State Trooper and his Ford 300 Cruiser.

Available in both two or four-door configurations it features a new easy-handling ball-joint front suspension, Angle Poised Ride (whatever that is) and Ford Lifeguard engineering.

 You can dissect all of the specifications here.

Remember....

You can't outrun Motorola.

Highway Patrol

1957 Dodge Police Car was a high performance pursuit vehicle based on Dodge's standard production models but specifically equipped for law enforcement use.  It was part of the Dodge lineup that featured bold, futuristic styling, a wraparound windshield, tailfins and a wide stance.

Key features included a standard 325 cu in Red Ram V8 and an optional high performance 354 cu in Hemi V8.  Some models were equipped with dual, four-barrel carburetors, producing over 300 horsepower - making them one of the fastest police cars of the time.

Cars came in a classic two-tone black and white paint scheme, roof mounted red or blue emergency light, factory-installed siren and police radio and spotlight and push bars for the highway patrol version.

The 1957 model was adopted by many departments who needed high-speed pursuit capabilities. At the time Dodge was competing with Ford and Chevrolet for fleet dominance and its powerful engines and durability made it a favorite among officers.

 

Highway Patrol

Earlier this month I published some specs on the 1958 Ford patrol car.  

The 1959 Ford police car is a striking example of mid-20th-century American automotive design, combining both power and style. As part of Ford's lineup during a time of post-war optimism, this model featured bold, sharp lines, large tail fins, and an impressive chrome grille, all characteristics of the era’s automotive trends. 

The police version of the car was built to be both functional and imposing, offering a powerful V8 engine for pursuit and a distinct design to symbolize authority. Its appearance made it a recognizable figure on the streets, serving as a symbol of law and order during the late 1950s.

In terms of functionality, the 1959 Ford police car was equipped with several features that made it ideal for law enforcement. It had a heavy-duty suspension, powerful brakes, and extra lighting equipment to ensure that officers could respond quickly and effectively to emergencies. The inclusion of sirens, lights and a radio, allowed the vehicle to serve as both a patrol car and a pursuit vehicle.  As police departments across the United States began to modernize their fleets, the 1959 Ford was one of the standout vehicles, reflecting the era’s technological advances and the growing need for efficient and reliable law enforcement tools.

Naturally, this vehicle has since become desirable by car enthusiasts and collectors for its design and historical significance.  Its place in the history of American law enforcement vehicles is cemented by its iconic look and its role in shaping the image of police cars during a transformative period in American culture.  Nowadays, restored versions of the 1959 Ford police car are often displayed in museums and car shows, a nostalgic reminder of a bygone era when law enforcement vehicles were as much about style as they were about function.

Vintage NYPD 1959 Ford Police Car, Brooklyn, New York City.

Highway Patrol

The 1958 Ford police car was a rugged and powerful vehicle used by multiple law enforcement agencies across the US.  It was based-upon Ford's mainstream full-size Fairlane, Custom 300 or Galaxie models.

The muscle in these automobiles included a powerful 5.4L or 5.8L Interceptor V8 giving them ample margin for pursuit.  Transmissions offered a choice of a 3-speed manual or Ford-O-Matic.  Livery was either black-and-white or solid colors, a roof-mounted gumball and siren.

The roomy interior featured heavy-duty vinyl seats, basic and police instrumentation and radio hook-up.

Highway Patrol

The 1969 Chevrolet Bel Air police car had a really long wheelbase and a choice of:  454 CID. 270hp; 427 CID, 425hp or a 402CID 240hp V8 engine.  Unusually, the transmission was a four-speed manual.

Performance

• Acceleration 0-60 in 8.6 seconds
  
• Could run a quarter-mile in 16.7 seconds at 82 mph
• Could reach 113 mph without a lightbar
• Top speed was reduced by 6–8 mph with a lightbar and 1.5 mph with pillar-mounted spotlights 
  

Here's a really fun story about the search for a surviving Big Block Chevy Police Interceptor  from the Hemmings New archives.

Highway Patrol

The 1973 Torino police car was widely used in cities and rural areas due to its affordability and reliability. It also gained fame through TV shows and movies featuring classic police chases, often depicted sliding around corners in high-speed pursuits.

A popular choice for law enforcement agencies in the early 1970s it was part of Ford’s Torino lineup, widely known for its durability, performance, and muscular styling. 

• Engine Options:

  • 302 cu in (4.9L) Windsor V8 (Base)

  • 351 cu in (5.8L) Cleveland V8

  • 400 cu in (6.6L) Cleveland V8

  • 429 cu in (7.0L) Police Interceptor V8 (High-performance option)

• Transmission:

  • 3-speed automatic (C4 or C6)

  • 4-speed manual (rare for police models)

• Performance:

  • The 429 Police Interceptor engine could produce up to 205-275 horsepower (depending on setup)

  • Heavy-duty suspension for improved handling and durability

  • Larger brakes for high-speed pursuits

• Features:

• Police Package (Code SPP - Special Police Package): Included reinforced frame, upgraded cooling system, heavy-duty alternator, and high-output ignition.

• Interior: Basic vinyl seats for easy cleaning, police radio mounts, and spotlights.

• Exterior: Black-and-white paint schemes were common, with red or blue emergency lights on the roof.

• Tires and Wheels: Heavy-duty steel wheels with police-rated tires.

Highway Patrol

The 1972 Mercury Monterey Police Interceptor was equipped with a 429 V8 producing about 209hp, with a four-barrel carburetor designed to run on regular, low lead or unleaded gasoline and a heavy duty automatic transmission - the only choice for the law enforcement model.

For 1972 there was a shift to lower horsepower as a consequence of new emission standards.  After 1974 the 429 engine was discontinued with later models equipped with Lincoln's 460 V8 as the top option.

Fun video....

Highway Patrol

Radio Motor Patrol (RMP) is a term used to describe the patrol cars of the New York Cidy Police Department (NYPD).

A NYPD RMP had a short and thankless existence back in 1971.  A 440 cid Mopar Police Pursuit vehicle made no sense whatsoever for the NYPD as most RMPs patrolled at 10 to 15 MPH.  These cars were stripped-down with no options, no prisoner cage, a six-cylinder, warning lights, roof-mounted siren and an analog Motorola radio.  

They ran 24 hours a day and after four years were completely used-up, sold for scrap  or busted-up for parts.  

Which would explain why this vehicle is not a restoration - it is a replica.  You can read about it here.

Road Muscle

Behold the 1968 Chevrolet Camaro Z28; and all its performance attributes.  

Darn nice ride.

And the 2024 Mustang Mach-E.  

A darn better ride. 

 

My daily drive is a Mustang Mach-E Premium AWD with an extended range battery

Engine:  Two permanent magnet, synchronous electric motors, with a single speed automatic transmission

Power: 346 HP

Weight: 4,759 LB

Top Speed: Factory limited to 120 MPH

0-60 mph: 3.8 sec

Max Torque:  428 LB FT

Automotive engineering has moved light years since 1968.  

And there is no such thing as a green sports car.

Vrooom!

 

Highway Patrol

There's an old saying in law enforcement - You cannot out run Motorola.  

It may also be you might find it difficult to outrun the 1969 Dodge Polara Pursuit.  Like these  Royal Canadian Mounties showing-off their RCMP four wheel Polara mounts.

The 1969 Dodge Polara has long been considered the pinnacle of police car performance boasting a 375hp 440 lurking under the hood, heavy-duty suspension and ginormous brakes.

That's more muscle than plenty of peer muscle cars back in the day.  For good reason.

How'd you like to have this California Highway Patrol (CHP) restoration in the spare stall of your garage?

 

Vroom!

Here's What Makes America Great

This past weekend I took a half-day to clean-up, vac, fuel-up and charge-up the 1968 Pontiac convertible.  The plan was to put it up for sale earlier in the spring but other considerations intervened with other more carefully-laid plans.  Nevertheless, Jill mentioned that there was a church picnic and car show at Holy Name of Mary Church in nearby Maplewood.  

click on images to enlarge

A good opportunity to show it, put a For Sale sign on it and hang-out.

 As far as church picnics go this was nice.  The usual array of brats, burgers trippe and booyah.

Hot cars.

64 Mustang in the foreground and a 68 LeMans in the background

40 Ford 

Ford Model A




Live music and cold beer. 

And  an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) - commonly known as a drone - buzzing the crowd and the church.





Community, terrific food, Detroit muscle, great weather, cold beer, religion and aerial technology.  It doesn't get any better than this.  America is a Great Place.

Hanger Queen

Last weekend I got The Beast running.

That's my affectionate name for the 1968 Pontiac that has been taking-up space in the garage.  Last year I never had it out once.  Which is sad because it truly is a head-turner of a vehicle. 

All three hundred and fifty cubic inches of its gas-guzzling glory.  A red convertible with fuzzy dice swinging from the rear view mirror does attract a lot of attention.

And it cleans-up nicely.  

 click on the red car to enlarge

And we drove down to Rosiere on the county line to have a frosty beer and poke our finger in Lee's eye.

When The Beast lived with me in the Big City it was driven all of the time.  I would drive it to the day job when the weather was nice.  I drove it in the Wauwatosa Independence Day Parade with my Kiwanis pals every summer.  Because it was kept in my pop's garage he would drive it when I wasn't using it.  We have been acquainted since I purchased her in 1987.  As the second owner we have enjoyed a long and enduring relationship. Alas, like an old aircraft gathering dust in the hanger lately it's just been taking-up space.  After I get some minor tune-up things complete I'm putting this piece of Detroit muscle car glory up for sale.

I may regret it - but it deserves to be driven.

Sturgeon By Car Show

Harvest Festival 2012 was today and Brother In Law and I and the Fraus went to check it out.

If you ever have the opportunity to attend it's got gobs of arts and crafts for sale, music, and all sorts of food.  The Marine Corps League sells Italian sausages with peppers on real Italian rolls, the Knights of Columbus sells grilled turkey legs and sweet corn, the Rotary sells brats, plus there's pizza, kettle corn, sweets and beer.  And wine.  And more beer.

The festival also hosts one of the best car shows around.

click on images to enlarge

Amazing to me that there are so many cool cars on the peninsula.

Check back periodically for some real cool wheels. 

Cool Cars

The 2011 Detroit Auto Show kicked off this past week, featuring a potpourri of new models, updates to current product lines and, of course, a bevy of concept cars (most of which will never see an assembly line).

See a slideshow of some of the top headliners of the show.

More Cool Automobiles - The Natives

Here are some homegrown classics. Can you identify them?

click on image to enlarge

The Beast

I have found the twin brother of The Beast.

A woman from Green Bay drives this ride.

Just between you and me - I have authentic (and nicer) rims.

Sandblasted, painted and clear coated. Finished with authentic PMD glass bezels on the hubs and 1968 lug nuts with the black centers.

Brother In Law said we should take The Beast to the show next year and sit with these ladies.

The Beast

Thursday my wife says -There is going to be a car show at Rouer's in town on Saturday. I saw a flyer on the bulletin board at the grocery store and at the post office. You should take The Beast over there if the weather is nice.

The Beast happens to be a 1968 Pontiac LeMans. I'm the second owner and I've now owned it longer than the first owner.

Pontiac's Tempest line included the Tempest, LeMans and GTO.

My Car has a 350 engine and a two-speed slush box transmission. It is also a rag top.

It's called The Beast because only a beastly car would guzzle gasoline like this one and handle like a large pile of wet bread dough.

But that's how Detroit built their cars back then. Big and fast and short on the finesse.

Anyway, Retro Modz & Rodz is the local car club and this was their second annual car show hosted by Rouer's Grand Slam.

You talk about perfect weather! Sunny and not too hot. $2 burgers and $2 Millers in a frosty 16 ounce aluminum bottle. My garden was in so I'm all over this.

I pulled-off The Beast's shroud, retracted the top, dusted it-off and fired it up!

Ooooh baby. Just listen to that rumble.

Close the back door - you're going to make the house stink!

This was also the era before emission controls.














We counted about 75 entries for the show in this little burg. If my math is correct that would make the ownership of collector cars pretty close to two-tenths of one percent.

I wonder what it is elsewhere?

This guy drove his dragster from the shop a couple of blocks down the road.

I thought this 1956 Chevy was the best of show. I was wrong.















Chevy Malibu. Get the impression that I am partial to red cars?














1967 Pontiac Firebird.














1962 Chevy II Nova. I owned one of these in college. I paid $50 for it. Naturally it wasn't as show-worthy as this.














Here it is - The Beast.














So - I bring you the start-up sequence for a 1968 Pontiac GTO.

This is muscle car porn so don't let your wife catch you watching...