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Deep in the bowels of the New York International Auto Show is the coolest display of former cop cars you’ll ever see


Deep in the bowels of the New York International Auto Show is the coolest display of former cop cars you’ll ever see

As Lohnes mentioned yesterday, I was stationed at the New York International Auto Show, which opens to the public this morning. There’s always lots of new stuff to look at, but my favorite thing is to venture to the very back corner in the basement and see what’s going on down there. I’m never disappointed, and this year I was thrilled to see a collection of former cruisers from the various divisions of the NYPD, thanks to the NYC Police Museum, and the dedicated former officers that maintain these great cars. The museum is currently in a temporary location at 45 Wall Street, because its original location was damaged during Hurricane Sandy.

RELATED: Cop Cars at Work

We got a walkaround and some notes on some cruisers with special significance we saw there:

1961 Plymouth Savoy

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This is one of the only cars that wasn’t actually used previously as a police car. It’s a prop car from the show Car 54, Where Are You? which was set in New York City in the 1960s.

1958 Ford Custom 300

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This model is the first four-door NYPD cruiser. Prior to 1958, NYPD cruisers were all either two-doors or paddy wagons. This car has a Motorola tube radio that still functions.

1965 Plymouth Fury 

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1966 Chevrolet Biscayne

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The Ford Custom 300, the Fury and the Biscayne all feature the green/black/white paint scheme utilized by the NYPD until 1972.

1973 Plymouth Fury I

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In 1973, the NYPD shifted to Polar Blue, which this enormous, fuselage-bodied Fury I wears proudly.

1974 Satellite

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For one year only — 1974 — the NYPD downsized to intermediate-sized Plymouth Satellite cruisers.

1989 Dodge Diplomat

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Until the late 1980s, both the New York City Transit Department and the New York City Housing Department had their own separate police units. In the early 1990s, they merged. This ’89 Diplomat comes from the time when the departments were still separated.

1989 Chevrolet Caprice

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This 1989 Caprice is clad in Transportation Department livery.

Some of the cars are offered as a tribute to fallen officers. I couldn’t get a good photo of the other 1989 Caprice in NYPD livery, but it was there in tribute to officer Edward Byrne, who was killed in the line of duty in 1988.

photo 4(1)An interesting side note: We got some choice comments about the new Ford Fusion Hybrid cruisers that the NYPD is using now. When officers are wearing all their equipment — including holsters, utility belts, vests and all the other gear NYPD officers use — they have a lot of trouble squeezing behind the wheel. When those cars are equipped with cages, it becomes almost impossible.

The officers we spoke to heavily favor the new Interceptor, the Caprice, and the Explorer cruisers for day-to-day duty. The NYPD is no longer purchasing Chargers.

Check out the New York City Police Museum in its temporary location between Broad and Williams streets at 45 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan.


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11 thoughts on “Deep in the bowels of the New York International Auto Show is the coolest display of former cop cars you’ll ever see

    1. Craig Fitzgerald Post author

      I don’t know, man, I like cars that work, and I like that those things were uncorked when the rest of us were getting stuff loaded full of emissions equipment.

      If you can’t look at that gigantic Fury and not want to open that thing up on the Major Deegan Expressway, I don’t know what to tell ya.

      1. 440 6pac

        I used to out run half the stuff there. And could have outrun the rest if I was still as dumb when it came out.

  1. Scott Liggett

    I like that ’66 Biscayne (Real shock, huh?) But, it probably has some weak, suck engine combo from the lack of any fender badges.

  2. Ken Dunn

    I have seen these cars on display at the New York Police museum where I had my CHP car on display. Very nice cars.

  3. Mike Gorgia

    The 89 “Dodge Diplomat” is a 89 Plymouth Gran Fury. The department only used Diplomats in Taxi form and in 1988 as highway cars.

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