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Classics come to life again - Crown Vic, you've got a rival!


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Just came across with an article that says that in Seattle, an officer uses this restored 1970 Plymouth Satellite as his everyday patrol car  :smile:

 

It was initially going to be an educational purpose and museum vehicle, though then, officers started seeing how even gang members began to be interested in the car and went to speak with the officers. Therefore, the owner, the veteran officer Jim Ritter reached an agreement with the Seattle Police Department to use the Plymouth as an active police cruiser.

 

It's a priceless story, check it out! http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Vintage-Seattle-police-car-draws-attention-204600701.html

 

 

130425_vintage_spd_car_2.jpg

 

The vehicle has 330hp, and the interior hasn't been changed but just added a police radio.

 

 

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thats pretty sweet, but my guess it he can't be involved in chases and had a restriction on code, because cars from the 60s-70s won't pass today's safety tests....

 

NVM I was wrong it can be used just like a regular patrol unit...

Edited by Darkangel

[u]​Click that spoiler you will not be disappointed!![/u]

 

[spoiler]http://www.choose.yudia.net/rickroll.swf

You've been Rick Rolled[/spoiler]

 

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Cool story/information!

Wow, it looks like this car was part of the patrol fleet in 1970.
Used as private vehicle and donated/reused by Seattle PD around 2006.

 

 

Just a quick note, you mentioned the officer (Jim Ritter) as the owner.

From the video and from the article, it states that this vehicle (along with others) were donated to a museum.

Quote from the article:
"The car itself came from Nebraska. A retired city worker gave the museum complete records of the fleet from that era, allowing Ritter to verify the car was indeed part of the Seattle fleet in 1970."

 

 

 

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That's pretty awesome. Now we're gonna be seeing old Chevelles and Chargers and whatnots out patrolling. Just imagine a pursuit with a '72 Chevelle SS 454. lol

 

i196387.jpg

 

tumblr_lcxe9azA1P1qbj46wo1_400.gif

 

@Darkangel, reading the comments I found out someone who said his local police department still used, if I remember well, a 60s Panel Wagon as radar unit.

 

@Intensified, yeah, as the article says, the guy has about 14 classic cars waiting to get restored. I hope we can see some pictures of the Aspen soon, since I haven't been able to find any vintage pictures of any Seattle Police version so far...

 

@FCV96, indeed it would be realy nice if more departments used some of the remains of their older fleets at least as public relation vehicles. Some departments use some of these older cars in parades, some other seem they just have them in the backyard as abandoned or reserve unit, as can be seen, in 2006, in Hoboken:

 

145578326_395f5d0334.jpg

 

The other day I found some pictures, I guess recent, of a 1990s Caprice if I recall as reserve or auxiliary unit, somewhere in NY  (it had the 01-10 license plates). It was sharing parking with some newer Crown Victorias:)

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I love that quote 

 

"But Ritter began to notice that people were attracted to the car. In one of the first instances, he said apparent gang members approached him, dropped their swagger, and wanted to chat about the car."

[u]​Click that spoiler you will not be disappointed!![/u]

 

[spoiler]http://www.choose.yudia.net/rickroll.swf

You've been Rick Rolled[/spoiler]

 

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That's awesome, Strike! - not much cooler than an 80s police-spec Caprice.  I do know that Nassau County Police have a few older vehicles in their auxiliary unit, including a 1993-1996 Caprice.  :D

 

shapeimage_2.png

 

 

Look at that; found a photo with not only the Caprice in question but a CVPI and Lumina too!

Edited by FCV96
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That's awesome, Strike! - not much cooler than an 80s police-spec Caprice.  I do know that Nassau County Police have a few older vehicles in their auxiliary unit, including a 1993-1996 Caprice.  :D

 

shapeimage_2.png

 

 

Look at that; found a photo with not only the Caprice in question but a CVPI and Lumina too!

 

I had already seen that picture before, though I thought it could be older due to the presence of the Lumina.

 

This is which I mean, though I guess is taken in the mid 2000s due to the old paintjob of the NYC taxi cabs seen in other pictures. Long Beach City PD: http://policecarwebsite.net/fc/ny/lb106.jpg

 

A small department of a town NY, called Brownville, seems that had 1980s Caprice even in 2005: http://policecarwebsite.net/fc/ny/brown.html

 

Anyway, those are nothing compared, in terms of age, than a 1970s car like the Seattle one, imagine the Plymouth Furys patroling the NYC streets again:)

 

71R%20(Small).jpg

Edited by strike
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I had already seen that picture before, though I thought it could be older due to the presence of the Lumina.

 

This is which I mean, though I guess is taken in the mid 2000s due to the old paintjob of the NYC taxi cabs seen in other pictures. Long Beach City PD: http://policecarwebsite.net/fc/ny/lb106.jpg

 

A small department of a town NY, called Brownville, seems that had 1980s Caprice even in 2005: http://policecarwebsite.net/fc/ny/brown.html

 

Anyway, those are nothing compared, in terms of age, than a 1970s car like the Seattle one, imagine the Plymouth Furys patroling the NYC streets again:)

 

71R%20(Small).jpg

 

That would perhaps be one of the greatest things of all time.  An NYPD officer that worked from the early 70s all the way up to the mid 1990s is a member of the faculty at the school I currently attend; he was stationed in the South Bronx during the 70s and saw the worst of the worst; on the plus side, he did also ride/drive the green/black/white RMPs out there at the time.  Quite awesome if I do say so myself. 

 

Interesting video relating to the subject if you haven't seen it already;

 

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I don't really care for the old style police cars but its a cool story. I don't understand why he would want to though with the technology, comfort, lighting, etc that is on police cars today. I know not all police cars are comfortable to sit in for officers but I'm just saying it in the other way of having the comfort of that technology that helps keep the officers safer.

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That would perhaps be one of the greatest things of all time.  An NYPD officer that worked from the early 70s all the way up to the mid 1990s is a member of the faculty at the school I currently attend; he was stationed in the South Bronx during the 70s and saw the worst of the worst; on the plus side, he did also ride/drive the green/black/white RMPs out there at the time.  Quite awesome if I do say so myself. 

 

Interesting video relating to the subject if you haven't seen it already;

 

 

That's impressive, South Bronx had to be a really scary place to wander at night, back then. I believe during the 1980s it was even worse, with the crack epidemic. You should check out this footage as well (harsh footage):

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0qiZK2-DRY

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