1991 Caprice 9C1 Interior Colours , etc.

[1972coronet]

I just bought a coveted 1991 Caprice 9C1 / Taxi / Fire Dep't Revell kit , and am attempting to ascertain some of its "1:1" scale relatives' options ; to wit :

- What colour interior was available ? I have seen a dark blue primarily ; however , I *think* that I've seen a beige / tan as well . *

- How were the wheel covers painted ? Semi-gloss black centre with a gold Bow Tie emblem ?

- Were the 1991-1992 models with the LT1 available with dual exhaust ?

I'm wanting to replicate a well-used Los Angeles Sheriff's Dep't model (specifically , an "A-B-C" (Artesia-Bellflower-Cerritos) unit ) . As many of them as I'd seen in their prime , for the life of me I can't recall what colour their interiors were (!) .

I would like to see a link to the specs of the 1991 9C1 Package ( 1992 will suffice ) . Also , please share photos here ; "1:1" scale or build-ups of the Revell kit .

* = one of the most piculiar interiors I've seen of a 9C1 Caprice was that of a then-new fleet of CHP models . The front-interior was a H.D. cloth seat in blue , with colour-keyed carpeting ; the rear "back seat driver" compartment consisted of a hard plastic seat , and a black rubberised-vinyl floor cover !

[Longbox55]

Locally, all of them I've seen/serviced had either Gray or Black interiors, though I do recall one retired 9C1 that came into the shop that had the blue combo you mention.

Can't recall about the caps off the top of my head, most of the police cruisers we got in the caps were usually missing.

The LT1 wasn't available until '94, the '91 9C1 used the RPO L05 350 with a single exhaust.

[Agent G]

'91 and '92 model years were offered with dk. blue, tan and black interiors. Our '91's were dk blue.

We didn't buy any Chevrolets in '92, but my '93 had a dk blue interior.

'94-'96 were offered with tan, red, gray and mediun blue/gray interiors. I have driven 94's with blue/gray and '95's with red interiors.

LASD used mostly tan interiors as did LAPD and the CHP. I say mostly, as some variety was encountered. I have seen 78 Monacos with blue interiors.

This is not a phantom, it was a recruiting car in the late 90's.

This is a model of my 93.

This was my last car.

G

[charlie8575]

When the '91s came out, Marlborough bought a whole fleet almost immediately. Then just as quickly got Crown Vics in 1992-93.

Our cars were white with blue stripes and interiors. Testors Sea Blue in the 1/4 oz. bottles is a pretty good match.

All carpet-delete cars got black vinyl mats. The hard plastic seats are pretty common around here, and are black. I don't know of any supplier for those or have a recommendation on how to make one other than sheet plastic and a lot of patience.

I've never seen a police Caprice with a black interior. I've only seen blue and tan myself. The tan interiors didn't come until mid-model-year. Having had plenty of these cars over the years, I can't think of a good match for the light brown/tan/camel interior. I'd start with some of the Tamiya flats and go from there. I think there are a couple that get pretty close and can possibly be made closer with some tinting.

I remember seeing cabs with gray vinyl trim, but that was about it. Possibly some unmarked cruisers, too.

Charlie Larkin

Edited December 24, 2013 by charlie8575

[niteowl7710]

The Revell kit can be either a 1991 or a 1992 Caprice. The biggest difference between the two were that in 1991 ALL cars regardless of colors had black "B" & "C" pillars on the door frame.

1992s had color keyed door pillars

That is probably the best shot I can come up with on short notice at 2am of a hubcap too. They were stainless steel with the black centers and the word "Caprice" on them. The only wheel covers with bow-ties on them were a short production run of early 1991 cars that had plastic "frisbees" that were molded in silver with a gold bow tie. The wheels in the kit are correct for late 1991, entire 1992 model cars. As Bill mentions above there were no LT-1s until 1994.

Now while there were exceptions, as you could get the interior in whichever available color you ordered it in, probably 95% of all the tan interiors put into Caprices through the entire run, (as well as Crown Vics for that matter) all were shipped to states that got the (in upfitter lingo) "Southern Package", which had heavy window tint, and lighter interior colors in the theory they held less heat. Florida Highway Patrol, CHP, Texas DPS, Arizona DPS, etc. Most fleet cars (aka marked, non-administrative) cars would have a black rubber floor from time immortal until the present day, it's just easier to clean up the mess that dealing with carpet. I'd have to go pull one out to look, but I'm pretty sure the kit has a rubber floor engraved into it.

Edited December 24, 2013 by niteowl7710

[martinfan5]

G

Everytime I see this pic of you, I chuckle a little because you look so darned trilled to be having your photo taken

Now while there were exceptions, as you could get the interior in whichever available color you ordered it in, probably 95% of all the tan interiors put into Caprices through the entire run, (as well as Crown Vics for that matter) all were shipped to states that got the (in upfitter lingo) "Southern Package", which had heavy window tint, and lighter interior colors in the theory they held less heat. Florida Highway Patrol, CHP, Texas DPS, Arizona DPS, etc. Most fleet cars (aka marked, non-administrative) cars would have a black rubber floor from time immortal until the present day, it's just easier to clean up the mess that dealing with carpet. I'd have to go pull one out to look, but I'm pretty sure the kit has a rubber floor engraved into it.

James, not to throw a wrench into what you said, I know that both Phoenix Pd , and AZDPS had I believe it was dark blue interiors for what I do recall, and everyone pic online of both shows the dark interior . But again, I could be wrong

Edit, I am talking about the 91/92 whales, not current PPV's

Edited December 24, 2013 by martinfan5

[Mike Kucaba]

Coveted? As in rare, hard to get? Contact me off the board, I still have about 400 to move.

[1972coronet]

Thank you to all whom have replied ; thanks for the photos , too !

I think that I'll go with the dark blue interior with the standard black rubber mats ; and , I agree completely that they're much better than carpet . The majority of my my old cars had rubber mats --excepting my 1970 Ranchero GT-- whether I added them (in the case of my 1972 Dart Swinger) or if they were factory-equipped (in the case of my 1973 Duster) .

I wasn't aware that the LT-1 came along later . Guess I'm not all that hip on GM's engine designations ; I thought that all of their high perf 350's were LT-1's .

I never noticed the black B and C pillar deal between the '91 and '92 models , as the majority of the departments where I grew up had their cars in black and white :

- LAPD = white doors and roof ;

- LASD = white front doors and roof , and ;

- CHP = white front doors (below the door glass belt line) and white roof (above the doors' tops).

Whittier PD 'copied' the LAPD's colour scheme .

While I think about it ; were the silicone hoses green , red or blue in 1991 / 1992 ?

Now to find some images of the LASD's "A-B-C" logo ... or should I go with Paramount or La Mirada ? ...

Thanks again !

Please continue to contribute to this thread

[1972coronet]

Coveted? As in rare, hard to get? Contact me off the board, I still have about 400 to move.

I say "coveted" , as for a really long time I was financially broke . Even a $30 eBay purchase (plus "X" amount for shipping) was too expensive for me . So , "coveted" is a personal assessment as opposed to an overall generalisation regarding their (perceived) monitery value .

Now I've got number two-of-two purchased , Jo-Han 1968 Fury I Pursuit kits coming . The latest one has a broken windshield ; perfect for a "retired" version of the car ( i.e. , cracked windshield and whatnot) .

I'll definitely keep you in mind shall I decide to purchase / trade for one of your '91 Caprice 9C1's

[niteowl7710]

Thank you to all whom have replied ; thanks for the photos , too !

I think that I'll go with the dark blue interior with the standard black rubber mats ; and , I agree completely that they're much better than carpet . The majority of my my old cars had rubber mats --excepting my 1970 Ranchero GT-- whether I added them (in the case of my 1972 Dart Swinger) or if they were factory-equipped (in the case of my 1973 Duster) .

I wasn't aware that the LT-1 came along later . Guess I'm not all that hip on GM's engine designations ; I thought that all of their high perf 350's were LT-1's .

I never noticed the black B and C pillar deal between the '91 and '92 models , as the majority of the departments where I grew up had their cars in black and white :

- LAPD = white doors and roof ;

- LASD = white front doors and roof , and ;

- CHP = white front doors (below the door glass belt line) and white roof (above the doors' tops).

Whittier PD 'copied' the LAPD's colour scheme .

While I think about it ; were the silicone hoses green , red or blue in 1991 / 1992 ?

Now to find some images of the LASD's "A-B-C" logo ... or should I go with Paramount or La Mirada ? ...

Thanks again !

Please continue to contribute to this thread

If you can find any LASO decals jump on them when you can if they're within what you're willing to pay. A few years back LASO sent out Cease & Desists to Fowler Decals, & various retailers saying that the 1/25 decals were violating L.A. County & LASO's Trademarks. There was a period '90's sheet done by Fred Cady back in the day when Revell released this kit, but it's been long out of production since then.

The only person I know who's doing LASO decals (beyond a one-off custom job) is JBOT Decals, perhaps the cease and desist doesn't apply to him via his Canadian-ness, or the fact that he usually got permission to do the decals directly from the departments. His sets have markings for K-9 units, along with the Contracts for East L.A., Paramount, Lancaster, Metro, & Metrolink, Presuming he's taking orders, his decals are second to none.

http://www.jbot.ca/cars/us/lacs.shtml

[Agent G]

The plastic rear seat was not that common in the mid west in the early 90's. It's still pretty rare in St. Louis unless the car has a prisoner cage.

The hoses were mint green for Chevys, baby blue for Ford Mustangs.

Forgot about the black pillars for '91. We drove all white cars by then.

Jonathan I wasn't as distressed with the photo as much as I was with the person taking it, wife #3. We were divorced 18 months later.

G

[Greg Cullinan]

The plastic rear seat was not that common in the mid west in the early 90's. It's still pretty rare in St. Louis unless the car has a prisoner cage.

The hoses were mint green for Chevys, baby blue for Ford Mustangs.

Forgot about the black pillars for '91. We drove all white cars by then.

Jonathan I wasn't as distressed with the photo as much as I was with the person taking it, wife #3. We were divorced 18 months later.

G

That's odd. I thought all police cars had that rear plastic seat. Easier to hose out blood and such. I couldn't imagine what a cloth rear seat would be like in a police car.

[charlie8575]

On the JBOT site...interesting about some of the California police cars.

I remember reading somewhere that since the 1920s, California state law required police cars to be black-and-white, and there were a couple there that weren't. I also remember seeing San Francisco police cars in the mid-70s that were...strange.

Anyone have additional knowledge about this?

Charlie Larkin

[niteowl7710]

That's odd. I thought all police cars had that rear plastic seat. Easier to hose out blood and such. I couldn't imagine what a cloth rear seat would be like in a police car.

Rear seats are mostly vinyl seats in the 80's and '90's. The hard plastic "prisoner" seats didn't start really appearing until the Crown Vic got restyled in 1998. Even now they're not standard equipment by any stretch, they cost $$$ and require "gutting" the back seat area, which makes the up-fitting cost more $$$$. Once you go outside a major State/City/County garage that does it's own prep-work you're talking about patchwork of small businesses that "up-fit" the cars with the prisoner partitions, electrical (lights, sirens, cameras, computers, etc), push bumpers, graphics, et al. With all the fancy airbags and what-not in cars theses days, and the introduction of strobes and ESPECIALLY LEDs, the days of bolting things onto the bumper and roof is long gone. You basically have to disassemble the entire interior and front bumper assembly now.

Edited December 24, 2013 by niteowl7710

[Agent G]

That's odd. I thought all police cars had that rear plastic seat. Easier to hose out blood and such. I couldn't imagine what a cloth rear seat would be like in a police car.

Greg we didn't see the plastic rear seats until '00-'01. I know they were around a bit earlier, but we never had them until then.

Historically seats were solid vinyl with a minimum of stiching. There in lies the other issue. Imagine 95 degrees, 98 per cent humidity and a Dodge Diplomat whose front seat was one solid sheet of dark blue vinyl. Gives new meaning to the term "Icky sticky".

We had a well meaning garage attendant who Armoralled those bench seats. You took a turn and slid into your partner. We had polyester uniform trousers back then .

Charlie, California state law requires the cars to be painted in "contrasting colors" . You cannot have any greater contrast than black and white. Special purpose vehicles are allowed to be one solid color, white is required for traffic enforcement. San Francisco went to baby blue and white as did San Diego in their experiments to "mellow the look" of a copcar. Marin County used sand and beige for the same reason.

CA state law requires a steady burning red light facing forward visible to a minimum of 50 feet. That's why you still see a red spotlight on CHP cars and somewhere there's a steady burning red light facing front on every CA copcar. Amber flashers are required for the rear as well.

One Colorado city, Aurora maybe? "Danno help here" went to unmarked cars and blazers and ties instead of uniforms. Nobody believed they were the police.

We didn't have blue lights until 1995. MO state law prohibited their use until then. SLMPD and the Highway Patrol lobbied for their use.

G

[Danno]

One Colorado city, Aurora maybe? "Danno help here" went to unmarked cars and blazers and ties instead of uniforms. Nobody believed they were the police.

We didn't have blue lights until 1995. MO state law prohibited their use until then. SLMPD and the Highway Patrol lobbied for their use.

G

G, you're thinking of Lakewood, CO, a suburb of (and adjacent to) Denver.

Lakewood became a city in 1969 and its "Department of Public Safety" was organized and became operational in 1970. Around 1974, the legendary Pierce Brooks (The Onion Field) retired from LAPD (CA) and became the Director of the Lakewood DPS.

Brooks brought progressive new community policing concepts with him. The most controversial was abandonment of traditional police labels and uniforms for a more politically correct, softer image.

Specifically, policemen and women were no longer referred to as police officers, police men, police women, or patrolmen/patrolwomen. Instead, Brooks designated the patrol division personnel "Police Agents." Sergeants were re-labeled "Supervisors" and Lieutenants became "Commanders."

Typical, traditional, and immediately recognizable uniforms were ditched. Police Agents and Supervisors wore gray slacks, white shirts, and medium blue blazers with an embroidered shoulder-patch style emblem on the left chest. No shoulder patches, no badges, no brass, no whistles, no other adornments common to the typical law enforcement image were permitted to be seen. The equipment belt, handgun, handcuffs, etc. had to be fully concealed under the blazer.

But, Brook's make-over didn't radically change the marked patrol cars. Lakewood cars were medium blue (some called it Baby Blue, but it was actually a touch darker) with white front doors and roofs. They remained equipped as prior to the Brooks-era: Federal Visi-bar gutter mount light bar with two Federal 14 beacons, both red. The cars had door shields that dared to use the words "Lakewood Police" in conjunction with the shoulder-patch style shield. Supervisors and Commanders drove unmarked slicktop cars in the same blue and white paint - but no white doors.

Brook's experiment failed. Citizens and area law enforcement agencies alike derided the "soft approach" as wimpy. Police Agents were largely unrecognized or ignored at most incidents, because, well, they just didn't look like cops. Brooks was surprised to see that instead of engendering a more cordial interaction between the public and the police, an opposite reaction occurred. The law-abiding public was dismayed that they didn't see police on crime scenes (simply not noticing the armed yuppies from Brooks' agency). Bad guys laughed at the wimps sent to control them. And drunk & disoriented people joined the bad guys in fighting or attacking Police Agents because they just didn't perceive them as real cops. Assaults on Police Agents and Resisting Arrest cases increased dramatically . . . until Brooks abandoned the experiment after just a couple of short years (or were they lonnnnng years!).

Edited December 24, 2013 by Danno

[1972coronet]

I've seen the hard plastic rear seat as early as c.1995 in both LAPD's and LASD's then-new fleet of 9C1's . One of the dealerships with whom I was employed (parts department ; delivery driver) had an account with L.A. County . The former academy-come-driver's training-manuver facility and new vehicle prep on Eastern Avenue in East L.A. had just received their fleet of 1996 9C1's (last of the breed) and I just had to scope 'em out !

One of the cars still had its window sticker attached , so I read it ; to highlight some equipment :

- Silicone Transmission Fluid (?!?)

- Low-Gear Blockout (to prevent manual-selection of 1st gear)

- "Certified" 150 MPH Speedometer

- "'Special' Rear Passenger Seat" ( the hard plastic deal )

I managed to get one of the garage prep guys to carefully remove that window sticker so that I could have it ; he obliged .

Unfortunately , that sticker is lost to the universe ( ) .

[Agent G]

The real LT1 equipped cars were a pleasure to drive. Kind of heavy on the front end, but man did they accelerate. I loved the 350cid '93 I had, but when I inherited a new LT1 '95, oh baby!.

Danno I used to think the legendary "Kansas City Experiement" was the height of upper echelon ignorance. Then I heard about Lakewood.................................

G

Edited December 25, 2013 by Agent G

[Greg Cullinan]

Greg we didn't see the plastic rear seats until '00-'01. I know they were around a bit earlier, but we never had them until then.

Historically seats were solid vinyl with a minimum of stiching. There in lies the other issue. Imagine 95 degrees, 98 per cent humidity and a Dodge Diplomat whose front seat was one solid sheet of dark blue vinyl. Gives new meaning to the term "Icky sticky".

We had a well meaning garage attendant who Armoralled those bench seats. You took a turn and slid into your partner. We had polyester uniform trousers back then .

G

That's too funny. I can visualize this for sure.

And yeah, I'm thinking nowadays,twenty years ago the world was different.

[Agent G]

Actually Greg it was THIRTY years ago, we drove some Diplomats in '83.

Things were quite a bit dfferent back then. The job was simpler, just as dangerous, but simpler. My hats off to all the young'uns just getting started in their law enforcement careers. They will see some changes for sure.

G

[Danno]

G ~

Kansas City? Not familiar with that one.

Writing up the blurb on Lakewood reminded me . . .

On Baby Blue police cars:

1. One unfortunate individual tried to replicate a vintage late 60's police car from black and white photos and a vague caption that described a medium metallic blue as 'baby blue.' Thus was born a not-very-authentic looking caricature of the original subject. Hoots and hollers wherever it went.

2. Wichita KS Police cars in the 50's and 60's were white with black hoods, gold shields on the front doors with the word "POLICE" arced over them, beacon ray on the roof, A-pillar spotlight, antenna on the rear fender, and a "STOP" light on the right front fender. Resale value after retirement from duty was dismal. In 1970, somebody in fleet management prevailed and a new concept was born: improved resale value was a goal. New patrol cars were ordered from Dodge: 4-door Coronets, no pillar spotlights, "send us some of each color you sell except white or black." Thus, patrol cars came in all the various Mopar colors, metallic and all. The fleet was beautiful. Clamp-on Federal light bars (with twin Federal 14 beacons) were installed. The electronic siren speakers were in the center. Steel signs were bolted to the cross bar between each beacon and the speaker: "Wichita" on the left, "Police on the right (as viewed from front or rear). Antennas were mounted to the bar on small brackets. No other markings, no holes in the bodies.

Most of the older white/black cars were surplussed out (sold), but there were a handful that just didn't have enough mileage to justify being gotten rid of. So, staff sent them to a body shop to get repainted a solid color, to be upfitted to match the new Dodges. After the bills came in for the first couple of repaints, staff had a cow. Then, some genius came up with a fix. Send them to the city shop (where dump trucks, etc., were repaired) and have them repaint the last couple of low mileage patrol cars. The instructions were simple: paint them some random color except white or black. One unfortunate '68 Ford with only a few thousand miles came out "Baby Blue." I mean, real, honest-to-omigod Baby Blue. It looked . . . well . . . sweet. But not very manly like a patrol car should.

No one would drive it. There were fights over it ~ "I'm not driving it, Sarge. YOU drive it!" It sat. And sat. Finally after amassing 35 or 40 miles over the next several months, staff gave up and took the lights, siren & radio out of it . . . and gave it to the parks department. Where it continued to sit.

3. I recently saw a newly-restored 1973 Scottsdale Police patrol car. A Plymouth Satellite sedan. I was surprised to see that "The West's Most Western Town" ran white and baby-blue two tone police cars back then. Apparently Scottsdale cops didn't fight over who had to drive the baby blue cars!

[Agent G]

The Kansas City Experiement was run in the early to mid 70's. Some upper echelon armchair types decided it would crush crime by assigning every body it could, in uniform, to a specific "high crime" area. They were turning out 65-75 cops a shift for a small dense neighborhood. Most were in 2 man cars the rest walked a beat or stood a fixed post.

Crime increased.

Seems no one gave thought to the fact that so many cops in such a small area led to the discovery of more and more incidents. Arrest and crime stats went through the roof. Sociopolitical commentators didn't know what to say. The brass lost their minds, the street coppers raked in the overtime. It did not abate even after a year or so. Ultimately the program was cancelled as the city darn near went broke payint all that OT.

That one was discussed for at least a decade.

We drove cars in a rainbow of colors in the 70's -'80's until settling on GM lt metallic blue around '84 or so. Our '83 Dodges were white.

We got some Ford Fairmonts, in baby blue. OMG!

They were repainted white or GM blue within months.

G

[gator52]

Some really great info in this thread that will help with the 91, 93, & 95 Caprices that I have planned. 

Does anyone have any info on interior colors that were offered for the 82-84 fleet Impalas? 

Thanks

Jonah