Quote:
Originally Posted by BHPD356
The public in general has no idea that these cars are show only. I mean come on they still look new enough to be in service.
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Not only do these SSP's look new enough to still be in-service, some of them still are! I saw a news feed a few months ago about a guy near Joplin, MO who shot his TV. Local PD/SWAT responded, and one of the police vehicles shown in the video looked to be an aero SSP from the front. The video was too short for me to identify the car, but I'm nearly positive it was an SSP.
I must say - It's nice to read a forum discussion on this topic, and see it handled by the members and staff without name calling and hurt feelings.
In my situation, my CHP car will be all-black with the CHP spots and antennae. I decided to not paint my CHP black with a white roof because I was afraid of:
- Being mistaken for a cop by the public.
- Being stopped by the cops thinking I was trying to impersonate one.
I will also have the rear deck lights on the car, but they will be covered at all times, except at a show or track event. NONE of my emergency lights will be operational while driving, and I will not be installing a siren or other radio equipment. But I will be collecting the correct parts for an in-service restoration, should that ever be of interest to me or a subsequent owner (I'm not a flipper, but I can't live forever!).
But I do recognize that "perception" by the public and LEO's is a unique part of being an SSP enthusiast. Just like the owners of other vintage emergency vehicles, we need to be careful in how we are perceived by those who are not knowledgeable about SSP Mustangs. That will impact upon how my car is outfitted, as well as how I drive it on the street.