69 Fury I 440 Pursuit (ex Cochise Cty., AZ Sheriff Dept.)

[TobiasM]

@alan: Thanks for mentioning antique Buildings! These are perfect examples as in their HISTORY they often had several evolutions due to several owners and/or war`s and/or natural catastrophes.

So if one decides to restore a building to any of its evolutions in its history, it would be correct.

Even usually historical buildings get restored to the last (important) Evolution/status known and not to "day 1" status.

In my opinion, same with our cars:
yours only had history with 1 agency (CHP), so no other choice than to bring it back to CHP-Status, if you wanted to represent your car as a Police car (and not as a decomissioned car in its civil-live Status).

Mine has history with at least 2 agencies, so for whatever of These 2 Police-Evolutions/Stati I decide to bring the car back to, it will be historically correct. As that is the history my car had lived through.

Unfortunatley (other than you with your CHP), I do not know yet what was the first agency that put my car into Police-service.

Any hinds to find out are more than welcome.

So even if I wanted, I could not bring my Fury back to "day 1", as I do not know what it looked like. Fendertags and buildsheet are missing, what REALLY bugs me. But if we want to stay positive, that they are lost gives me more freedom.

I might even build it into a "day 3" car, aka a "hot pursuit". As there seemed to be a lot of smaller agencies/SD`s who more or less hotrodded their Units after the original engine had blewn up. Lots of 1st hand stories about that from a member over at the dead dry dock.

And also a here well known member has/had at least one 68/69 Police-Belvedere that was (not from factory, but on day 2 or 3 by the agency) equipped with a 440-6pack-engine.

 

[TobiasM]

@alan: may I ask a CHP-specific question?

Why had these Units 2 spotlights?

Always thought they were 1-officer Units (at least in 68/69) which would have made it impossible or at least very uncomfortable to the one officer to reach farmost right and try to operate the passenger-door-Spotlight.

Or was there a Special installment so that the pass. Spotlight could be operated from the Drivers seat conveniantly?

Thanks!

 

[tallhair]

The hot pursuit idea sounds cool

Maybe you can chase down the bandit ala sheriff Buford T Justice haha

 

[polara71]

Buildings usually must follow historical society guidelines. Usually restored to original exterior decor. Not how it was modified in the 30s to sell moonshine. Or how it was turned into a brothel in the 50s or a flower power smoke house in the 60s.
No?

 

[TobiasM]

Buildings usually must follow historical society guidelines. Usually restored to original exterior decor. Not how it was modified in the 30s to sell moonshine. Or how it was turned into a brothel in the 50s or a flower power smoke house in the 60s.
No?

In perspective of historical buildings, I had centuries in mind and not decades ;-)

Take a church from 13th century: there were changes made during the last 700 years and for sure not only changes, but also enlargements...if you restore that church nowadays, you wont tare most of it down just to bring that church to its day 1 status.

But I see, different opinions here. Luckily, each to his own taste, abilities and wallet.

 

[MrMoparCHP]

The CHP from at least the 60s had two officers on night shifts, the right hand spot is clear, light bar cars typically had both clear.


Alan

 

[cpyahoo]

As far as hot-rodding the car, I know Tennessee Highway Patrol used to alter the cars or the district captains. Traditionally, the Captain was always given the fastest car in the district. Either a better production model car with a bigger engine than the road troopers or the engine modified to make it more powerful.

The entire time I lived in Tennessee, I tried to locate a '69 or '70 Plymouth Fury THP cruiser to restore. -NO SUCH LUCK-

 

[TobiasM]

@alan: ah, ok, night-shifts with 2 officers, that explains it! Thanks for literally enlightening me!

@cpyahoo : welcome aboard! Thanks for contributing input about hotrodding in TN. May I ask from what you got to know this?

Sorry to hear you had no luck in finding a THP Fury. Wish you best of luck to find it one day. Having joined here is definately a step forward.

 

[TobiasM]

To my question “What agency put my car in service?” the closest fit for me yet is the Police of Albuquerque, NM.

Why? I found this foto, unfortunately a b/w one, but it shows a 71 Fury of ABQ Police that appears to me as a silver body with white roof - just as mine once.

But I do not spot a white/ivory steering wheel...maybe only a 69 thing.

Did not find a coloured photo of a ABQ Police-car of that time yet.

Any hinds for me?

 

[MrMoparCHP]

Do the forensic, where the holes are can tell you about the type of equipment and placement. Then look at photos of suspected agencies.


Alan

 

[cpyahoo]

@alan: ah, ok, night-shifts with 2 officers, that explains it! Thanks for literally enlightening me!

@cpyahoo : welcome aboard! Thanks for contributing input about hotrodding in TN. May I ask from what you got to know this?

Sorry to hear you had no luck in finding a THP Fury. Wish you best of luck to find it one day. Having joined here is definately a step forward.

That information I got direct from several troopers in the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Also got info from Bill Reynolds of Knoxville, who is the proud owner of a '59 Chevy THP car (all original). He knows quite a bit about the history of THP and had several family members who were troopers.

 

[TobiasM]

That information I got direct from several troopers in the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Also got info from Bill Reynolds of Knoxville, who is the proud owner of a '59 Chevy THP car (all original). He knows quite a bit about the history of THP and had several family members who were troopers.

That sounds like good sources for sure!

Awesome, thanks

 

[TobiasM]

Do the forensic, where the holes are can tell you about the type of equipment and placement. Then look at photos of suspected agencies.


Alan

Yes, I had already looked at some of my holes, but more questions than answers to me, see attached pictures.

Roof: only one hole, about 3/4” diamenter. On the one hand too far rear of roof-center to be a bubblegum-position (and also no small holes around the bigger one for attaching the bubblegum).

And on the other hand too far in front of the roof-end to be an antenna hole, also no 3 small holes arround for attaching the antennamount.

Eventually this might be the hole for wiring of a lightbar, thus no further holes for the “lights”, as the bar is mounted/wedged to the rain-driprails just like an aftermarket roof-rack / ski-rack would. But a light-bar would have blocked visibility of at least one digit of the 3-digit unit#.


Trunk:

a) one hole with also a diam. of approx. 3/4”, centered and towards the rear window. I bet this is the antenna-hole, but also no further small hole to attach the antenna. Usually with the whip-ball-antennamaint there is 1 big hole in the center and 3 small holes arround for attachingscrews.

b) on the passenger side of the trunklid, also toward the rearwindow, there seemed to be holes that were welded shut. As if made for to mount two signs atop the trunklid parallel to eachother and with a 45° angle to the driving-lane...haven’t seen anything like that before.

 

[polara71]

I'm convinced now, back to A4.

 

[cbarge]

I'm convinced now, back to A4.

After looking at the more recent pics I also changed my opinion to go back A4 as well.

 

[Darkrapid]

Sorry. I haven't been on the forum in a long time. Glad to see it finally made it to you! Really looking forward to seeing what you do with it. It's interesting that Germany won't allow you to register it as it appears.

 

[TobiasM]

@Darkrapid : Raul, glad you chime in here and thanks again for your assistance in AZ!

@all: only a small update on the Fury. To be positive, I got it “on the road again”...at least...somehow...indirectly...on the back of a trailer.

The Fury had been stored at a paintersshop. Owner is a member of our monthly MOPAR-regulars-table. The 79 Warlock I bought was also stored there.

The deal was, that he should take care of the bodywork & paint. I agreed to pay an ok/average price for it (did not demand a super-cheap price among friends) and also reliefed hin from any stress of getting the job done FAST.

However, after half a year nothing had happened and he was not tired of finding excuses. He seemed to have a special dislike to the Fury. In the end I had go relocate both cars, cause he lost the hired storage facility. At least he helped with relocating both cars to my places.

The Fury resides now in a simple garage, with no space or electricity, so no work possible, but at least a dry and warm storage in my town. It was a problem to find a local garage that would fit the Fury’s size here in Germany.

The Warlock found a new home at a storage I have with my Dad: the storage is completely full now, but at least the Warlock is running/driving, so it can be moved out if we need space in the storage momentarily.

I was happy to got both cars relocated BEFORE winter came in here in Germany. More progress probably in Spring.

Plan is to get first the Warlock road-ready and registered here in Germany, as it needs much less work than the Fury.

 

[BLIMP]

I've found that MOST of the time when you tell people "no hurry" or "at your convenience"...it is placed dead last on the list and never gotten to. I'll admit I've probably been guilty of the same thing once or twice. Glad to see you were able to relocate them safely.

 

[300L]

Hey Toby!

I'm sorry to hear Marcus didn't find the time and passion for your Fury.
I think he could have done a great job, but it's frustrating that there hasn't been any progress in half a year.
I hope you find someone who does this job with love and passion...

But patience is what you need. You know, it took 1 1/2 years until my Sport Fury was roadworthy again with a German TÜV

Only small steps, but at the end everything is fine...

Also, good luck with your warlock, I can't wait to see both finished!

 

[GOLDMYN]

If you can, buy a tarp and put it underneath the car as a barrier from the cement, throw some "BOUNCE" fabric sheets inside to keep the mice away, even though you have no interior, it's near impossible to get rid of mice urine smell.