This photo looks like it could have been taken back in the 60's but the new Buggy across the street takes that away

I see a bracket below the power transistors on the bottom of the chassis. The PA20A Series 2E typically has the bracket on the bottom. PA20As that have serial numbers beginning with '2E' are 1970s models. 1960s Federal electronic sirens had chassis covers without the bracket. However, chassis covers are interchangeable, so I can't say for sure. If your PA20A is a Series 2B, then you have a period correct model. Series 2B was introduced at about the same time as the '68 Fury.
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Ok. Thanks Les. I didn't know that. The Fury is in winter storage for now so I'll have to take a closer look the next time I go see it for a visit.

Greg

What is the serial number on the Federal PA20A? The first two digits in the serial number should indicate whether the siren is period correct or not.
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What makes you think the siren is NOT period correct?

Greg
Owner and restorer of the car in the photo

What you call a roof light on this police car?
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It was called the Mars Skybolt Combo "Chicago" bar. They were used by the Chicago Police Department from 1972 until 1987 on patrol cars and until 1991 on trucks and paddy wagons

Greg
Copcar dot com,
Chicago PD and restorer of the car in the picture

He got a oldtimer nightstick
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It's not THAT old. That's the baton I was issued when I came on the job 17 yrs ago.

Greg
copcar dot com

Greg:
Hail to you, sir. You are to be saluted! You've done an outstanding job on ALL of your Chicago PD cars.
Keep up the great work!
-Roman Collins
Lufkin, Texas
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Yes, he's not bad for an amateur. Luckily, he does hang out with me and soon will be picking up the finer points of restoring a car.

Dave

is it hard finding reproduction door emblems,and do you have any problems with the various departments.Here in Florida its written in the state statutes,that no private vehicles can be painted nor marked the same as any Florida Highway Patrol Vehicle.
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The difference here is that the owner and restorer of the car is a Chicago police officer and the vehicle is often used for official department functions.

copcar dot com

Hahahaha...some secrets are meant to be kept. It's fun to speculate though...thanks for posting the picture.

All the best,
Tim

Oh, come on...my post MUST have rankled SOMEBODY out there...no one cares to step up and even discuss it?

All the best,
Tim
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I own the one and drive the other. I know which one is faster, but I'm not telling.

Greg Reynolds--owner of the Plymouth and driver of the Ford

Hmmm...depends. We know what the Ford has under it's hood...and it seems that the Mopar has a 383.

According to Ed Sanow's frustratingly random book on Mopar Police Cars 1956-1978, a very smiliar Dodge Super Bee/Plymouth Road Runner with a 383 ran the quarter mile at 96 to 99 mph with an ET of around 15 seconds (page 94).

According to the Car and Driver (July 2002) the last tested numbes on a 4.6-liter police Vic: 8.4 to 60 and 16.5 at 84 mph in the quarter. (http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=26&article_id=2279&page_number=1)
2001 MSP Vehicle testing idicates that it reaches 100 in 26.4 seconds and has a top speed of 129 (sans lightbar). I'm not sure about the Belvedere...

But I think we can safely say that the Plymouth beats the '01 Ford. Of course if you read the rest of that article in Car and Driver, it's nothing a V10 and a new rear end couldn't fix!

I'd love to see what other people come up with.

Which one is faster?

Now that I think about it some more i think I do remember something about these. there were freeway cars. these had brake lights on the roof because of the stops they would make and a lot would get hit.
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Don- I have several shots of old traffic cars on this site that all have the red lights. These red lights came before the installation of the Mars bars in 1972. As I'm sure you remember, the Mars bars had the brake lights incorporated right into the bar. The tradition of the additional brake lights in the lightbar still carries on today.

Greg
copcar dot com

I am a retireed cpd who went 30 years on the job. I retired in 91. I remember traffic cars but never have seen anything like this on them. I did a stint in traffic for about 5 years from 70 to 75. I think we still had a couple 68 Plymouths left and I know they did not has these lights. maybe that picture was just a brief experiment but they must have taken them off after the picture. cpd only had blue during the late sixties and after.

Don D

this is a great pic and thanks for posting a little of my hometown on the web. thanks

Copcar dot com top site. I have been into american cop cars since forever and to see all these lovingly restored cars is a joy. As far as the comment about wrong colour being used if this person took the time to think about all the time ,love and hard work that must have gone into this and all restorations he would realise a mistake like that could never happen. As Rob has said in his message " BRAVO".

Keep up the great work
Best regards. Alex

Greg, I see that your '77 has the optional vent windows. Did a the CPD cars have them? All the photos I have seen with the CPD Monacos did not have them, but they had stainless steel drip guards above the windows.
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My car was originally a New Jersey State Police car ordered with the more upscale interior and trim options than the base models used by CPD. Other than that, it's the same car as what we used back then. Drip guards don't fit on the cars with the vent windows.

Greg
copcar dot com

OK Andre, first of all those red lights are on 1968 Plymouth Fury restored as Chicago Police Department traffic unit. YES THEY HAD THEM!!! before you start questioning authenticity, the man who owns this is a Chicago Police Officer.
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Thanks for the back-up on that one, Captain.

Here is a picture showing the original 1968 Plymouth #5190 traffic car that my restoration is based on with the red lights clearly visible in the photo back when the car was in service.
http://public.fotki.com/copcardotcom/photographs_of_greg/greg_reynolds--chic/5190.html

Greg the owner

hey that is really really good compared to the before pictures.

How come the wierd lights? they never had them back them. i thouhgt acuratecy was the thing in the hobby
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Accuracy IS important in this hobby. Apparently it's not as important to you with your spelling....

Greg
car owner

just thought i`d mention how very cool it is to see someone saving older cop cars...and what a beautifull job you did as well..."Bravo"
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Thanks for the kind words, Rob. Why not find one for yourself and join in on all the fun with us at shows?

Greg Reynolds
copcar dot com