polara71
Old Man with a Hat
I was a always under the impression they didn't make a big block 904....still am.
1975 Police Car
- Thread starter thood1954
- Start date
yeah Alan i didnt speak a complete sentence there.
I meant an up-level trimmed "L, M or H Captains" car could otherwise be spec'd just like a "K" car that "field" officers/troopers used in their everyday duties...including the cop-spec E86s.
I am sure they also probably ordered a variety of "passenger" cars with whatever engine options were available in such cars like you said.
Since I own "PK, DK, PH, and DL police" cars...all with the big brakes, auxiliary cooling, the body structures, 140-mph speedos, 440-HP's, the steering/suspension, the tires, the wheels, etc.,..it seems to confirm to me what Chrysler stated in their 1970's fleet marketing ... they would turn any trim level/body style "passenger car" into a "police" car at the buyers' request, as well as provide "K" spec'd (ie., post sedans with no frills, no bling, etc.) cars too.
How all that was documented in the "paperwork" and fender tags, and when it all started/ended is interesting and under discussion here. I am sure the cars exist in all the flavors they were advertised by Chrysler as I have a few of them, live and in the flesh, like other people do out there.:icon_pirat:
i got no dog in this fight, but I had that impression too.
nonetheless it doesnt surprise me that such an engine/transmission combination could have been available and actually produced according to reliable evidence cited.
seems like they would have had a heluva warranty problem though if the 904 with a big block in front of it wasnt truly up to severe fleet duty service. wouldnt be the first time something like that happened.
commando1
Old Man with a Hat
Never, ever saw, nor heard of a 904 with a BB bolt pattern.
I think MrMoparCHP answered that above.
My experience with the term "bid car" usually meant a car supplied to a buyer who dealt directly with the fleet group at the big OEM's.
The OEM fleet group often had to "bid" for the order by submitting proposals the buyer would evaluate..such buyers were outfits like the military and big state/local governments...and then award the business.
As part of a bid process, or ongoing contract fulfillment after the award, there was always a negotiation on price, spec's, delivery with such customers.
In contrast, the local sheriff, who only needed one or two cars for example, might just have to go down to his local dealer and order them according to OEM's fleet order process and standard option list which most dealers could access.
Also, the local sheriff was not likely to get something "special" beyond that standard offering in terms of specifications and delivery, but still could get many of the things the "big guys" could get on their cars.
Taxis were all about cost of operation and fuel economy. The 727 consumes a great deal more horsepower than a 904. If Chrysler didn't think of it on their own, I'm sure the taxi operators requested a beefed up 904 rather than a power/fuel robbing 727.
That makes economical sense.
MrMoparCHP
Old Man with a Hat
The bid process varies from agency to agency. Here in Lompoc California on large purchases like vehicles there is generally a bid process, the requirements are spelled out in a invitation to bid (ITB) or Request for Quotation (RFQ) (I’m not sure what our city uses for what or the differences). In some cases a request for proposal (RFP) is done (again not sure of the differences). Basically the agency spells out the requirements and people bid on it, low bid often wins.
The law in the United States prohibit the manufacturers from directly selling cars, the cars must be sold by a dealer. In the City of Lompoc where they may buy 6 cars at a time some local dealer may put a bid on it but more often than not the contract is awarded to some dealer that is selling cars to a larger agency and can wrap the cars up in those purchases. The City of Lompoc has also done State Contract & Cooperative Purchase (don’t ask what those are).
In all this a department can spell out a Sole Source to circumvent the bid process if they can justify it. Recently the city purchased 6 Ford Explorers from the CHP. The justification was that there wasn’t another vehicle that met the requirements, (again not my arena).
At the State level it is hard to say how the deals are setup. I do know that the CHP does an evaluation of different cars that were submitted for consideration. These cars must meet a minimum requirement, it then boils down to the contract details. Dodge controlled the CHP market for a great many years but that was not to having a superior car but more to having the cheapest one.
Because the CHP would purchase large quantities of cars other agencies would either tag on to the bid or purchase the cars from them after the fact. In some cases the CHP would retire cars from service early and sell them to other agencies for active use, these were typically agencies that didn’t have the budget for new cars.
Alan
The law in the United States prohibit the manufacturers from directly selling cars, the cars must be sold by a dealer. In the City of Lompoc where they may buy 6 cars at a time some local dealer may put a bid on it but more often than not the contract is awarded to some dealer that is selling cars to a larger agency and can wrap the cars up in those purchases. The City of Lompoc has also done State Contract & Cooperative Purchase (don’t ask what those are).
In all this a department can spell out a Sole Source to circumvent the bid process if they can justify it. Recently the city purchased 6 Ford Explorers from the CHP. The justification was that there wasn’t another vehicle that met the requirements, (again not my arena).
At the State level it is hard to say how the deals are setup. I do know that the CHP does an evaluation of different cars that were submitted for consideration. These cars must meet a minimum requirement, it then boils down to the contract details. Dodge controlled the CHP market for a great many years but that was not to having a superior car but more to having the cheapest one.
Because the CHP would purchase large quantities of cars other agencies would either tag on to the bid or purchase the cars from them after the fact. In some cases the CHP would retire cars from service early and sell them to other agencies for active use, these were typically agencies that didn’t have the budget for new cars.
Alan
ZedR
Member
I'll be the first to say I goofed when I wrote that. Looks like a 727 to me- my question is, what's the difference between light duty and heavy duty 727s?
Very nice.....a lot of options.
thanks for this.
on the WSP car (i couldnt zoom in properly on my smartphone), looks like theres no "A38" on fender tag, but is there "A38" on the buildsheet?
My '71 WSP has a power front seat, but its an "L" code...yours must have more "bling" a year later with the "M" price class designation :icon_pirat:
MrMoparCHP
Old Man with a Hat
Thanks man. i just got to a computer.
The section on that box you point out is captioned: "Only group codes with non-coded items will be b/cast. other groups to be shown by individual item codes only."
heck's that mean? the key is, i think, what is a "non-coded" item and were any in the A38 package, or is that even a relevant question?
were things that were part of the "A38" police package, shown to exist as early as 1972 in the Hamtramck records, the same items on "K" equipped cars? looking at the cars some of us own, that answer is yes.
were they (the police content in A38 package items) "coded" on the "K" cars separately on the buildsheet? guess we need to look at the "K" sheet and a LMH sheet, from same plant, side by side?
damn curious...
MrMoparCHP
Old Man with a Hat
If a package includes a clock but the clock is noted in the clock space no further notation is needed.
In short the package is exploded all over the sheet.
Alan
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