C-Body Police Car History

[shooter65]

I know this topic has been addressed in several threads but I received some interesting information from the Pennsylvania State Police Historical, Educational & Memorial Center. I sent emails/letters to a few state agencies requesting info on 1965 - 1978 police cars and so far, PA is the only one who responded. I've also asked if they can provide a scan of the broadcast sheet for the 72 they restored but haven't heard back yet. Here is the email I received today.

Good morning, Rick:

Please see the following in regards to your letter:

Here are the patrol vehicles used during this period: 1965 – 1978 (all units were 4-door sedans):

1965 Ford Custom 500: 400 units purchased: ratio of unmarked to marked is unknown

1966 Plymouth Fury II: 750 units purchased: ratio of unmarked to marked is unknown

1967 Ford Custom 500: 580 units purchased: 406 marked/174 conventional colors (unmarked)

1968 Plymouth Fury II: 800 units purchased: 400 marked/400 conventional colors (unmarked)

1969 Plymouth Fury II: 850 units purchased: ratio of unmarked to marked is unknown

1970 Plymouth Fury II: 810 units purchased: ratio of unmarked to marked is unknown

1971 Plymouth Fury II: 500 units purchased: ratio of unmarked to marked is unknown

1972 Plymouth Fury II: 375 units purchased: ratio of unmarked to marked is unknown

1973 Plymouth Fury II: 850 units purchased: ratio of unmarked to marked is unknown

1974 Plymouth Fury II: 800 units purchased: ratio of unmarked to marked is unknown

1975 Plymouth Gran Fury: 1,100 units purchased: 750 marked/350 conventional colors (unmarked)

No 1976 models purchased

1977 Plymouth Gran Fury: 250 units purchased: all appear to be marked

In 1965, the Department also employed through federal funds 20 special unmarked/unconventional patrol cars: 5 of each were purchased and used (all believe to be 1965 model years):

Dodge Polara

Oldsmobile Dynamic 88

Pontiac Star Chief

Buick Wildcat

Attached please find a spec sheet for the 1966 Plymouth restored by Sgt Elwood Spencer. No other documentation exist anymore for the above units beyond Sgt Spencer’s restoration project of the 66 PSP Plymouth.

1970 Plymouth Fury II

1971 Plymouth Fury II

 

[azblackhemi]

Very cool. Rear seat belts delete. Imagine the law suites today if a prisoner got hurt in an accident?

 

[bigmoparjeff]

Interesting and very nice. I'm a bit surprised that you got such a detailed response.

Just wish that you requested up to 1981, since my '79 StRegis was originally a PA State Trooper car. It would be nice to see how many they bought.

Jeff

 

[shooter65]

Very cool. Rear seat belts delete. Imagine the law suites today if a prisoner got hurt in an accident?

The rear seat belt delete surprised me also, I didn't expect to see that.

 

[shooter65]

Interesting and very nice. I'm a bit surprised that you got such a detailed response.

Just wish that you requested up to 1981, since my '79 StRegis was originally a PA State Trooper car. It would be nice to see how many they bought.

Jeff

Wow, I'd like to see pics of your St. Regis. I remember seeing them patrolling.

 

[Davea Lux]

Here is a build sheet from a '70 Fury 1 cruiser, a lot of the codes are probably the same as your '69 (This one has 2" tail pipes and 2 1/4" exhaust pipes) Click on mail
0129pdf.
Dave

 

[bigmoparjeff]

Wow, I'd like to see pics of your St. Regis. I remember seeing them patrolling.

Here it is in it's "Halifax Regional" paint scheme. It was in service all the way up till '94 or '95. You can see some of the original metallic blue on the beat up left bumper filler. If the rain lets up tomorrow, I can get some pics of the interior and underhood, since the car is outside right now.

Jeff

 

[68 4spd Fury]

Very cool. Rear seat belts delete. Imagine the law suites today if a prisoner got hurt in an accident?

Hey, they were cuffed anyway.

 

[Xenon]

Hey, they were cuffed anyway.

Weelll,, sorta...

 

[mrfury68]

I have always been a fan of Mopars in law enforcement. As long as they weren't behind me with their lights on. In the early '80s when I was working in an Exxon station, the Pennsylvania State Police were in charge of the safety inspection program and would visit stations that performed those inspections. They would go over the record keeping, tools and equipment required to do state inspections and sometimes even have you perform an inspection on their car or one you already had on the lift. One day, not long after I bought my Fury, the trooper came in to go over the books. Al, the station owner, always got a little uptight when the trooper visited even though we were pretty strict when we inspected cars. The trooper was driving an unmarked '75 Fury, silver with blue interior. When I asked him if it was all heavy duty, 440 etc. he said "that must be your '68." He was older and said he remembered very well when they got the Furys, nothing could touch them. He said there were some issues with braking but they were fast. He even let me open the hood of his Fury and just poke around looking at the heavy duty everything. What I wouldn't give to take one of those Fury Pursuits on a blast down an open road.

 

[commando1]

What I wouldn't give to take one of those Fury Pursuits on a blast down an open road.

#metoo

 

[A38E86D32]

I'd be interested if any info is heard from NJSP

 

[bigmoparjeff]

A few more pics. My fender tag pic was out of focus, so I'll have to take another.

 

[bigmoparjeff]

This '66 Polara police was at our club car show in October. Does everyone already know the story on this one, or should I tell it?

 

[polara71]

Please tell since you put it out there

 

[bigmoparjeff]

I think the '66 Polara has been at Carlisle a couple times, so some of you probably have seen it before. I first ran across it back around 1992-93 at the Jarrett Dodge show that our club used to put on in Hatboro, PA. The car was in active service all the way up till 1990, when the county's insurance company told them that they would no longer insure the car because it didn't have modern safety equipment. The current owner was able to purchase the car with lights and markings in tact because he was an active duty police officer at the time. He brings it to shows on a fairly regular basis, and these pics were taken at our Fred Beans Dodge show in October.

 

[shooter65]

I'd be interested if any info is heard from NJSP

Sorry, I don't believe I reached out to NJ, I was looking at departments that used non-standard police units. PSP didn't buy PK cars, they bought Fury II's and optioned them up to be police cars. I also reached out to WV because they used so many Chryslers, I think I reached out to Connecticut because they used 2-Door hardtops instead of sedans. I'll look tonight to see who all I reached out to and will post the letter I sent to the agencies in case someone wants to reach out to another agency and use my letter as a starting point for your request.

 

[1970cat]

an interesting site for those interested in ny trooper cars. plenty of pictures.
New York :: State Trooper Plates