Agent G Posted June 9, 2011 Posted June 9, 2011 One of my personal goals is building a model of every police car I drove in my career. I have completed an '86 Caprice, a 93 Caprice, a 95 Crown Vic, and a 2000 Crown Vic (die cast). I need to build a '78 Plymouth Fury (easy), a 83 Dodge Diplomat (die cast), a 83 Malibu ( 1/24 or 1/25 not the 1/32), a 85 Crown Vic (??), and a last, but to me the hardest, an 86 Chevy Celebrity. Ideas anyone? G
Lownslow Posted June 9, 2011 Posted June 9, 2011 you can start with a citation kit, for the front end and with some mods the tail panel. you would have to scratch build the euro nose to and other bits
Darren B Posted June 9, 2011 Posted June 9, 2011 (edited) Wow they used a chevy celebrity? I have a stock 89 celebrity and that thing is a dog,,,, not to mention it only starts up when it wants to... (Hopefully your department had the eurosport edition) I would be very interested in seeing your build on a 86, i built the 80 citation as a lowrider but the body matches pretty good, if yours was a four door could be some major body work coming up thou. Im routing for you and anxious to see the out come. Edited June 9, 2011 by Darren B
charlie8575 Posted June 10, 2011 Posted June 10, 2011 As the front-wheel-drive A-bodies were simply stretched X-bodies, the Citation is probably your best starting point. If your car had the fuel-injected V6, a 1988-89 Beretta GT would probably be your best choice for the engine. I'm not sure where you'd find a TH-125 automatic transaxle. The Citation has the carbureted 60-degree V6. To answer other questions- I rather doubt the police department would've used Eurosports, as that was mostly a trim package. I could, however, see them ordering the F41 suspension in the Eurosport package, which was also a stand-alone option, as were the P1975-R14 tires. The body and interior will, without question, be the toughest things to do. The Citiation coupe will help establish a basic shape. The pictures here will help you establish the basic shape of the 1986-'89 Celebrity sedan; in 1986, the front and rear clips were redesigned substantially, altering their appearance from the 1982-'85 models. This is a 1987 model. Remember that the 1986 DID NOT have composite headlights, but rather four rectangular headlights. http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Chevrolet/1987_Chevrolet/1987_Chevrolet_Cars_and_Trucks_Mailer/dirindex.html The 1985 brochure will give you the basic dimensions. http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Chevrolet/1985_Chevrolet/1985_Chevrolet_Celebrity_Brochure/dirindex.html Charlie Larkin
Chuck Most Posted June 10, 2011 Posted June 10, 2011 A Chevy Celebrity police car???? Not the best choice for a high speed persuit against... well, anything but another Celebrity!
george 53 Posted June 10, 2011 Posted June 10, 2011 A Chevy Celebrity police car???? Not the best choice for a high speed persuit against... well, anything but another Celebrity! My thoughts exactly! WHAT PD used Citations INSTEAD of givein them????
Chuck Most Posted June 10, 2011 Posted June 10, 2011 You know... there are enough similarities between the 760 and Celebrity, especially in the roof and side profile- wonder how close those are to a Celebrity, dimensions-wise?
Larryhagmansliver Posted June 11, 2011 Posted June 11, 2011 Wow - I just did a search on that Volvo model and man, it is very close. I used to own an '86 Buick Century and that year they offered a GS and a T-Type version and I always thought it would be neat to have a model of those.
Agent G Posted June 12, 2011 Author Posted June 12, 2011 Sorry to take so long getting back here. Works been a big B lately and I have to catch up on my criminal cases before I take sick leave. That Volvo looks spot on in regards to the roofline. I'm thinking about three kits and it should make a good curbside rendition. Yes we drove Celebrities! '83 through '86 models actually had a 9C1 police package. '87's and '88's were Eurosports, redline trim, console shifters, bucket seats. They weren't bad in an urban area. Forget about interstate traffic enforcement though. By popular demand we transitioned back to Caprice's in '89. There was no room in a Celebrity for two cops and a MDT (computer. G
Joe Handley Posted June 13, 2011 Posted June 13, 2011 Those had to be absolutely horrible cop cars if they were anything like the Pontiac 6000 Dad had
Agent G Posted June 13, 2011 Author Posted June 13, 2011 Well you have to drive what they provide, so we made do. Not exactly spacious, but interestingly enough they had just enough pickup for our needs. Remember, when running hot, city cops drag race a block at a time. You don't need a lot of top end, just decent acceleration and good brakes. We were in a pursuit on I 70 once. The speedo's only went to 85mph as I recall, and my partner keeps asking "how fast we going?" I kept telling him "85!, 85!, quit asking me Ron, I'm freakin' busy drivin'!" He leans over and LOOKS! I'm like, dude get the %^$# over there and broadcast this on the radio. We finally got them with the assistance of the Highway Patrol. I wasn't sure if I wanted to laugh, cry, or bean Ron with a nightstick. Top speed? Who knows................... I lost Ron in '95, best partner I ever had. G
exnyman Posted June 13, 2011 Posted June 13, 2011 (edited) Well you have to drive what they provide, so we made do. Not exactly spacious, but interestingly enough they had just enough pickup for our needs. Remember, when running hot, city cops drag race a block at a time. You don't need a lot of top end, just decent acceleration and good brakes. We were in a pursuit on I 70 once. The speedo's only went to 85mph as I recall, and my partner keeps asking "how fast we going?" I kept telling him "85!, 85!, quit asking me Ron, I'm freakin' busy drivin'!" He leans over and LOOKS! I'm like, dude get the %^$# over there and broadcast this on the radio. We finally got them with the assistance of the Highway Patrol. I wasn't sure if I wanted to laugh, cry, or bean Ron with a nightstick. Top speed? Who knows................... I lost Ron in '95, best partner I ever had. G The other base you might consider for the project would be the 82-83 Cavalier from MPC, they seem to be relatively cheap to obtain, and even though it is the hatchback, the general shape of the wheel opening flares, the windshield and rear tail panel areas are somewhat a good starting point. the side profiles are similar with the lower tuckunder as well. The Chassis should be the same save for the wheelbase stretch, Maybe combine the Citation, Volvo and Cavalier to create a Celebrity? This picture shows A hatchback and convertible along with a Celebrity sedan and wagon, when seen together, you can see the similarity in the basic design of the Cavalier and Celebrity http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Chevrolet/1987_Chevrolet/1987_Chevrolet_Cars_and_Trucks_Mailer/1987%20Chevrolet%20Cars%20and%20Trucks-01.html Edited June 13, 2011 by exnyman
Rob Hall Posted June 13, 2011 Posted June 13, 2011 (edited) Speaking of Celebrities, I saw a Century Celebrity the other day---a worn out white 4dr Celebrity with a Buick Century front clip. I don't see many of the old FWD A-bodies on the road anymore. Edited June 13, 2011 by Rob Hall
sjordan2 Posted June 13, 2011 Posted June 13, 2011 The Volvo 760 sure looks close for the roof. Here's an Italeri build journal with good shots of the body... http://maquetas.mforos.com/480446/7161736-volvo-760-gle-1-24-italeri/
CorvairJim Posted June 17, 2011 Posted June 17, 2011 My thoughts exactly! WHAT PD used Citations INSTEAD of givein them???? :lol: You never know what kind of cars some departments might want to press into service for their Police needs. I can see it now: 30 years ago it would have been "Traffic Citations". Nowadays it could be "Vice Versas". And of course the general-purpose "Police Escorts".
Chuck Most Posted June 18, 2011 Posted June 18, 2011 When Olds was pushing its diesel engines in the '80's, of course the Lansing, Michigan area cops had to try 'em out. Let's just say they never caught on.
Terry Sumner Posted June 18, 2011 Posted June 18, 2011 A Celebrity for a Patrol car? Wow! Never had one of those...LOL Course..never had a partner either..was always alone with backup sometimes 20 minutes away. (My patrol area was always about 25 miles wide by 10 miles high) My wife had I bought a brand new 86 Celebrity though...it was the first car we purchased new after we got married in 1981! I actually liked that car. It was fairly peppy and was top of the line with the nice interior. But as a cop car??? I dunno....
charlie8575 Posted June 18, 2011 Posted June 18, 2011 Y'know, that Cavalier hatchback, with A LOT of work, would make a pretty good start for a Celebrity wagon... Hmmm........ And the X and J cars aren't all that different underneath, either..... Can you all hear the gears grinding and smell the dust burning....? Actually, the Cavalier, along with the Citation and possibly a Volvo roof section might work together. Charlie Larkin
Harold Posted June 18, 2011 Posted June 18, 2011 Maybe the Cavalier would be the better starting point, especially if you're swapping in parts from the Beretta. Since the Celebrity was longer, the starting point for the chassis would be the '89- '92 Revell Grand Prix (normally aspirated 3.4 on the '89), as you're starting with the correct wheelbase. Since all of these kits are 1:25 (the Citation is 1:24), there would be no scale issues. BTW, the entire line of X- cars (Citation, Omega, Pheonix and Skylark) were the most recalled cars ever.
Agent G Posted June 18, 2011 Author Posted June 18, 2011 Y'know, that Cavalier hatchback, with A LOT of work, would make a pretty good start for a Celebrity wagon... Hmmm........ And the X and J cars aren't all that different underneath, either..... Can you all hear the gears grinding and smell the dust burning....? Actually, the Cavalier, along with the Citation and possibly a Volvo roof section might work together. Charlie Larkin That's what I was thinking after a few posts. As far as that burning smell, well that's me thinking........ Terry, we always rode two man as much as possible. I never worked anything but tough neighborhoods. It was nice having 15-20 policemen 2 minutes away when we got into trouble. Nowadays the kids get kicked loose and put into one man cars. Yeah, we lost one right after I retired. Kid had just under a year on and was shot in an alley. G
Agent G Posted June 19, 2011 Author Posted June 19, 2011 Vrroom!! Oh my eyes! Vrroom my big fat, ahem well, toosh! Ever hear the V6 wind out? It sounded like a Singer sewing machine on crack. G
niteowl7710 Posted June 19, 2011 Posted June 19, 2011 Oh my eyes! Vrroom my big fat, ahem well, toosh! Ever hear the V6 wind out? It sounded like a Singer sewing machine on crack. G I had a '88 with the 3.8, so yes I've wound one out a few times. Not the worst car, but I can see why it wasn't a success. To completely derail off your original point... It couldn't have been much worse that this... Heck skip cutting up the Volvo and just make a police car out of it...
charlie8575 Posted June 19, 2011 Posted June 19, 2011 A Camry CHiP car???? By the way, James, a bunch of pictures went missing? Charlie Larkin
charlie8575 Posted June 19, 2011 Posted June 19, 2011 Maybe the Cavalier would be the better starting point, especially if you're swapping in parts from the Beretta. Since the Celebrity was longer, the starting point for the chassis would be the '89- '92 Revell Grand Prix (normally aspirated 3.4 on the '89), as you're starting with the correct wheelbase. Since all of these kits are 1:25 (the Citation is 1:24), there would be no scale issues. BTW, the entire line of X- cars (Citation, Omega, Pheonix and Skylark) were the most recalled cars ever. An L-body might be a good move. The W-bodies, at least from what I've seen, are very different underneath, and wouldn't make a good transition to an A-body. The X/J/A/to a degree, L-bodies are more alike than not. At least you can mix-and-match a little. As to the Citation- I thought I saw the box marked as 1/25? I'll have to look next time I'm at a hobby shop. The X-cars did have their problems, to be sure, but a good one was a good car, and they really did pave the way for a whole new design vernacular in American cars. Charlie Larkin
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