86 TX DPS with lightbar?

ChrisL · #1 05-17-2011, 01:18 PM

Is there any chance that an '86 DPS car would have run a lightbar? My '86 has a hole in the top right of the driver's side door jamb where a light bar wiring harness would have gone through. I assume it probably happened after it was decommissioned, but before I have it welded up I just wanted to check...

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

Best,
Chris

28HopUp · #2 05-17-2011, 02:15 PM

I went digging for the following shot -

It's an '83, but I had thought there were other DPS Stangs in the background that would help. Upon digging it up, I see that's not the case. Hope the picture helps in some way.

stubes · #3 05-17-2011, 02:17 PM

Its possible the 86 could have been sold to another agency after dps was done with it.

My 88 dps was painted all white and sold direct from dps to the bosque county texas sheriffs dept and used as a marked unit with them.

ChrisL · #4 05-17-2011, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stubes

Its possible the 86 could have been sold to another agency after dps was done with it.

My 88 dps was painted all white and sold direct from dps to the bosque county texas sheriffs dept and used as a marked unit with them.

I think that's probably right, and Bill thanks for thinking of those pictures for me. I really, really doubt DPS ran a bar on it. I've never seen another one setup for a bar. I'm going to have it filled and fixed.

Second question, this will be a matter of opinion. If they VC label is badly damaged would you A) take it completely off, repaint it, and order/wait to order a correct replacement from Marti or B) leave as much of it as possible and paint around it. Mind you, this is a car that is being completely stripped and repainted from the ground up. Fire away...

28HopUp · #5 05-17-2011, 03:18 PM

I'd hold off as long as possible to strip/repaint that door jam, at least until you have a correct replacement from Marti. Until then I would keep the original in place.

ImEvil1 · #6 05-17-2011, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisL

Is there any chance that an '86 DPS car would have run a lightbar? My '86 has a hole in the top right of the driver's side door jamb where a light bar wiring harness would have gone through. I assume it probably happened after it was decommissioned, but before I have it welded up I just wanted to check...

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

Best,
Chris

Yes, there is a chance. Here is a pic from the DPS yearbook. Tony Scharp has it posted on his Fotki. I also have the book and need to scan the additional pics and post them here. This car is an '84.

ChrisL · #7 05-17-2011, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImEvil1

Yes, there is a chance. Here is a pic from the DPS yearbook. Tony Scharp has it posted on his Fotki. I also have the book and need to scan the additional pics and post them here. This car is an '84.

Dangit! If that isn't a wrench in the spokes. Would the bars have been anchored down to the roof via screws, or anything similar I would find when sanding? Of course, that doesn't really prove if it was original to the car or not.

ImEvil1 · #8 05-17-2011, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisL

Dangit! If that isn't a wrench in the spokes. Would the bars have been anchored down to the roof via screws, or anything similar I would find when sanding? Of course, that doesn't really prove if it was original to the car or not.

Kinda makes the car rare, if you are able to verify it. No screws, held on by "gutter" clamps. You should probably see evidence of the repairs during your sanding. Most bars left indentations in the roof and sometimes marks under the roof lip and on the molding.

ChrisL · #9 05-18-2011, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImEvil1

Kinda makes the car rare, if you are able to verify it. No screws, held on by "gutter" clamps. You should probably see evidence of the repairs during your sanding. Most bars left indentations in the roof and sometimes marks under the roof lip and on the molding.

I agree Mike. Did some more looking, it looks like the car was completely repainted brown after the original white/black. I'm thinking it was sold to a sherriff's office somewhere that ran a bar. They also very lightly trimmed the top back edge of the door, something I doubt that DPS would have done.

So I pose this question for you Mike, and anyone that will entertain it. Would you weld it up, or just leave it and put a plug in case evidence comes out someday that it was a lightbar car?

Thank you for all of the help/opinion thus far.

ImEvil1 · #10 05-18-2011, 12:47 PM

The Carfax should show you if it went to another agency. My '83 was also painted brown.