1960 Dodge COP or NOT?

[Sixpactogo]

I'm sure there are plenty of opinions and spins on most everything out there these days. Not sure where you are getting your information from and I really have no intention of arguing any points of contention. I can only go by the information I have from back in the day. I have no argument that 118" wheelbase can be considered as "full size" however, the information I got back in the early 80's when I bought my Dart Phoenix, claims these words. (designed in 1957, it was the first UNIBODY built by Chrysler Corp. It was christened Dart at a 1957 Chrysler auto show due to it's junior size and smaller fins. Riding on a 118" wheelbase and weighing in at around 3300 lbs, it was considerably smaller than the plus 4000 lb full sized Dodge with a 122.6" wheelbase. The intermediate sized Dart was built only during the 60 & 61 model years and carried three different badges. Seneca at the base, Pioneer in the middle and Phoenix being the premium model.)
I don't doubt that other brands of cars were called full sized at the 115" Wheelbase. I am only stating that the 1960 Dart body was intermediate to it's sisters. (Polara and Matador)

 

[NSF]

I'm sure there are plenty of opinions and spins on most everything out there these days. Not sure where you are getting your information from and I really have no intention of arguing any points of contention. I can only go by the information I have from back in the day. I have no argument that 118" wheelbase can be considered as "full size" however, the information I got back in the early 80's when I bought my Dart Phoenix, claims these words. (designed in 1957, it was the first UNIBODY built by Chrysler Corp. It was christened Dart at a 1957 Chrysler auto show due to it's junior size and smaller fins. Riding on a 118" wheelbase and weighing in at around 3300 lbs, it was considerably smaller than the plus 4000 lb full sized Dodge with a 122.6" wheelbase. The intermediate sized Dart was built only during the 60 & 61 model years and carried three different badges. Seneca at the base, Pioneer in the middle and Phoenix being the premium model.)
I don't doubt that other brands of cars were called full sized at the 115" Wheelbase. I am only stating that the 1960 Dart body was intermediate to it's sisters. (Polara and Matador)

I think I may have just purchased this car. It was in Florida - I paid $750 for it - drove it on the trailer. I'll take a closer look tomorrow.

NSF_Racing

 

[CBODY67]

I'm not going to get into the "full-size" or "not full-size" debate, as there were typically designations as "Junior" and "Senior" models in a particular brand designation. In the case of Buick, the Special and Century were the Junior models with the shorter wheelbase as the Super and Roadmaster were the Senior models with the longer wheelbase. Century having the larger Super engine in it.

Then there were the Compact models of 1960. The 1962 downsized large Plymouths and Dodge Polaras were the basis for what later became B-bodies in 1965, which were size-classed as "Intermediates" at that time. Not a Compact, not Full-size.

As to "cop" or "not cop", that can be variable. If the municipality was a smaller one, with no real needs for high-speed pursuit vehicles, they might put out bids locally for a normal car which they could add some police radios and lights to. In that scenario, it could be a "cop car". Otherwise, if it was ordered as a genuine cop car, it should have the VIN to designate such, plus a Certified speedometer and a HD charging system with non-OEM alternator or generator (and related items) on the engine. Not to mention evidence of a door decal on the front doors for police ID, unless it was an undercover/detective/administrative unit. Therefore, I would lean toward it not being a cop car, just a normal car that could have been used by the local, small town police department.

It'll be a good restoration project.

Enjoy!
CBODY67