Restoring an SSP in Different Agency than Original?

[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.

[NoDrama43]

Nice discussion everyone !!

I agree with the OP decision to stay FHP.