Joined: Tue Oct 11 2005, 01:33AM
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 5893
Krautmaster wrote ... The '71 and up Cop cars only had stiffer springs and larger torsion bars-no other chassis reinforcements. Some of the NM State Police pursuit models had mercury bars installed in the trunk (a 3"x40" pipe 1/2 way filled up with mercury--can you say toxic waste nightmare?) on top of a piece of 3/8" diamond plate that was tied into the sub frame. The idea was to help keep the car flat in corners, and they worked, but those suckers were heavy!
The older 60's cop cars had torque boxes, stiffer rear springs and thicker torsion bars.
Murcury bars eh!
In the early 60's, four of us pooled our money and bought a 51 Chev 4 dr ht for $40. It was a fixer-upper. It had rust issues, funny shocks and semi functional everything else.
Someone dreamed up a handling improvement and threw an old hot water tank half full of water in the trunk. Actually, it was first thrown in the back seat but that idea was abandoned about 20 minutes into the drive-in theatre feature film. In any case, it actually worked and we became very talented sliding turn artists.
There were a couple of sweet young things living on the corner a few streets over and one day they were out sun bathing in their front yard while their, not to fooled with, father pushed the lawn mower around the yard. Well we couldn't pass up a prime opportunity like that to show the world our new found driving expertise. We drove around the block and did a nice power slide turn, but they didn't appear to even notice. So, on the next pass we gave the straight 6 the works determined to make an impression. Well, we hit the turn a tad fast and sort of slid sideways into the curb at which point the rear quarter panel disconnected at the bottom, hinged up, allowing the hot water tank to launch like a torpedo.
Unaware of all this excitement we kept on going, giving up on those stuck-up babes.
Later we discovered our torpedo didn't hit anyone but did a number on decorative rock garden and caused quite a bit of excitement.
The crazy part, the girls never did noticed us, nor did the father, and nobody had any clue where the high speed water tank came from.
This was the same car that we killed by jumping a hump in the road and made a first class 6 point landing.
Joined: Sun Mar 28 2010, 06:55PM
Location: michigan
Posts: 5
commando1 wrote ... Seems to me you two guys would be the one to ask. I have seen pics of Gran Fury cop cars with bucket seats. Twice, in the exact same style in two different former cop cars, so I'm pretty sure it wasn't done later. Know anything about them? Ever seen them?
Ahhh, I got nothing. But I sent out some feelers, for whatever's that worth; I'll keep you posted if I learn of anything.
> [from Fury440] ...Was the most fun I've every had for $10. The ol' sideway shooter! What a blast.
Joined: Fri Aug 31 2007, 04:21PM
Location: Loma Linda, CA
Posts: 84
Hi kimmeli, I have pictures of my 71 polara CHP, the disassembly, documentation of what I've found and the improvemnets I've made. I can't post them thru the corporate restrictions on my computer but I can email them. If you or any others would like them, my email is on my data sheet. Posting them back to the forum is ok by me. Ron.
Joined: Fri Aug 31 2007, 04:21PM
Location: Loma Linda, CA
Posts: 84
Hi sigmfsk, I was in the ecology yard yesterday for their half price weekend and there was a '74 chrysler newport 4dr. hardtop. I got the spindles, rotor/hubs, calipers. It's otherwise complete; 400c.i., pb, ps, ac, etc. Anything you need that you can't get close by where you live and would interchange with your dodge? Also, a general notice for all who live in the SoCal area, this is the ecology yard located off of Riverside Ave., interstate 10 fwy, Rialto/Bloomington. Ron.
Joined: Sun Mar 28 2010, 06:55PM
Location: michigan
Posts: 5
ron wrote ... Hi sigmfsk, I was in the ecology yard yesterday for their half price weekend and there was a '74 chrysler newport 4dr. hardtop. I got the spindles, rotor/hubs, calipers. It's otherwise complete; 400c.i., pb, ps, ac, etc. Anything you need that you can't get close by where you live and would interchange with your dodge?...
Thanks, it sounds like a nice find, but I'm doing well in the spare parts department. I ended up getting a 1976 Monaco for use as a parts car (and sheet metal donor). So between that and some parts swapping I'm all set. I just need to work faster. Here are some pics about conversion plan of an Indy 440-15 tunnel ram intake to an EFI intake.
Measuring distances in garage.
Mocking up setup in bedroom.
your friend in measuring 100 times, and cutting once, arthur