MrMopar's 1969 California Highway Patrol restoration
- Thread starter MrMoparCHP
- Start date
commando1
Old Man with a Hat
138 with 3:23? NOT shabby at all!
72Fury
Senior Member
I believe it to be. The Louisville Police had one and my Dad's Captain ran it 146, it might have been 147 - I'd have to ask or check my notes. My 72, according to the owner ran 140 plus for some distance. He eventually blew up the engine doing it however.
And then there was the other guy ( I sent his contact info several years ago to Allan) that ran his 69 CHP car, stock rebuild with upgraded suspension, a claimed 168 mph on Road Atlanta. That's his claim, not mine.
commando1
Old Man with a Hat
Tuned within an inch of its life and 2.91(?) gears? I can see it.
MrMoparCHP
Old Man with a Hat
The math doesn't lie, these are the numbers without changing the rear gear or tires.
RPM Ratio Tire MPH
500 3.23 28.2 13.0
1000 3.23 28.2 26.0
1500 3.23 28.2 39.0
2000 3.23 28.2 52.0
2500 3.23 28.2 65.0
3000 3.23 28.2 78.0
3500 3.23 28.2 90.9
4000 3.23 28.2 103.9
4500 3.23 28.2 116.9
5000 3.23 28.2 129.9
5500 3.23 28.2 142.9
6000 3.23 28.2 155.9
6500 3.23 28.2 168.9
7000 3.23 28.2 181.9
RPM Ratio Tire MPH
1539 3.23 28.2 40
1924 3.23 28.2 50
2309 3.23 28.2 60
2694 3.23 28.2 70
3079 3.23 28.2 80
3464 3.23 28.2 90
3849 3.23 28.2 100
4233 3.23 28.2 110
4618 3.23 28.2 120
5003 3.23 28.2 130
5388 3.23 28.2 140
5773 3.23 28.2 150
6158 3.23 28.2 160
6542 3.23 28.2 170
Alan
RPM Ratio Tire MPH
500 3.23 28.2 13.0
1000 3.23 28.2 26.0
1500 3.23 28.2 39.0
2000 3.23 28.2 52.0
2500 3.23 28.2 65.0
3000 3.23 28.2 78.0
3500 3.23 28.2 90.9
4000 3.23 28.2 103.9
4500 3.23 28.2 116.9
5000 3.23 28.2 129.9
5500 3.23 28.2 142.9
6000 3.23 28.2 155.9
6500 3.23 28.2 168.9
7000 3.23 28.2 181.9
RPM Ratio Tire MPH
1539 3.23 28.2 40
1924 3.23 28.2 50
2309 3.23 28.2 60
2694 3.23 28.2 70
3079 3.23 28.2 80
3464 3.23 28.2 90
3849 3.23 28.2 100
4233 3.23 28.2 110
4618 3.23 28.2 120
5003 3.23 28.2 130
5388 3.23 28.2 140
5773 3.23 28.2 150
6158 3.23 28.2 160
6542 3.23 28.2 170
Alan
maybe for testing or some PDs put taller tires on or ordered optional taller ratios ?
MrMoparCHP
Old Man with a Hat
For the most part it is done, not quite show ready but very presentable.
Alan
Alan
Pete Kaczmarski
Senior Member
It is a work or art. Your skill was second to none. Please share your first car show experience this year when it happens. Your thoughts and the publics comments.
Fratzog
Old Man with a Hat
Thanks for keeping us posted. What are the final touches still required?
traintech55
Senior Member
Probably 3.23 to 1. I don't care what anyone says 138 MPH in a 1969 Polara is fast.
MrMoparCHP
Old Man with a Hat
Currently the first showing is a CHP event April 5, I'm sure the car will be out before that.
Graphics, quality sill plates, rear window inside trim, CHP shoulder belts, test and hookup the original CHP radio, get the AC system charged and tested.
More long term, get the car on a lift and finish detailing the underside, build the protective barrier (cage).
Alan
MrMoparCHP
Old Man with a Hat
We are talking CHP here, the options are endless of what other departments may have done. The myths and legends surrounding the "CHP" 1969 Polara are unbelievable. The 149.6 by Chrysler at their testing facility I believe, that is 5757 RPM in a car specifically tuned by them. Production out of the box cars at 135 RPM at 5195, anything else it starts getting real fuzzy.
MrMoparCHP
Old Man with a Hat
Well here I am six and a half years later and I look back. I have pictures for 425 days that equates to about 85 weeks at 5 days each, a little over a year and a half. In short just under 20% of the days I had the car were spent working on it. I didn’t keep a log but on a couple occasions I estimated that I have somewhere between $25-$30,000 (probably more) in this project, I feel that is pretty good as I know people with just that in their paint.
I don’t see myself as a car restorer as this is only my second project and the only one that was actually a restoration. With my Barracuda I did pull the car completely apart repaint it with no bodywork, put new upholstery in (that someone else put on the seats). The heater box was installed just as it came out, as was the steering column (with a fresh coat of paint). I didn’t see any special skills needed to disassemble and reassemble the car, I did paint the car myself but under close eye of an instructor.
With this car my challenges were totally different as there was some rust repair and I had just learned to weld. For one I never looked at this car as a single project but hundreds of small projects, when you do that the idea of what you are up against doesn’t seem so bad. I knew I could tear the car apart and put it together, so I did just that, bag and tag with lots of pictures.
The first real project was the front floor replacement, I chose to first cutaway everything that was bad so I could better see what I was up against. The beauty of doing that is the car looks ten times better just doing that and quickly you stop feeling overwhelmed. That idea carried into the rear window and 95% of the bodywork was done. This is where I chose to find someone that could finish the bodywork and prepare the car for paint and ultimately paint the car.
The attitude of small projects was carried through the rest of the car, I feel one of my greatest assets was managing priorities and planning ahead for what was needed next. Even before I started on the next item I thought it through and collected parts, I made sure I had everything and assessed them to see what work was needed, is replacements were needed then they were put in the cue and as money was available procured. As the car came apart many parts that I knew would need to be replaced were put on a mental list and I kept an eye out for them. I didn’t want to waste time or money on an assembly just to have it sit on a shelf potentially getting messed up, I focused on what was needed next.
On a project like this research was a big part of it, sometimes parts that were pulled off were obviously not correct, understanding the correct finishes. I was fortunate enough to have another Polara and a parts car that were different colors that aided in understanding some of the underhood finishes. One of the biggest hurdles was locating all the correct CHP equipment, not long before I acquired this car I was fortunate enough to meet the owner of a fully restored car and very knowledgeable on the correct CHP equipment. In working on my car we have found multiple restoration errors with his car and he is in the process of rectifying them.
I feel my persistence more than anything else was my greatest asset in getting this project done. I have had a couple people tell me that they have chose to take on their own project after reading about mine, the likelihood is these project may not have gotten done otherwise. Honestly I feel just about anybody here could have done this, can you wrench? can you blast? can you spray paint? no special skills needed.
Time to start enjoying my cars, no more restorations.
Alan
I don’t see myself as a car restorer as this is only my second project and the only one that was actually a restoration. With my Barracuda I did pull the car completely apart repaint it with no bodywork, put new upholstery in (that someone else put on the seats). The heater box was installed just as it came out, as was the steering column (with a fresh coat of paint). I didn’t see any special skills needed to disassemble and reassemble the car, I did paint the car myself but under close eye of an instructor.
With this car my challenges were totally different as there was some rust repair and I had just learned to weld. For one I never looked at this car as a single project but hundreds of small projects, when you do that the idea of what you are up against doesn’t seem so bad. I knew I could tear the car apart and put it together, so I did just that, bag and tag with lots of pictures.
The first real project was the front floor replacement, I chose to first cutaway everything that was bad so I could better see what I was up against. The beauty of doing that is the car looks ten times better just doing that and quickly you stop feeling overwhelmed. That idea carried into the rear window and 95% of the bodywork was done. This is where I chose to find someone that could finish the bodywork and prepare the car for paint and ultimately paint the car.
The attitude of small projects was carried through the rest of the car, I feel one of my greatest assets was managing priorities and planning ahead for what was needed next. Even before I started on the next item I thought it through and collected parts, I made sure I had everything and assessed them to see what work was needed, is replacements were needed then they were put in the cue and as money was available procured. As the car came apart many parts that I knew would need to be replaced were put on a mental list and I kept an eye out for them. I didn’t want to waste time or money on an assembly just to have it sit on a shelf potentially getting messed up, I focused on what was needed next.
On a project like this research was a big part of it, sometimes parts that were pulled off were obviously not correct, understanding the correct finishes. I was fortunate enough to have another Polara and a parts car that were different colors that aided in understanding some of the underhood finishes. One of the biggest hurdles was locating all the correct CHP equipment, not long before I acquired this car I was fortunate enough to meet the owner of a fully restored car and very knowledgeable on the correct CHP equipment. In working on my car we have found multiple restoration errors with his car and he is in the process of rectifying them.
I feel my persistence more than anything else was my greatest asset in getting this project done. I have had a couple people tell me that they have chose to take on their own project after reading about mine, the likelihood is these project may not have gotten done otherwise. Honestly I feel just about anybody here could have done this, can you wrench? can you blast? can you spray paint? no special skills needed.
Time to start enjoying my cars, no more restorations.
Alan
Fury Pursuit
Senior Member
Patience and persistence are special skills Allen, and you obviously have them!
Very cool MoPar Sir!!!!!!
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73Coupe
Senior Member
Very cool. I look forward to seeing this car out and about in the future.
Where do you get the CHP body decals from? Are they custom made?
Where do you get the CHP body decals from? Are they custom made?
commando1
Old Man with a Hat
Alan, I've followed this adventure since you joined. I'm a little sad to seeing it come to its conclusion.
I hope to see this car in person someday.
What else can I say but, Great job!!!
I hope to see this car in person someday.
What else can I say but, Great job!!!
MrMoparCHP
Old Man with a Hat
This June I'll be at the Mopar Alley show in Cupertino with the car, I'll be kicking off the show season at the Spring Fling Mopar show in Van Nuys April 8/9
The graphics I have are reproductions by M-Squad Graphics. The auto tech at one of the local CHP offices said he may know where some original stars are, otherwise all dried up in the CHP inventory, they were gone long ago. (this style was last used mid 80's)
Alan
73Coupe
Senior Member
Nice, I didn't know there was a company dedicated to reproducing public safety vehicle decals. I continue to be amazed...
We'll probably see you this June in Cupertino!
We'll probably see you this June in Cupertino!
MrMoparCHP
Old Man with a Hat
This morning my friend drove up to my place so another friend could do some intensive tuning.
After a few test drives we were done for the day, so we took the two cars out for some pictures.
Until the graphics go on it is still a restoration, once I'm "done" I'll start a new thread.
Alan
After a few test drives we were done for the day, so we took the two cars out for some pictures.
Until the graphics go on it is still a restoration, once I'm "done" I'll start a new thread.
Alan
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