Restoring an SSP in Different Agency than Original?

[28HopUp]

Originally Posted by NoDrama43

Tribute cars are commonly referred to as clone cars which are commonly referred to as clown cars. Regardless of what others may say (in an effort to be politically correct) clown cars are generally looked down upon by enthusiasts that have made the effort to restore an SSP back to correct Agency/conditions etc.

The car isn't an Alabama car. If you want an Alabama car you should find one to restore. FHP cars are a dime a dozen, so I understand why you want something different. But clowning the car is a huge mistake in my opinion.

Jim, I realize that enthusiasts have a different definition for various terms in the car hobby. For the benefit of Ron/90Coupe and others, let me put out the terms for consideration/discussion.

I consider a clone to be an authentic re-creation of an existing vehicle. This can be done tastefully, IMO, but not everyone will appreciate a vehicle like this. Twenty years ago, people would not identify a classic muscle car as a clone - they would call it a fake. Since then, the concept has become more acceptable by calling them clones.

A tribute car, to me, is creating something unique that never existed. For example, I have a friend who built a 2005 GT350 tribute car. Ford/Shelby never built a GT350 on that platform, but the car honors the heritage of those original vehicles. I know another member at that forum who made himself a beautiful 2005 Mach I (again, another model that does not exist on the S197 platform). The concept of a tribute vehicle can work extrememly well on certain cars.

In terms of SSP's, a tribute car can quickly become what is called by many as a clown car. There is a thread on copcar.com (I would link it, but you have to be a member there to see it) where the police equipment in a 1962 Belvedere includes a computer keyboard and radar gun. I will attach those pictures to this post. Another example of clowning around would be to add additional lighting/LED's to a restoration on a car that never used them. That's why I suggested that the OP be as accurate as possible in the restoration if he builds it as a Alabama clone.

Putting on my Moderator hat for a moment, I would like to add that I appreciate the civil discussion on the subject matter. We may not all share the same opinion on certain subjects, but we do share a common passion for these cars and tend to treat others with respect when discussing things. I like that!

[Andy]

If i could just add one more thing to my first post!
At a car show it's confusing to people already that you have
a marked police car and for the most part they are all ears
with questions. Now throw into the mix this. Well it's really
NOT a Georgia car it's a Florida car that i want to look like
a Georgia car! Remember they already think your a little different
to have restored a Police car ......and you did.
just not the correct agency.
Send in the clowns! i'm done
http://www.messengerpuppet.com/_Photos/ed11.jpg

[mac88chp]

Originally Posted by Andy

If i could just add one more thing to my first post!
At a car show it's confusing to people already that you have
a marked police car and for the most part they are all ears
with questions. Now throw into the mix this. Well it's really
NOT a Georgia car it's a Florida car that i want to look like
a Georgia car! Remember they already think your a little different
to have restored a Police car ......and you did.
just not the correct agency.

Very good point. It is just much more satisfying in the long run to have a car that is authentic and done right. Restoration is not cheap and ends up costing the same whether you do a "tribute" car or the real deal. If what you have to work with isn't quite what you really want to own then you may want to seriously consider selling your current project and finding an alternative one before any serious time and money gets committed.

[calimustang]

Guys,

thanks for bringing this subject up, i was going to make a thread about this for a while but you beat me to it, since my SSP is unknown at this point besides bucktag saying Ocala, FL and nobody is familiar with this SSP so what can i do at this point? Restore it to its original colors and etc but what agency? I'll be paying a visit to Gainesville area PD's and Ocala PD's soon and see if i hit gold there but my gut feelings says no. I've considered about making it an tribute SSP in honor of all LEO's (current and retired) for protecting us.

[ChrisL]

I have to agree with some of the statements above, the car should really be restored to its original livery.

A) Part of the hobby, in my opinion, is wanting a specific agency and turning over every rock you can to find one... or finding an SSP, researching it's history, finding out which agency it was, and restoring it back. I wanted an '86 TX DPS for a long time, while I could have bought many other '86 SSPs and just cloned it, that wouldn't have been authentic.

B) Having to explain to people at car shows, fellow hobbiests, a potential buyer down the road, or anyone for that matter that although it's really an FHP, you cloned it to an Alabama, etc etc would really be a blow to the car's integrity and probably your ego. You want the car to wear it's colors loud and proud, and being masked in the wrong agency's colors discredits the whole thing in my opinion.

That being said, I'm just as hard on every car, not just SSPs. I hate walking up to a car, seeing 2R (Bright Red) on the door tag and for some reason the car is silver, black, blue... whatever it is. Even if it is nicely done, I can't shake the thought out of my mind that the car is now a bit phony... even if well done.

I understand that sourcing and restoring an Alabama car might be hard work, or that you can't afford it which might be the case, but to me that just means "the search goes on" for the perfect Alabama car to restore. Maybe you don't find one that fits your budget this year, so you save up money and parts and keep searching and find it next year. If money isn't a concern, even better. Sell the FHP and wait to pull the trigger on the next Bama car that comes along.

Just my $.02

[GSPI]

Hmmm what to say without sounding contradictory?

There are too many SSP's and plenty of photographic and historical information out there to really not make it the original department that it came from in my opinion. The part of the hobby where I come from there is no longer that type of availability of the documented sedans from the 50's, 60's, and 70's like it was in the past so many vehicles get cloned now and at one point we were having this exact discussion at least 15 years ago... and after 15 years those cars that were available then are now gone and the granny mobiles are taking over and the restorations are very tough to come by if you are restoring an actual package car from the 1940's on to the late 1970's as they are almost nonexistent and tough to find information on what they were and how they were put together first hand. I have been lucky enough to document vehicles into the 1930's through interviews and photographs for the Cleveland PD but it's a rare bird to find in many departments that cars have come from in the past. I will not be able to find too many Cleveland cars in existence unless they are of the newer material in the later model cars and everything else is a clone that is available to me. I have two vehicles that I've put together that are package cars with different histories and have been depicted as Cleveland cars as there are no more out there at all and they were not preserved. I don't really have a choice in this matter for CPD... however, the SSP Mustang owner has plenty of choices right now is my point. Do it while the history is still available and fresh.

See what happens in the future, the SSP's that are around today and being saved by those of us hobbyists will allow for better historical preservation of these cars as has not been the case in the past.... but mark my words, the cloning of these cars will become more prevalent once the cars become scarce and the information on them wanes to nothing.

[90Coupe]

Thanks for all of your feedback, as I suspected most are of the opinion to stay with the original agency colors, markings and equipment. Honestly I feel thats the right thing to do, but given the position of the FHP and my proximity to Florida I thought an Alabama car would be less of a hassle, fun and different.
I intend to press on with an accurate FHP restoration with this car, and who knows somewhere down the road another member of the SSP community will want this car and an Alabama or Georgia car will become available for me.