Anonymous I doubt if this VW was ever used for patrol. I am guessing in 76 it probably used for parking enforcement or something similar. In 1976 the counrty was at the height of the gas crisis so why not use a smaller vehicle.

Of all things, why would you have a VW beetle for a police vehicle? How stupid and cheap do you have to be?

These cars were not police packages. We had to upgrade them as best as we could by adding heavy duty batteries, etc. They were comfortable for the most part, but not for two grown men. You couldn't put a cage in them either. They were good on gas too. Guest JW is right, there were not many SUV's to choose from, and few if any were actual police package SUV's so these Eagles fit the bill for a small department.

Officer Max Bellard and Unit 5-1 during the summer of 2004. Photo taken at Collier Township (PA) Police Dept. Note the Collier unit parked in the backround.

1977 plymouth volare police cars is the coolist police cars in pittsburgh. but when the 1990s police cars are different oldsmobile 88s and Booneville's police cars but in the movies u see the different pittsburgh police cars.

well the 1980s plymouth gran fury is a midsize police cars.

Their graphics today are a lot better than on the older cars.

i like the pittsburgh police cars but back in the 70s they drive different police cars like in the early 90s on the tv show cops they drive oldsmobile 88s and pontiac booneville's but i the booneville's more then the oldsmobile 88's. now i like the new pittsburgh cars chevy Lumina's & Impala's.

I drove both of these cruisers. We had an AMC dealership in town and they gave us a great price when we bought the first one. Shortly after we got it, the cruiser was parked in front of the station late at night. A DWI driver hit the Eagle from the back, and somehow the Eagle drifted or was pushed across the street. We had it checked by AMC techs as we were worried about transmission damage. There was NONE!!!! They were relatively comfortable but small inside. It was NOT a 2-man patrol car! The A/C was very poor. Gas mileage was good but they were not all that reliable. They were good in the snow, in icy narrow alleys, etc but not good for regular patrol on a daily basis

Yes, these were used as patrol vehicles. They were 4 wheel drive. Believe it or not, there were a number of departments that used AMC Eagles. There are photos in my page of Eagles used by Brooke Co. WV Sheriff, and my own department.

love these tennessee state patrol colours, has tenn always used blue lights? i am from canada and dont get to see tennessee cars much at all

If you look at the Furys in Smokey and the Bandit the one's from Mississippi Highway Patrol and I think the one's from Arkansas State Police have this same hood scoop. Are you sure it was not an option on the Fury police package back then. I would imagine they bought used cars from the agencies to make the movie just like they bought used CPD and ISP cars to make the original Blues Brothers.

The City of Atlanta cars are the worst cars I have ever seen at Auction. It would be rare to find an authentic one that would be restorable.

I would bet that the hood scoop was to help remove some of the Georgia heat from under the hood, it seems to have been a "fad" of sorts on all types of cars back then. Of course it may have also had some "imtimidation" factor?

That is a Cal-Custom hood scoop, we are restoring an actual 74 Satellite from Dekalb and the scoop was still on it. Only our car is B-5 Blue originally and then someone painted it green and then again to B-7 darker blue.....

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Just what was the purpose of the hood scoop and why do you think it didn't catch on with other PDs around the country?

Greg
copcar dot com

Look, I know someone who has a 76 A38 Dart E58 360 cat delete, and he is always teasing me with it. It was on my mind when I looked at the pic, happy now???? (yes, I was wrong)

I don't belive they were a police package. However a lot of departments that patrol rugged terrains and patrol in adverse weather bought a few of them for patrol cars. Think about it they were 4x4 and I am sure they were better on gas and more comfortable than any other 4x4 of the time. Back when these were made there were not any luxary SUV's and 4x4 trucks availble as there is today.

Is this one of those Boyertown's, like the one at the NYC Police Museum?

Looks more like the tail light of the car across the aisle if you ask me
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After closer examination of the photo I agree with Mr Anonymous. It's not a spotlight. It actually looks to me like the passenger side taillight to a Mustang parked in the trailer park lot in the distance.

Greg
copcar dot com

Looked like a spotlight there on the A-Pillar, I might be wrong.