Kinda! :) It would be nice to finally find an 85 SMPV. I think it would be a great restoration of a hard-to-find SSP. Without waxing too-poetically, like in Moby Dick, an 85 SMPV is my ever elusive whale. I'm not telling y'all anything you don't already know, but these SSP's are really a unique piece in automotive history. First there's the search for the vehicle itself, then comes the pursuit of documentation, then tracking down specific parts, then the restoration, and finally enjoying the results.

:D

That would be something else if it turned out to be an SMPV.

Heck, I'd probably faint if the assignment card for mine showed SMPV!!

Ryan, IF (big 'if') the CHP repainted as many as 25 of the 155 SSP's they bought in 1985 as SMPV's, then there's a 16% chance that your car was a SMPV. Not great odds, but it sure would be cool for one (or more) to surface! I know you'll post up once your card arrives (soon!) in the mail.

:)

The verdict is in!
 

The Assignment Card for #E408306 arrived in yesterday's mail, and the car was clearly a regular B&W while in-service. The white repaint occurred just prior to auction.

I'm a bit disappointed, yet somewhat relieved. I really can't take on another project right now. When I get to work tomorrow, I will scan in both sides of the card and post them up, before sending the card to the seller.

:cool:

As promised, here is the Assignment Card for #E408306 -

http://images52.fotki.com/v641/photo...7/8306A-vi.jpg

http://images15.fotki.com/v587/photo...7/8306B-vi.jpg


Using this CHP Office Finder, the car was initially assigned to CHP Office #126 in Garberville, CA, but was immediately exchanged to CHP Office #150 in Ukiah, CA (Northwest of Sacramento). It replaced a 1982 (#E870580), and was replaced with a 1987 (#E422957). The scan doesn't show it well, but you can see on the card where the writer started to describe #8306 as a Dodge Diplomat. Since this car has one of the lowest known Unit Numbers for 1985, I could see where he/she would have written that out of habit (much like dating a personal check in January with the prior year).

So I will send the card to the seller so he can include it with the car when he sells it.

Good detective work though.