Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Ellis]

I have a memory of sitting in a Caernarvonshire Constabulary Police car at the end of the 1950s one sunny May morning. It was a black Wolseley 6/90 and I remember being fascinated by it. The Short Wave Radio, the bell on the front bumper and the gear lever on the right.

The Police authorities amalgamated in North Wales in the 1960s and became eventually the Gwynedd Police and later North Wales Police.

I recall that Austin Westminsters replaced the Wolseleys in the early 1960s and Mark 3 Ford Zephyrs 2.6 after that by which time the cars were white. The Fords were replaced by Vauxhall Ventoras or rather FD Victors with 3.3 litre engines. I recall being told that a Mark 4 Zephyr and Zodiac were evaluated and rejected because of their unwieldy road holding and handling qualities.
I remember that they ran these FD Victors/Ventoras for some years and were highly thought of until Vauxhall FEs took their place and the end of the 1970s Ford Cortina Mark 4 with the 2.3 litre V6 engines.
Vauxhall Cavaliers in Mark 2 and 3 versions were used from the early 1980s until about 1995.

"Lesser" vehicles were HB/HC Vauxhall Vivas, Mini Vans and later Mark 2 Ford Escort Vans.

Betws y Coed had didn't get it's own first police vehicle until 1966. Yes 1966 - a green Mini Van with a blue light on the roof. Until then the local Sergeants were required to use their own personal cars in rural areas.

Do you remember which vehicles your own Police authorities used in days gone by?
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Starting Handle Expert

1964 Jaguar Mark 2 3.4 litre
1962 Land Rover Series 2a 88"
2002 BMW M3 E46 Cabriolet

[Keith D]

The Western Australian Police bought 2 Speed Six Bentleys in 1930. They had sedan bodies built and fitted locally and were used until 1947 when they were sold to the public. I understand these cars are still alive and well although I believe they have had tourer bodies fitted in recent years.

Keith
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1926 Chrysler 60 tourer
1932 Austin Seven RN long wheelbase box sedan
1950 Austin A40 tourer
1999 BMW Z3
Its weird being the same age as old people.
You are either part of the problem or part of the solution

[Minxy]

Back in what must have been the late seventies I purchased a Triumph 2500 Pi at a car auction on a whim, it came through as a late entry , most folk had spent their money or gone home, I was the only bidder. I cannot remember exactly how much I paid but seem to remember it was a note from my wallet and some loose change. Anyway picked it up the next day and took it back to the workshop and then started to notice the tell-tale signs it had been a police car; zip in the headliner, white painted grommets in the roof and boot lid, angled speedo etc etc. On the plus side it had a brand new factory engine and gearbox along with radiator hoses, cables etc and almost new tyres. It had no MOT so I put it in for one and it passed. Ran it for six months and advertised it as an ex police car and sold it to a very excited gentleman at a princely profit.

All that aside I would imagine in the day (and when they were running correctly) they must have been quite a capable motor as a police car
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Hillman minx convertible. Lanchester LD 10

[Ashley]

I’m watching Scotland Yard on Freeview Channel 81 at the moment, most from 1954 so lots of shots of either the old 18/85s or the OHC Wolesleys. 6PM Weekday evenings.

[lowdrag]

I had a duck egg blue Moggy. Often thought of painting the door white.

[mikeC]

In the mid-1960s Manchester Police had a number of interesting cars, including an E-Type Jag and a Sunbeam Tiger. I got stopped by the Tiger when doing 40mph in a 30mph limit in my Austin Seven on the main A6 drag in to Manchester from Stockport ... and told, if I couldn't keep up with the traffic, I should find a different route!
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in the garage: 1938 Talbot Ten Airline
Recently departed: 1953 Lancia Appia, 1931 Austin Seven, 1967 Singer Chamois, 1914 Saxon, 1930 Morris Cowley, 1936 BSA Scout, 1958 Lancia Appia coupe, 1922 Star 11.9 ... the list goes on!

[Rootes75]

I have seen photos of Sunbeam Tiger Police cars.
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Various Rootes Vehicles.

[V8 Nutter]

I remember seeing a couple of Ford V8 Pilot ex police cars. They had 12 volt electrics, 2 six volt battery's under the back seat, and a large calibrated speedometer in the centre of the dash, where the radio speaker would normally be. One had a 3.9 litre engine fitted, the owner claimed this was a police only option back in the day. He also claimed it would do 100 m.p.h. That would have been exciting.

[BigJohn]

I remember seeing the 1922 Bentley and 1936 Lagonda at Lancs Police Driving School in 1977 when I was on my first driving course. I have no pictures, but this article from the sale describes their history.
https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/business/squad-cars-of-yester-year-4855198

[troutrunner]

[mikeC]

Here's one well-known photo; I think these were Metropolitan Police cars, the one that stopped me was dark blue:



...and as an alternative,how about a Daimler SP250?


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in the garage: 1938 Talbot Ten Airline
Recently departed: 1953 Lancia Appia, 1931 Austin Seven, 1967 Singer Chamois, 1914 Saxon, 1930 Morris Cowley, 1936 BSA Scout, 1958 Lancia Appia coupe, 1922 Star 11.9 ... the list goes on!

[Ashley]

I remember the Met driving around in SP250s, all with auto boxes and also on LÊ Velocettes.

[peter scott]

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http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[Ashley]

[Rick]

Recollections sent over by a former traffic officer, in action during the 1960s, have been on the main site for a while:

http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/police-fords.htm



This page features a Police Austin A110:

http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/austin-a110.htm

While memories of Range Rovers and 2.8i Capris, sent by a visitor to OCC some time ago, can be found here:

http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/police.htm

RJ
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