Chicago Police vehicles 1975-1990

what size motors did the CPD use ? Seems like the CPD always tries to save money.Does that mean a V6 or the smaller 305 or the 350.Thanks
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All marked cars in the CPD fleet since 1971 have had V8s. The full size Chevrolets had 350s up until the fuel-injected Caprices of the late 80s, which had the smaller V8. We never had any LT1s.


Greg
CPD and
copcar dot com

Ahmed, read the description, it's an airport car and the 3rd light (red) was required.

Yep, at earliest 1987, as that was the first year for the strobe bar.

This looks like a traffic patrol car from the 1980's. Never saw a lightbar combination like that, nor did I know that the CPD bought from Chevy in 1986. I don't even remember these cars when I was little.

What year was this picture taken? My guess is the late 80's, due to what looks like a late 80's styled Caprice in the background, and the Ford LTD at the right.

Why is it that you people see a MOVIE and think the cars are straight from the department. Movie cars are JUST THAT.... made up for the movie!

In "Running Scared", there were several 'R' body Chryslers in Chicago trim. (Most notably the 1979-1981 stylrd Plymouth Gran Fury.) I thought the CPD stopped buying Chryslers after 1978.

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I have photos of the R-body movie cars you're referring to in this album. Back in 1984, I worked for the production company that built and maintained those cars. They were repainted every couple of months whenever a new film was being shot in town. They were used in many movies. They were not former Chicago PD cars. Some were police package cars while others where just regular sedans.

Greg
copcar dot com

Looks like you've got both Greg. The two bikes in the front and the one in the rear right are Harleys. They have the wider front fender, flat wide handlebars and the blue lettering on the windshield. The bike in the rear left is a Honda. It has red lettering and narrow handlebars with a slight rise.

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Thanks, Larry

Greg
copcar dot com

I know about one of the dolphins. Zipper was his name. You have the photo of the plane crash where he died trying to rescue the passangers abourd the plane. I commented on it eariler, but of all police dolphins across the world he was the best!

I did a little researching and you are correct about the air bags in the 73 Impala. However there were only 1000 73 Impalas produced with air bags. Most Chevrolet B body police cars back then were the Bel Air not the Impala.

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JW-

Please drop the subject. The person who keeps asking about airbags all the time uses an email address of josefinarosario@bellsouth.net
If you wish to discuss it some more, please do it via email and not under my pictures.

Thank you

Greg

In the '70s GM had driver side airbags for it's full size vehicles before being discontinued in 1976. and i heard that the driver's side airbag was optional on the Buick Electra, Riviera and LeSabre Sedan Cadillac Sedan and Coupe Deville, Oldsmobile Delta 88, Tornado and Ninety-Eight. the only Chevrolet vehicle that had an airbag in the '70s was an experimental 1973 Chevrolet Impala Sedan. does any of the Chicago Police Cars had driver side airbags in the Chevrolet Impala back in the '70s? It's Automotive Safety I'm Talking About.

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Is there any particular reason that you feel compelled to ask that same question every day?? The answer is no. No side airbags. No middle airbags. No rear airbags. No top airbags. No bottom airbags. Got it? NO AIRBAGS.

The same thing applies to asking about foreign cars every day too. If someone knows, I am sure they'll speak up.
Can we move on now?


Greg
copcar dot com

In the '70s GM had driver side airbags for it's full size vehicles before being discontinued in 1976. and i heard that the driver's side airbag was optional on the Buick Electra, Riviera and LeSabre Sedan Cadillac Sedan and Coupe Deville, Oldsmobile Delta 88, Tornado and Ninety-Eight. the only Chevrolet vehicle that had an airbag in the '70s was an experimental 1973 Chevrolet Impala Sedan. does any of the Chicago Police Cars had driver side airbags in the Chevrolet Impala back in the '70s?

In the '70s GM had airbags for it's full size vehicles before being discontinued in 1976.
and i heard that the airbag was optional on the Buick
Electra, Cadillac Sedan and Coupe Deville, Oldsmobile Delta 88, Tornado and Ninety-Eight the only Chevrolet vehicle that had an airbag in the '70s was an experimental 1973 Chevrolet Impala Sedan.
does any of the Chicago Police Cars had that innovative system back then?
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Oh yes. The CPD was on the forefront of innovation in the 1970s and leading the way in law enforcement technology. Our traffic division pursuit cars were equipped with drag chutes to assist in slowing them down after high-speed chases and lakefront patrol cars had roof panels with automatic drop-down oxygen masks and their tires were filled with compressed helium to make them more buoyant if they went into Lake Michigan. The marine unit used glass-bottomed boats and specially trained fresh water dolphins for underwater rescues.

We were also the first PD to hire midget and/or dwarf officers in our SWAT team and used them to sneak into buildings through small openings and duct work to neutralize a hostile threat.

Hmmmm, what else was there.......?

Greg
CPD and
copcar dot com

Did CPD buy any Chevrolets in 1976?
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No sedans. Only station wagons for K-9 and administrative uses. The patrol cars in 1976 were Dodge Monacos.

Greg
CPD and
copcar dot com

Wow looking at all the photos of this guy, it looks like its extremly good condition for being an 86 and a CPD vehicle. Must have been inside most of the time (since it was the old heavy weapons truck) the "air team" emmisons sticker looks brand new too as well as the city sticker.