72 Polara Custom

[ZedR]

Hi everybody,

Zed in Amarillo, Tx here.


Restoring a 1972 Dodge Polara (Ex-Texas Highway Patrol Car) - Unit No. D2-976. It's in fairly decent shape - but will be a project. I hope to get done by the end of the year, and will probably need some help locating some items from the membership here. I'm restoring it back to how it looked as a patrol car.


That year, the state ordered 76 polaras - oddly enough with the 400ci engine as opposed to the 440ci. - 8 3/4 rear end, HD shocks and brakes, AC Cutoff Switch, 140 MPH Certified Speedo, etc...


Look forward to participating in the group.


-Zed


Heres some pics from when I first bought it:

 

[has2bmopar]

That year, the state ordered 76 polaras - oddly enough with the 400ci engine as opposed to the 440ci. - 8 3/4 rear end, HD shocks and brakes, AC Cutoff Switch, 140 MPH Certified Speedo, etc...

Cool car... and it looks to be in decent shape.

I had a '70 Fury police car with the 140mph certified speedometer also, and no 440, just a 383 2bbl.

 

[detmatt]

Welcome to the site from the Motor City!

 

[1978 NYB]

Welcome aboard!

:sFl_america2:

Cool cop car!!! It looks like it's in pretty good shape. Post a lot of pictures!!!

 

[polara71]

Welcome...!! I dont think its odd that it was ordered with the 400. The 400's first year was 1972, it replaced the 383. So you have a 400 and not the 440, but still a super cool car and one that will get up to speed in a hurry. I find it more peculiar that the interior is green and not black and it has carpeting and not the rubber mat.

I see your engine is blue. Is it a H.P. engine? Anyone here know if the 400H.P's in a 72 C body were Orange?

 

[ZedR]

Welcome...!! I dont think its odd that it was ordered with the 400. The 400's first year was 1972, it replaced the 383. So you have a 400 and not the 440, but still a super cool car and one that will get up to speed in a hurry. I find it more peculiar that the interior is green and not black and it has carpeting and not the rubber mat.

I see your engine is blue. Is it a H.P. engine? Anyone here know if the 400H.P's in a 72 C body were Orange?

Well I just found it odd, because up to that point they had ordered their cars with 440's. (I'll say ~ 1966 - 1971).

They had also, though, bought Police K trim level cars with - as you pointed out - rubber flooring, Etc...

This year they bought the mid level trim, and outfitted it with Police options.

I do have the HP engine. Fender tag pics attached.

 

[commando1]

NICE! Wish i could find one like that. Going to watch with interest on your project!

 

[1978 NYB]

I see your engine is blue. Is it a H.P. engine? Anyone here know if the 400H.P's in a 72 C body were Orange?

All 400's were painted blue P4349217.

 

[polara71]

All 400's were painted blue P4349217.

In C bodies or B's too?

 

[1978 NYB]

In C bodies or B's too?

All 400's B's & C's were blue.

 

[polara71]

Hmm, interesting I had a 400 hp that was originally Orange with a very early casting date

 

[ZedR]

I'll try to pull all the numbers off tomorrow, but it is the original blue engine and tranny.

I hope to have it pulled this week after I get it to the new shop. The car had been sitting since 1978 outside, so it will be interesting to see of the motor or tranny are the reason for that.

 

[Lord Alvin]

There's a Peter Fonda movie called Dirty Mary Crazy Larry. The cops all drive 72 Polara's. The movie sucks, but I have a 72 Polara coupe so I had to watch. You can find the movie on Amazon's streaming service.

 

[polara71]

There's a Peter Fonda movie called Dirty Mary Crazy Larry. The cops all drive 72 Polara's. The movie sucks, but I have a 72 Polara coupe so I had to watch. You can find the movie on Amazon's streaming service.

Sucks? Vanishing point sucked........... Dirty Mary Crazy Larry was a decent movie.......

 

[detmatt]

Both movies had scripts that could have fit on the same sheet of paper but you still have to watch them as a Mopar guy.

 

[cld]

Zed--
Cool cop car. I travel for work throughout TX and have a couple Lubbock/Amarillo area projects coming up in 2014. If you need some parts brought from the Austin area let me know. We're usually in a work 4x4 with an empty bed, might as well carry something.