More proof that the P-39 rules! 😂

[GregP]

Nothing looks more like a bottle of whiskey than a bottle of whiskey in a brown paper bag.

Likewise, standard police cars are EASY to spot, even if they are tinted. Usually, standard wheels are a dead giveaway, as well as a few other traits.

 

[SaparotRob]

..and the tinting.

 

[GrauGeist]

Yep, corporate hubcaps on steel wheels and tinted windows pretty much says it all.

With a little leg work and some string pulling, I was able to get their undercover types headed in the right direction - and that could fill an entire new thread of it's own.

 

[SaparotRob]

The most diabolical undercover car I ever saw was a police hippie van in the '80s. Nassau County, Long Island.

 

[GrauGeist]

The most diabolical undercover car I ever saw was a police hippie van in the '80s. Nassau County, Long Island.

I can easily top that many times over.

 

[SaparotRob]

Well yeah. I never had much interaction with the police. This is a good thing.

 

[GrauGeist]

Well yeah. I never had much interaction with the police. This is a good thing

I worked with LEO (Federal, State, various counties and area PDs), Fire (again, all across the board), EMS (volunteer and commercial), USFS, BLM, NPS, UP RR, WAPA plus State as well as local civilian outfits.

It was an interesting job.

 

[special ed]

One of the accounts I serviced was a courthouse. In the employee parking was a very unassuming 2 door Pontiac, faded maroon probably, with absolutely no trim except for the Pontiac badges and 400 on the front fenders. I think it was assigned to the DA's office.

 

[GrauGeist]

I can safely say, that out of all of the vehicles I worked on over the years, not a single one was a P-39

 

[GregP]

My brother-in-law was with the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office (just north of Seattle) for 25+ years. Once, when he was undercover, he was assigned a beat-up looking old Ford Mustang that was mechanically perfect. He turned it in one day to have the oil changed and the Sheriff's Maintenance Shop scrapped it! He had to go to the pound and "rescue" it to stay undercover!

So, every once in awhile, the "undercover" cars fool even the maintenance guys.

 

[PAT303]

My brother-in-law was with the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office (just north of Seattle) for 25+ years. Once, when he was undercover, he was assigned a beat-up looking old Ford Mustang that was mechanically perfect. He turned it in one day to have the oil changed and the Sheriff's Maintenance Shop scrapped it! He had to go to the pound and "rescue" it to stay undercover!

So, every once in awhile, the "undercover" cars fool even the maintenance guys.

Had to laugh at this, a very good mate who did undercover used to get impounded cars because they were not obvious, one night he turned up at my door flustered, he was sitting up the street from a crimes house when he smelt smoke, the bloody car caught on fire so he legged it, straight to my place!!!!.

 

[Frog]

The most diabs solical undercover car I ever saw was a police hippie van in the '80s. Nassau County, Long Island.

Not so cleved to hide as hippies in the 80s : they should have posed as punks.

 

[Peter Gunn]

*SNIP* - and that could fill an entire new thread of it's own.

Do tell, I'd be interested in this thread, I'd like to hear all about it, I vote you start it.

 

[GrauGeist]

Do tell, I'd be interested in this thread, I'd like to hear all about it, I vote you start it.

It would be fun, but I still don't have my computers out of storage yet, so I wouldn't be able to share any photos (and I have tons of photos from all those years).

 

[special ed]

As this thread has devolved into a nostalgia car thread, it occurred to me that most of the members will never have the enjoyment in old cars that the grey head members had, assuming intact memories. The younger will not experience the pleasure of a date on a bench seat, stick shift car from the 40s-50s where the SYT* sat so close that it looked like one body with two heads. That meant of course shifting left handed through the steering wheel spokes. Right hand drive is on your own. If she was shy. she shifted gears for you. The older cars from the 30s were even more fun as the floor shift now was between her legs, meaning more care was needed with left hand shifts until later dates. On occasion, a timid soul would cling to the passenger door handle, however this could be corrected. Many of the older cars were equipped with aftermarket seatcovers made of a woven plastic. With a light coat of wax, well buffed, a sharp right turn would reposition the timid one to the proper place. The next few words would give an indication of her personality. She would say, "My the seat is slippery." to which I replied, "I wax them." If she thought it funny, she could be a great date, but if she thought it disgusting, her father could go to bed early.
This bought another memory about a previous generation. My mother returned from an evening ladies church meeting and told of Mr. Miller complaining she was nearly late because of the young couple in the car ahead of her. They were sitting so close it looked like one body with two heads (bench seat) and every red light they commenced to kissing so that when the light turned green, she had to use the horn to get them to move. From the back of the room, Mr.Dunn the church treasurer (96 in 1957), commented, "In my day, we just threw the reins over the dashboard. The horse knew the way home."
*SYT=sweet young thing

 

[GrauGeist]

My Dad had a '57 Nomad and the glove box door was chrome plated.
Under the dash, were cherry lights which gave pretty good, indirect lighting.
Needless to say, it offered a really good view of the person's lap, that was sitting in the middle of the seat!
(This was back in the days of skirts)

By the way, Dad had a 45 rpm record player in that glove box, too.

 

[SaparotRob]

As this thread has devolved into a nostalgia car thread, it occurred to me that most of the members will never have the enjoyment in old cars that the grey head members had, assuming intact memories. The younger will not experience the pleasure of a date on a bench seat, stick shift car from the 40s-50s where the SYT* sat so close that it looked like one body with two heads. That meant of course shifting left handed through the steering wheel spokes. Right hand drive is on your own. If she was shy. she shifted gears for you. The older cars from the 30s were even more fun as the floor shift now was between her legs, meaning more care was needed with left hand shifts until later dates. On occasion, a timid soul would cling to the passenger door handle, however this could be corrected. Many of the older cars were equipped with aftermarket seatcovers made of a woven plastic. With a light coat of wax, well buffed, a sharp right turn would reposition the timid one to the proper place. The next few words would give an indication of her personality. She would say, "My the seat is slippery." to which I replied, "I wax them." If she thought it funny, she could be a great date, but if she thought it disgusting, her father could go to bed early.
This bought another memory about a previous generation. My mother returned from an evening ladies church meeting and told of Mr. Miller complaining she was nearly late because of the young couple in the car ahead of her. They were sitting so close it looked like one body with two heads (bench seat) and every red light they commenced to kissing so that when the light turned green, she had to use the horn to get them to move. From the back of the room, Mr.Dunn the church treasurer (96 in 1957), commented, "In my day, we just threw the reins over the dashboard. The horse knew the way home."
*SYT=sweet young thing

I had a girlfriend who referred to bench seats as S O B seats. "Slide over baby".

 

[GrauGeist]

The middle position on the front (or back) seat was usually referred to as "sitting b!tch", too.

 

[WARSPITER]

My uncle told me about a farmer down the road who had never had a vehicle. Finally bought one and went by train to Perth to pick it up.
While he was there the sales people taught him how to drive it. It was a tray back truck - 1930 something. Drove it all way back
from Perth (220 miles) leaving early morning as the roads were not great. Got to town and decided to show the boys at the pub.

Spent the rest of the evening at the pub and then drove another 20 miles on gravel to home. Up the driveway - into the shed,
forgot he was not on the cart (thoroughly pissed) and loudly said "Whoah now boy" - 240 miles of driving - his first time - went clean
through the back wall of the shed and buggered the radiator. Apparently the wife was not overly impressed.

 

[BiffF15]

The middle position on the front (or back) seat was usually referred to as "sitting b!tch", too.

We called that, "Bitch with your feet on the hump"! Which wasn't bad in the desert, in the front seat, due to proximity to the weak A/C vents…