"Itss got a cop motor, a 440 cubic inch plant, it's got cop tires, cop suspensions, cop shocks." LOL. Great vid Hawk!

I own my assigned 1973 Police dodge coronet with 440, and 727 trans. I wa s assigned this unit when I was Police Chief in Cave Junction Oregon in the 70's. I went on to a larger department when C J went bankrupt in the late 70's ( Spotted Owl B S shut down logging and all our mills closed ) In the 90's after I had retired a friend who was a deputy in Josephine County saw the car in a wrecking yard and brought it to me. After having to buy a parts car and a lot of expense and labor it is again looking good! Get to relive memories of when I was the youngest Police Chief in Oregon, am now 80 years young. Great video! Thanks. JP3

So, back in 1981, as a teen, I bought at police auction one of their used Interceptors for $500. It was a 75 Torino with 460 Interceptor engine. 4 Door, but was highly factory modified with what they called SVO and DSO options. None of the suspension or over sized brakes and bearings were same as regular Torino. 9 Inch rear, beefy tranny, 140mph speedometer, extra cooling systems such as engine oil cooler, hydraulic, trans, 4 row radiator the whole works. Package was called Desert Rat cooling from Ford. Ride height was very high. Used to dirve down dirt back roads and mountain forest roads in Arizona at speeds well over 90mph, jumping cattle guards, railroad tracks , ditches and much of the dukes of hazards in this thing. Could pull itself up the grades north of Phoenix at 130mph without over heating. Learned to drive in this car. Got pulled over a couple times by Az Highway Patrol, not for speeding, but because they loved the car and was curious who wound up with it. AZ apparently only bought about 4 of them for the whole state just for hunting down high speed chases on interstates. So, if I was to vote, the best was the 75 Torino Interceptor.

As a former state trooper, I served through the 70's, 80's, and early 90's, and IMO, the Fury III's of 71/72/73 couldn't be matched. They were heavy beast, but with the 440 engine, a good one would lay rubber in the first two gears. I had one past 145mph and it was still going. In all my time on the job, anything that came after those was a disappointment. In 74/75, the 440 was bogged down with smog equipment, and we began seeing cruisers with the 400 engine which was a dog in comparison. To give an idea of what that smog equipment did to performance, the troop mechanic took a 400 equipped cruiser, removed a bunch of hoses and plugged the holes they were connected to. That car ran like a scalded cat afterwards. My department stayed with Chrysler products for a few years, and I drove Diplomats (318ci/4bbl) which wouldn't get out of it's own way, followed by the Magnum (360ci/4bbl). That was a step up from the Diplomat, but it was no 440. Over the years I operated Chevy Malibus (305ci/4bbl) that was as bad as the Diplomat and maybe worse. The absolute WORST cruiser I ever drove came from the "Blue Oval"....FORD. We were equipped for a short time with the 77-78 LTD II's (351ci/4bbl/single exhaust. Top speed was about 90mph....if you could ever get it there...and acceleration like a mud-logged tortoise. If you ever got involved in a chase and had to brake hard, you had better hope you didn't have to do it twice, because the second time....there weren't any left to speak of. Handling was as pathetic as everything else.

Back in the early 70's I shared a house with a mechanic for the LAPD. He said the Matadors were pretty good all around patrol cars. He also said that the late 60's Plymouth (68/69), "B" bodies were basic Roadrunner's with four doors.

1973 movie " White Lightning " with Burt Reynolds driving a 1971 429 police package Ford Galaxie is a great movie , lots of car chasing.

Good friend of mine is a retired police officer … said that the Plymouth Fury cruisers with the police 440’s were absolutely animals on a high end chase …

My father bought a 72 Plymouth satellite cop car i learned how to drive in it and I loved that car

Tough call. I'd take the 440. I had a customer, former Chicago cop, had a Coronet 440. He said he couldn't believe he got paid to drive that car.

My neighbor had a retired Illinois State Trooper 70-71 Fury 440. He gave me a ride and we were running 140 mph quicker than I could believe. Car was very solid.

The AMC's were so durable some stayed in service well into the '80s. I bought one in the late 80's (for the block) that still ran.

My favorite TV show of the 1970's is The Rockford Files and they always had a lot of AMC Matador police cars, so they would be my favorite.

Picked up a 78 Plymouth Fury a few years back. It was a North Carolina state interceptor. Powder blue with all the equipment still on board. 440 engine with 750 cfm thermoquad carb, factory headers, dual exhaust mated to a 727 trans. A very fun and comfortable car to drive. Still have it. Needs a complete restoration but would be a great car to restore.

Idk how, but I missed this one. Unexpected Green Hawk?! That like finding a big roach in the ashtray when you’re out. Like the best thing ever 😂

I personably like anything made by Chrysler . They looked so different from anything else and handled better than most.

I turned 16 in 1970 and got my license on my birthday. I got to drive the family car sometimes. It was a 1967 full sized Ford, ex Washington patrol cop car with a 427 V8 - we got it at the state auto auction. It was awesome. The handling was amazing. But a huge difference between those older cars and modern cop cars (SUV's not included) is that most of them were "body on frame" construction rather than unibody. It's why they were so tough. If you've ever played Grand Theft Auto and stolen a cop car for a nice joyride, it's amazing how much damage the software allows crown vics to take before they can't go on, compared to the Tauruses.

Offering this almost completely unrelated comment: In the Australian Capital Territory circa 1975, I recall being chased by the Feds whilst hooning around Canberra in my ‘64 Studebaker Cruiser, which had the Stude 289 V8 (and btw retrofitted with a 4-speed ‘Moss’ gearbox - ex Jaguar). The particular marked Police car that was chasing me, yes with lights and siren, was a Volkswagen Kombi van with the air-cooled 4-banger and automatic transmission. Good times!

The AMC 401 was no slouch. I vote for the underdog.

Arizona's Lacj of rust keeps the crown Vic here eternal

1996 Caprice LT1 to date my all time favorite to work in. Would still drive it today.

I’m from Canada, and the story is from a coworker back in the day. We live in Ontario. He and his buddy went to work out west in the mid Seventies. He had a pretty hot small block Chevelle. On the way out, they were stopped for fuel, and they saw this RCMP patrol car come in. They got talking to the officer about cars, and he opened the hood on his chev, I assume impala, and it had a 427. And a four speed. The officer said that it was for running down the big boys. A lot of flat straight road out west. They also had a run with a charger. My buddies chevelle had 3.73 gears. Great for playing around here. They were in the prairies, and this charger came up beside. Johnny figured he’d run him. He ran out of gear, and that charger shifted up as he passed him. Good times. My best to all.

In the late 60's early 70's, The FHP had Plymouth Furys with 440 ci engines. AMC won a contract to provide Matadors with 401s in them. The FHP changed the requirement after the winner was named and specified radial tires. AMC refused because the radials of the time would not recover from a high speed turn quick enough. AMC gave the FHP one anyway and told them to blow them up and tell them how they did it. They used to park it out back with a full tank of gas and let it idle with the AC on full. No effect. The Furies would top out at about 142. In a test run, my dad wound his up to 145 and turned his lights on as a signal to the following Matador. The Matador passed the Fury with not problem at all. I had a 727 trans out of an Alabama Highway Patrol Javelin which I put in my 74 AMX. It had better clutch packs and I had to remove the first gear lock out that it had.

Great research. You made this a lot more interesting than one would think. You know in 72 they switched to net horsepower so that explains the huge drop. I was a kid in the 70s and mostly remember Dodge and Plymouth police cars. Most of my family and friends had GM and Ford cars. So as a little kid I assumed all dodges were made to be police only. I inherited a 1978 LTD Landau with a 460. Even with detuning that boat was a rocket.

The Matador was the biggest star on Adam-12. When I saw one in LAPD livery in 1971, I screamed like a little girl (not much difference at my age). Disneyland and Universal Studios were #2 and #3 on my biggest SoCal thrills!

my dad had a 1970 Ford custom 500 with the 429 police interceptor

While hitch hiking through Arizona in 1971, I saw one of these AMX cop cars near Flagstaff. A couple years later I had the chance to spend quite a bit of time behind the wheel of a 72, 401 4 spd AMX. Damn that car was FAST!

The early 70's Mopars like the Furys and Polaras were probably the best having the 440's IMHO.

The AMC had 4 piston front disk brakes as compared to the drum brakes found on most other cars. The Ford Custom with the 429 was a monster and that would be my vote.

AMX, the '76 Dart & Valiant A38 (with the 360 option), the Nova, Matador (with the 401) and the Pontiac Enforcer were fairly rare and underrated. My favorite? The Chrysler A-body; the newspaper article in the video? Appears the tire shredded apart & he lost control...the tires were not what came from AMC, which is also noted

When I was in college back then, Campus Police used Matadors 3 out of 4 years. The odd year they used the briefly available Pontiac LeMans Police package.

I've actually owned two of these. 1971 Ford Custom ex Maryland State Police. 429 4V. It came off Kennedy Expressway duty and had a really high rear axle ratio. A total dog to about 35 MPH and then it came alive all the way to the top of the 140 MPH speedometer! Interestingly, it had a factory Rochester Quadrajet carburetor. The Ford 4300 piece of crap carb wasn't able to provide enough CFM to feed the beast. The other was an ex Alaska State Trooper - 1972 AMC Matador 401. Originally equipped (converted) to run on propane. I converted it back to gasoline. Great car. Handling was excellent!

In the late 70s in Catoosa County, Ga, they used a fleet of detuned Trans Ams for patrol cars. Locals knew to keep their speeds down on I-75 in those days for sure! It was the firat speed trap coming south from Tennessee into Georgia 😅

My Uncle was A Virginia State Trooper. He had a 71 Plymouth Fury that would go 180 MPH. Clocked using radar.

I was 12 in 71 and a Chevy guy . But our police dept. had 71 and 72 Ford Custom's with the 429 and they were bad ass! I remember seeing one that sounded like it had a racing cam in it. The cop couldn't get it to idle. He raced that engine that dual exhaust screamed crackled when he lt off the gas . It was awesome!

My neighbor is retired from the Chicago Police and said no officer who ever patrolled with the 1976 Monaco CPD cars was sorry when so many were demolished in filming The Blues Brothers. He said their length and width made them difficult to maneuver in narrow streets and alleys in “old neighborhoods.” He said also the big V8 engines and lack of air conditioning made them miserable in warm weather. He noted that what was actually a good police car for patrol in narrow streets and alleys were the small batch of 1978/79 Ford Fairmont LE version, but cramped inside. As to the Dodges wrecked in making The Blues Brothers-my neighbor said they were actually sold as scrap steel tonnage before the filming began, and the collisions facilitated their dismantling for scrapping.

Personal favorites would be the Dodge Monaco and the Plymouth Fury but they would came into the picture in the late 1970's.

I have owned 4 Crown Vics and 2 Grand Marquis 92-05 years. Only one was a P71, it was a 1996 that I paid $600 for in Elkton, KY, I had just gotten out of the Army in 2006, I put $300 worth of maintenance and tune up into it. Had the 3.08 open diff and the balanced aluminum driveshaft the later cars lost, it would do every bit of 136mph coming down I24 from Clarksville, TN to Nashville, I knew every speed trapping spot the entire way both directions, I knew exactly where to slow down, then as long as it was an open road, I could run until I hit traffic again. I had a 2005 Crown Vic LX that was significantly more powerful but it was limited to 108mph. After that I had an '05, '10 and '11 Mustang GT, then I got my second police car, a 2013 Caprice PPV 6L it was my all time favorite car, only had 800miles whenI bought it, Alto Grey, looked like a civilian car, was limited and would hit between 158-160mph, after that I had a 2016 Chevrolet SS 6.2L it was much more luxurious, I didn't notice that it was much quicker, limited to the same top speed, all I have left now is a cam, headers 2004 GTO 6 speed it's limited to 163mph.

11:34 My dear old dad was a 30 year RCMP veteran. each decade he drove the best police car a available at the time. The 1960s, a 2 dr 65 Ford Custom with a hydraulic lifters 427, police version, 390 HP, seldom known.

Keep in mind that 1972 was the model year the auto manufacturers began reporting horsepower in net vs. the gross HP rating of 1971 and earlier. The gross HP was without belt driven accessories, exhaust, etc. so the HP numbers were higher.

Thank You for the Memories! Keep it going and go on from the mid Seventies to the 2000's.

That opening screen gave me a jumpscare from growing up in Washington State; that logo is imprinted in my brain as dangerous like the outline of a hawk is to a squirrel.

The first time LAPD chased me (1972) they had a '71 401 Matador. I was 16 piloting a '67 289 Cougar. I lost him by turning into a twisty neighborhood that I evidently knew better than he. The second pursuit saw me in a '68 442 Olds (street racer) with a built '70 455 in it. Night pursuit; all I saw was the red lights, so I don't know what car they had. I had the taillights and brake lights on cut-off switches, so I lost him in the darkness. In between, I had picked up a black-and-white '68 440 CHP Polara. What a tank! So many stories with that car. My vote for best squad, although not in the time frame of this vid. Side note: there were, in fact, civvy versions of the Matador. There was a local light yellow 4-door Matty with 401 badges on the fenders, owned by some lady. Tried to buy it, but no go.

Those 7O’s Police interceptors are printed in my soul they part of my DNA 🧬 print ! Those were the golden era ❤

I read an article in a car magazine don't remember which one. It stated they loved and ran AMC matador until they just couldn't get parts anymore. I worked with a guy that believed in helping the underdog. He bought a matador had nothing but problems. I still hated to see AMC go out of business. Heartbreaking to see an American car Co go out of business. Great video thanks !

You missed the Mercury cop cars. In 1975 my uncle purchased at an Iowa State Auction an Iowa State Highway Patrol car that had just had a new 460 engine put in it. It was a '73 Mercury Monterey 4dr sedan, white body with a black vinyl roof and the certified 140MPH speedometer in 2mph increments (as I recall it). When the secondaries of the carburetor opened up you could see trees leaning toward the car as wind sucked past them into the engine! HA! He took it up to the 140 and it was still going faster, but he was scared of the tires and brakes so he shut it down. It would run rough on regular gasoline, better on ethyl, but really well on super premium. No idea what the compression ratio was, but it had to be above 10:1. Good times!

You are correct that all the OEMs had to detune the engines after 1970... lower compression ratios in particular. But... the entire industry changed the horsepower ratings from SAE gross (engine run on a dyno with no "restrictions") to SAE net (engine on a dyno as it was installed in the car with belt driven accessories, air filter, full exhaust system). Ratings from 1970 and 1972 were not comparable. Many 1971 cars only had both gross and net ratings published, showing how much the two rating standards differed.

love learning about these forgotten cars, great video!

I was born in 1973. So some cars I remember from the 70s. Strangely enough I don't recall seeing that many police cars other than the *"Dukes of Hazzard"* or other action movies of the decade.

Growing up in Los Angeles during the 60s/70s, I'm a big fan of the Adam-12 cars, the Plymouths and the AMC. My favorite though is the 1969 Plymouth Belvedere.

I am a 57 year old Canadian and I can tell you how many different police cars over the years of which we had. Most were decent and actually quite good. The only exception was in the mid 80s where detectives were driving K cars...lol. Good stuff.

I once saw a Plymouth add claiming that 85% of cop cars sold were Plymouth's.

I had a 440 in my 76' Dodge shortbed Powerwagon .When I put a four barrel carb. on it and dual exhaust, that coke can really flew.😜

The 1970 Ford Custom 500’s that Fairfax County Virginia used were strong cars. I bought one from a group of cars at a junkyard in 1976 and it had a factory 428 with a solid lifter cam. Also the front upper control arms had bearings with grease fittings. Brakes and suspension were very good. With headers this car ran 13.78 at 75/80 dragway. Unfortunately the 428 was not as strong on the bottom end and eventually gave way. I replaced it with a 460.

I worked at a gas station when was ateenager and serviced the local HPs dodge 440 “interceptor “ that was modified and had been clocked on radar at 160 mph

Probably because it was AMC's home state, the Wisconsin State Patrol used a lot of 401 Ambassadors in the 1970 mixed in with a few Plymouths. The Ambassador was basically the same car as the Matador with a longer wheelbase. Our neighbor was a state trooper. He always had one of the Ambassadors parked at his house when not on duty. No idea of how the car performed, but I remember him telling my dad that the Ambassador seats were the most comfortable of any patrol car. Considering the patrol car was his office, I suspect many troopers valued seat comfort over all out performance.

There was an AMC dealership in my hometown. Consequently, we had all AMC Matador or Ambassador Cruisers. It was the early seventies. Eventually, the Ford LTD replaced them.

I grew up in a small town in upstate NY. In the early 70's the town PD had a dark green metallic Pontiac. I think it was a LeMans. It had a big single bubble gum light on top. That thing rumbled through it's dual exhaust and was fast. I remember that it had a 4 speed transmission with a big white shifter ball/handle. It was only a 2 door too. It had the Pontiac five spoke wheels and white lettered tires. There was very few guys who could outrun it. Oh the good old days.

Regarding the full size fords: 1971 police 429 was identical to the cobra jet. 1972 was the first year of the official 429 police interceptor. Slightly lower compression, but better flowing heads. In 72, due to emissions, horse power became a “dirty word” and compression began to drop across all manufacturers. By 74 ford’s police interceptor received the new 460 PI and still used the heads from 72. Ford refused to publish the hp/tq ratings for 72-74 police interceptors. while the civilian big blocks were rated around 200 hp, the PI engines still made numbers closer to the 71 CJ. Even until 1978, the 460 PI was still using parts from 429 cobra jet. 460 PI engines had an in-tank electric fuel pump because the block mounted fuel pump would starve for fuel when vehicle speeds exceeded 120mph. Ford wins best police car of the 70s.

I built the AMT 1/25 scale 70 Ford Galaxie Squad Car Model Kit about a few months ago.. It came out quite nicely I think..

Another killer video! I remember these beasts.

When I was a cop car mechanic the Chevrolet Caprice was the best car available from 1988 to 1996. After 1996 many agencies would rather refurbish their Caprices than buy a new Ford.

This was such an ambitious video! Great Job Hawk, as always.

Another great video. Thanks for this. The amount of American films that I’ve watched and loved from this period, and the cars within them too. But being from this side of the pond 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 I didn’t really know much about them.

The dodge polar 440 pursuit is my favorite especially by the CHP The amc matador is a adam 12 bring back I love

Most Police I have spoken to said they like the AMC Matador, because they had decent brakes, and the 401 cid that ran well.

Even movies that take place in modern times feature old school cop cars whenever they have rural/small police, and modern cars in city scenes.

had a classmate in 1982 who picked up a fury 3 with a 440 and dual quad carbs, it was modded by the police as a pursuit car- most likely to chase moonshiners as this was in north carolina.

I saw a few 1980's "in the heat of the night" cop cars in tell city indiana parked in front of the police station back in 2006 or so.

My vote goes to the Dodge Polara Pursuit. I have the most experience with the 1970 Dodge Polara. My 70 y/o GRANDMOTHER bought one with the 440 Magnum and I got to drive it. They were screaming boats which could pull 6 skiers, and they were a helluva lot of fun to drive. I had a '70 AMC Javelin later on, and rebuilt the 390 into a 400+hp/425lb-ft BEAST and outran a CHP Interceptor in the twisties. That car once spun a manhole cover off and half a block down the alley when my throttle stuck WFO. I thought I had broken a leaf spring when the car dropped 6 inches, but then it was back up and I was in 3rd gear before I could hit the ignition switch. Fond fun memories.

The brother of the ex bought a Mercury, Ga. State Trooper car at auction. I don't know what year it was, but it had the 429 interceptor, Goodyear Eagles and a calibrated speedo. He told me to get in, he wanted to show me something. He took the ramp for Ga. highway 5 to I-20 eastbound and said, 'look at the speedometer and watch this!' That car changed gears from second to third showing ninety mph and barked tires!!! That was one bad 429.

You had a difficult time, but you did a great job! You put effort into the video. You pulled up some good footage too. I recall all those cars being used on films and on television during that time through the 70's. I recall the many shows and films like the Chevrolets used in the James Bond film. I recall sheriff JW Pepper. I recall all the Dodges/Plymouths used in The Blues Brothers as well. I recall the Matador being used on Adam 12. I would take the Chevrolet Impala/Bel Air. You did mention the later Caprices too. The name of the Chevrolet wagon at the time was Kingswood before it became Estate wagon. I know Pontiac had a few and Oldsmobile had some police cars as well. They had Eighty Eights. You keep learning and growing as you do the work to run your channel. I did not see any poll. I keep missing it as I never can locate the poll. You have a great weekend.

Growing up in Maryland in the early 70's, we didn't see as many Mopar cop cars. It was pretty much all Fords for the local and state police, until Chevy Caprices started popping up in the 80's and well into the 90's.

My favorit is the dodge Monaco 1977 patrol car.

Any old Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth police package with a big block were the boss.

One Adam 12’s Matador is my fave

Nice job on the comparison! The best car I drove hands down was the Chev. Impala that came out in 1977 with the detuned Corvette 350. We also had 1975 Plymouth Fury's with the 440. They were heavy cars, it took a while to get past 100, and you couldn't make a three point turn to chase someone going the opposite direction. We had Ford Crown Vics starting in 1982 which ran good, but couldn't touch the Chev. 350 for top end or braking. The Chev. Impala's prior to 1977 were slow and drove like a boat when taking corners. Nothing compared to the downsized Chev. Impala that came out in 77 and had the same body style until 1988.

Where I grew up in Lansing, MI. ( The hometown of Oldsmobile ) The cops drove Delta 88's. They were huge and it was said they could hold 6 dead bodies in the trunk.

The only Pontiac police car I ever saw was a 90s Trans Am with the Connecticut SP. In the 70s they ran Ford LTDs. Later had Mustangs, Buick Regal T-Types and even Mazda MX-6s!

The Ford Galaxie, and LTD. Always..

I know all about these cars. It doesn't make me feel old. Makes me feel wise.

Lol, Michigan State Troopers still use an LED version of that same single red rooftop blinker.

I remember Massachusetts liking the Fords, while New York swore by Chryslers.

Excellent video Green Hawk! These do bring back memories. I had no idea that some Javelins were used for LE service. Please keep the great videos coming!

i had a 96 p71. that car would get up to 140 fast. had lots of peddle left except the suspension was a little worn out, so you wanted to go in a straight line. i know it wasnt a classic oldy, but it got me into looking at the older police cars.

Something about the Matador and Ambassador cars was they were very authoritarian in appearance.

I grew up in the western suburbs of Cleveland OH back then. Different cities' departments used different cars. The one to the north had Plymouth Furys, one to the south had Ford LTDs, one to the east used Buick LeSabres, Another used Chevy Biscaynes, while where I grew up used Olds 88s. During the mid-'70s gas crisis years, one department even used Dodge Darts, but equipped with 383s! Another department even experimented with the downsized (yet still considered 'full-size') '79 LTD-S with 255 V-8s - talk about a gutless wonder! Those were promptly replaced with new LTDs with either 302s or 351s under the hood after just one year.

1971 Ford Custom 500 for the first 6 months of production it came with a 429 Cobra Jet. The 429 PI wasn't ready until mid-production for 1971.

1:26 Peak Nova, 73 and 74 sexiest years imo

I turned 10 in 1980, so my first ten years on the planet were the 1970s. Oddly. While I watched the Blues Brothers at the theater in 1980, I JUST showed the movie to my wife last night. We are in our early 50s and she had never seen it. Joliet Jake and Elwood gained a new fan...here in 2024. You asked for my thoughts, well here they are: the 70s, and the 80s that came after...were just a better time. As to the cars: from my father's 1970 Challenger, to my 2011 392 Challenger, to my Ram 1500 truck: "MOPAR or NOCAR" indeed! And I will tell you how that worked. GM and Ford were the top manufacturers. They made some AWESOME cars, but culturally, enjoying their cars was a bit conformist. MOPAR guys were the rebels. MOPAR guys were the guys that rode with the underdog. To run with the #3 meant that you were a rugged individualist who was going to make life work with less. Not that the MOPAR cars were less. They certainly were not less. But the perception of the people who made them was less. So to have a car that could outrun anything made by the big 2, was to stick a finger in the eye of the establishment. Get it? And yes, I fully see the irony in the fact that MOPAR were making most of the Police cars. But this is the way perceptions were, none the less. Now, none of it really applies anymore. My RAM truck today was built in Mexico and my Challenger was built in Canada. Mercedes owned Chrysler when my truck was built and Fiat owned it when my Challenger was built. All of the things that caused these perceptions to be based in reality back in the 70s, well those things do not exist anymore. But the perceptions remain, and they still lead to the same old brand loyalties.

The 429 Ford V8 was an especially fine engine, mated to the Ford C6 AT. In Mustang form, this could out-perform most of the competition from other makes. Chrysler 727 AT was a beast - capable of tolerating enormous torment. The 440 engine did have lower-end success @ high rpm, due to the short stroke. Chevy's 454 and Th400 AT was a fine combo too. I had never heard about handling problems with short wheelbases however. Sounds like a problem with the drivers, primarily. Good video !

dude i grew up in the 70s with family who were cops till the late 80s . i saw a lot of cool big fast cruisers. it made me love the big 4dr sedans over the coups. if i had a coupe it was a caddy ltd merc. but ill tell no lies that the matadore was a real beast. their suspensions wernt great but had a massive powerplant that would move that car along with a rear end that would give it the advantage at highway speeds. love this video, brought back a lot of memories. thx.

Nicely done, great information

at 74, i know alot about the cars of the 60's and 70's. Chrysler products were by and far the most popular police cars!

Cleveland used the 1973 AMC Ambassador painted lime green for high visibility.

Determining the "best" police car from the 1970s can be subjective and depends on various factors such as performance, reliability, durability, and overall suitability for law enforcement duties. Several car manufacturers produced popular police vehicles during that era, each with its strengths and characteristics favored by different police departments. Here are a few contenders for the title of the best cop car from the 1970s: 1. **Chevrolet Impala:** The Chevrolet Impala was a common choice among police departments during the 1970s. It offered a combination of robust construction, powerful V8 engines, and ample interior space for equipment and passengers. The Impala's performance and durability made it a popular choice for patrol and pursuit duties. 2. **Ford Crown Victoria:** While the Ford Crown Victoria gained prominence in later decades, its predecessor, the Ford LTD, was also used as a police vehicle during the 1970s. The LTD offered solid performance, a comfortable ride, and a spacious interior suitable for law enforcement needs. 3. **Dodge Monaco/Plymouth Fury:** Dodge and Plymouth produced several models that were used as police cars during the 1970s, including the Dodge Monaco and Plymouth Fury. These cars were known for their powerful engines, sturdy build, and large trunk space, making them practical for police work. 4. **Chrysler Newport:** The Chrysler Newport was another full-size sedan commonly used by law enforcement agencies in the 1970s. It offered a smooth ride, robust construction, and options for high-performance engines, making it a reliable choice for police fleets. 5. **AMC Matador:** Although less common than other models, the AMC Matador was used by some police departments during the 1970s. It had a distinctive appearance, good handling, and decent performance, making it a viable option for law enforcement duties. The "best" cop car from the 1970s would depend on factors such as the specific needs of the police department, budget considerations, performance requirements, and the availability of spare parts and maintenance support. Different departments might have had different experiences and preferences, leading to a variety of choices across the law enforcement community.

I worked at a gas station way back in 1975, and we had a deputy sheriff who was well into his 70's bring in his Plymouth Fury with a 440 Magnum in for oil changes. The dual exhaust were huge, probably 3 inches, and I know this because I would stand behind the car and listen to the sound when he drove off. It was like rolling thunder. I know that engine had to be a monster looking for a meal, but he drove slower than my grandmother in her Rambler American so I never heard it much above idle. As an employee of the station I was allowed to drive it from the parking lot to the service bay and that was it. I really wanted to drive it around the block and feel those the secindaries open just once. Nope. Not allowed.

I had a 1994 caprice police car as a winter car. It had the 350 and a 4 speed. It was really fast for its size.

NY State Police ran Plymouth Fury's in dark blue and yellow... they looked pretty cool.

I used to work for a government fleet, of a large city government on the west coast. The fleet had all sorts of cars, probably at least a thousand in all, and included several hundred Crown Victorias in the fleet used by the police division of that city government. So I had occasion to drive these constantly. And whatever performance package, upgrade, or mod offered by Ford these Crown Vics had it. Including 4 wheel disc with the largest vented rotors they make, brakes so powerful that if you were at speed and stomped on the brakes, you could put yourself through your own windshield with ease. And the engine so powerful you could smoke the tires in every gear if you wanted to. But none of this was what made these cars so formidable compared to any other car they were likely to be chasing. What made these cars so massively powerful had nothing to do with the car's mechanicals, it was the guy/gal officer behind the wheel! You better believe not only was that car powerful, the guy behind the wheel literally could not care less about the car he was driving. They all knew whatever damage they did to the car - trying to light the tires, casual drag race with their police buddy, or just plain old flooring it "to see what she'll do!" - so long as it wasn't cosmetic or something that showed - they faced no consequences and no costs, no matter what they did to beat up on their own cars.

Full size american sedans have always been my favorites, and these cop cars have always been some of the most beautiful in my eyes. Personally it'd have to be a tie between the fuselage era Dodge polaras and the ford LTDs of 71-73. Never been much of an AMC guy. Nothing against them,they just never were big enough for me!