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06-25-2017, 06:30 PM
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Color photos of a black and white...
We went up to the R. W. Erickson Foundation Antique Power Show in Wallsburg, Utah this weekend. And while there was everything from steam powered tractors to Harley Davidson motorcycles, this 1959 squad car is what caught my eye.
I was just a toddler when this cruiser was patrolling the streets, with its gumball light and black and white paint job.
I figured I'd share these photos with our law enforcement members as well as our car buffs and others who might be interested.
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06-25-2017, 07:10 PM
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Thanks for posting. My screen may be a little fuzzy and my eyes don't always see what I think they see but is that a 2 door?
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06-25-2017, 07:22 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by g-dad
Thanks for posting. My screen may be a little fuzzy and my eyes don't always see what I think they see but is that a 2 door?
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I thought the same thing. Why the heck would they use two doors? But I checked on line and found several old ads from that time period featuring two door patrol cars.
I can't think of anything less handy. Of course if memory serves me I seem to recall that the practice was to have one's prisoner up front and one's partner riding in the back. P&P's, equipment and tactics have certainly changed over time.
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06-25-2017, 07:23 PM
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In the summer of 1965, my best friend and I had graduated from high school. We went from Charlotte, NC to Daytona Beach in a '59 Ford two-door. Six-cylinder with 3-on-the-column. My dad had bought it new in '59 and it was a kind of gray color. A few years later, he decided he didn't like the color. There was a paint shop just up the road from the house...guy advertised on local TV all the time... Earl Scheib. Painted cars for some ridiculously low price, even for the sixties. Dad had it painted white. The car smelled like fresh paint for a couple of weeks. He let me paint the wheels black and put baby moons on it. I thought I was hot stuff. Remember baby moons...those shiny little hubcaps that'd dent if you breathed on 'em? Wish I had a picture of that car.
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06-25-2017, 07:28 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by retiredbadge8091
We went up to the R. W. Erickson Foundation Antique Power show in Wallsburg, Utah this weekend. And while there was everything from steam powered tractors to Harey Davidson motorcycles, this1959 squad car is what caught my eye.
I was just a toddler when this cruiser was patrolling the streets, with its gumball light and black and white paint job.
I figured I'd share these photos with our law enforcement members as well as our car buffs and others who might be interested.
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The '59s were a pretty car, I thought, but back then, I actually liked the '58 Ford better. It looked wider and seemed to ride lower to the ground...its chief competition in the looks department that year was the '58 Chevy.
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06-25-2017, 08:21 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Watchdog
. He let me paint the wheels black and put baby moons on it. I thought I was hot stuff. Remember baby moons...those shiny little hubcaps that'd dent if you breathed on 'em? Wish I had a picture of that car.
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Baby moons... haven't thought about those in a long time.
I had a 65 Ford Custom 4 dr. my senior yr. Couldn't afford 4 mags so I bought 2 for the rear and a pair of baby moons for the front. I could actually get them on without denting them. After I destroyed the 1st one. lol
Sorry for the drift.
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06-25-2017, 08:51 PM
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I learned to drive in a '59 Ford(also black with red interior), and always liked the looks of them. I don't believe I've ever seen one in any of the car shows in this area. Thanks for posting the picture!
Andy
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06-25-2017, 08:52 PM
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Thoughts of Mayberry and days gone by. Andy, Barney, Floyd, Goober, Helen and Ellie
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06-25-2017, 08:58 PM
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Picky...Picky...Picky....I don't remember any of the cruisers back then having dual speakers for the radio in the back shelf. But other than that...(But then too, I never had to ride in the back seat of a cruiser )
I just happened to remember....The old tv show...Highway Patrol....Brodrick Crawford drove a 57 Buick 2 door. It wasn't a black and white though..Trying to remember if it had the whip radio antenna though. But he would jabber over the radio, calling other cars or hq.
Thanks for the photos Retiredbadge
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06-25-2017, 09:18 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WuzzFuzz
..(But then too, I never had to ride in the back seat of a cruiser )
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I remember when they had ashtrays and let you smoke.
A more civilized time, indeed.
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06-25-2017, 09:29 PM
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Our cars didn't have regular radios. We all had little transistor radios up on the dash.. Most times when on the midnight shift, all I could get was KXLEO in Chihuahua Mexico and only if going north or south.
When I migrated to the Highway Patrol they had radios and air conditioning.. Big time!!
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06-25-2017, 09:34 PM
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We had a '63, same train....
Quote:
Originally Posted by Watchdog
In the summer of 1965, my best friend and I had graduated from high school. We went from Charlotte, NC to Daytona Beach in a '59 Ford two-door. Six-cylinder with 3-on-the-column. My dad had bought it new in '59 and it was a kind of gray color. A few years later, he decided he didn't like the color. There was a paint shop just up the road from the house...guy advertised on local TV all the time... Earl Scheib. Painted cars for some ridiculously low price, even for the sixties. Dad had it painted white. The car smelled like fresh paint for a couple of weeks. He let me paint the wheels black and put baby moons on it. I thought I was hot stuff. Remember baby moons...those shiny little hubcaps that'd dent if you breathed on 'em? Wish I had a picture of that car.
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'63 Galaxy, 232 mileage maker engine, three on the tree and NO accessories. Heaters and cigarette lighters weren't accessories, thank goodness. Light blue. Family car that then went through my brother and then me. Took my first date to see 'Jesus Christ Superstar' in it. And my prom.
I remember a book that read, "...noted for its lack of appeal to sports car enthusiasts." Well, it got me around.
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06-25-2017, 10:09 PM
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The 59 Ford......
I remember when we saw a all white one we'd call it "Crackers", because it was so boxy and white it looked like a box of crackers.
I can't think of a car back then that was so square...Not counting the 20 and 30's cars. A few SUV's of today would fit the bill though.
WuzzFuzz
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06-25-2017, 10:24 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by retiredbadge8091
I thought the same thing. Why the heck would they use two doors? But I checked on line and found several old ads from that time period featuring two door patrol cars.
I can't think of anything less handy. Of course if memory serves me I seem to recall that the practice was to have one's prisoner up front and one's partner riding in the back. P&P's, equipment and tactics have certainly changed over time.
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Did they have perps in 1959 Utah?
In 1960 only 9 murders and 185 robberies in the entire state
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06-25-2017, 11:16 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WuzzFuzz
Picky...Picky...Picky....I don't remember any of the cruisers back then having dual speakers for the radio in the back shelf. But other than that...(But then too, I never had to ride in the back seat of a cruiser )
I just happened to remember....The old tv show...Highway Patrol....Brodrick Crawford drove a 57 Buick 2 door. It wasn't a black and white though..Trying to remember if it had the whip radio antenna though. But he would jabber over the radio, calling other cars or hq.
Thanks for the photos Retiredbadge
WuzzFuzz
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Yep, Crawford's Buick had a whip antenna.
Go here: SuperCarWorld: 1955 Buick Century CHP Police Car
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06-25-2017, 11:39 PM
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My dad would have liked that car. He was still driving his own car and carrying his own gun back then. His department didn't change over until early 60's I believe.
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06-26-2017, 12:25 AM
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If there was one piece of advice I'd give someone going into the law enforcement profession, it would be to take pictures of all the different vehicles they're issued. I wish I had been given that advice when I started. I think I might have one picture of one of my patrol cars put away somewhere.
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06-26-2017, 12:33 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by retiredbadge8091
If there was one piece of advice I'd give someone going into the law enforcement profession, it would be to take pictures of all the different vehicles they're issued. I wish had been given that advice when I started. I think I might have one picture of one of my patrol cars put away somewhere.
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06-26-2017, 12:38 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Walkingwolf
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Not to sound disparaging but is that a corn field next to the police station?
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Last edited by retiredbadge8091; 06-26-2017 at 01:30 AM.
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06-26-2017, 08:05 AM
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Dad had a '61 Ford black with 4 doors. he bought it used from a car dealer friend. It had a unique feature, two auxiliary tail/stop lights mounted on the rear package deck. I had a lot of fun cruising the neighborhood on Friday nights with that car because everybody thought it was unmarked cruiser. Guys were pulling over every time I'd get behind them. Lot's of laughs in the high school years. One of my buddies was talking about it in his facebook page a few weeks ago.
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06-26-2017, 08:47 AM
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We had a 41 Ford black and white at work a while ago. Someone bought it for $12k
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06-26-2017, 10:02 AM
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The 1959 Ford was the last of the 1957-1959 body style. In those days, the bodies ran in three-year cycles.
The designers would streamline things, and the design committee would "box off" edges, because they knew the stamping plants couldn't hold the sleeker specs.
At the Louisville Assembly Plant, where the large Fords were produced until 1979, a lot of the police cars were two door models, and were mostly for "command" positions; sergeants, lieutenants, etc.
The paint jobs were mostly special orders. You could get virtually any color combination, and those vehicle orders came with drawings depicting just how the bodywork was to be done.
Most all police vehicles were specialized, and Ford always took pride in building them to the likes of the local PD. The wiring for sirens and lights, "A" pillar spot lights, special seats, bumpers, engines/transmissions, etc., were all available, and Ford devoted an entire department to insure the cars could be built as ordered.
And, in the days before cities started providing emergency medical services, a lot of departments ordered station wagons for some patrolmen. Those models had a stretcher, so the officers could put a victim in the back of the station wagon and get right to the nearest ER.
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06-26-2017, 01:13 PM
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They only had two door because back then the perps just drove their own cars to the Police station.... lol Seriously though, i bet it never even crossed their minds that back doors would be easier... just open the door, fold the seat and chuck in the perp. it just made it harder for the perp to escape the car!
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06-26-2017, 01:21 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by retiredbadge8091
Not to sound disparaging but is that a corn field next to the police station?
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Yes it is.
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06-26-2017, 06:08 PM
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NEAT! Never has a 2-door police car, but wish I'd taken pictures of all the 4-doors I did have. Chevys, Plymouths with the 440 engine, Ramblers with the 401 engine (along with bad transmissions and brakes), Mercury ( slow boat with low, soft, saggy suspension that didn't handle and scraped on everything), Crown Vics of course, several front wheel drive cars by various manufacturers, as well as the Harley Davidson and Kawasaki motorcycles I rode. I retired just as the department started buying Dodge Hemis for Patrol. Those accelerated, handled and stopped so much better than any police car I'd driven before.
BTW, not that long ago I saw a documented 2-door '59 Chevy police car on one of the car sales sites. It had the solid lifter 348, 3-speed stick shift,etc.
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06-26-2017, 06:49 PM
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So is the Police Ford in the OP a Fairlane 500 or Galaxy 500?
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06-26-2017, 07:57 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StakeOut
So is the Police Ford in the OP a Fairlane 500 or Galaxy 500?
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I believe it was a Fairlane. I wish I'd taken a picture of that trim.
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06-26-2017, 08:34 PM
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I too believe that the OP pic is a straight Fairlane.
Couple of reasons: While the Galaxy package was available in '59 (Galaxy 500 didn't come into being until '63) it bore the "Galaxy" badge on each side of the rear fender. Secondly most departments wouldn't spring for the extra expense of a fancy trim package.
Even as late as '72, if the crusty old chief I started with could get a credit for the AM radio delete then the radio was gone. Same way with AC until manufactures quit giving the delete credit's for those two options. Although this was a small department I can guess that back in the day even purchasing agents for large agencies did the same thing. hardcase60
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06-27-2017, 08:46 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StakeOut
So is the Police Ford in the OP a Fairlane 500 or Galaxy 500?
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The Fairlane body was used. The higher-end Galaxie two doors had no "B" pillar. The "B" pillar added strength to the body, and helped prevent the roof being crushed in case of a rollover accident.
The 1959 model was also the last year for the "Skyliner" convertible. That's the one where the roof retracted into the trunk.
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06-27-2017, 10:19 AM
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The first green and black NYPD radio car I drove in 1966 was a 1964 Ford.
On a rainy day with the wipers going,fan blowing,siren on and cherry on top glowing the car couldn't get out of it's own way.All power reduced to a trickle.
The HWY Patrol had great Chrysler 300s but the precinct patrol cars were rock bottom cost cutters.
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06-27-2017, 12:25 PM
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The first thing that popped into my mind was: "an old Ford Fairlane." Sometimes the first thing that pops into my head IS the right thing. No matter what my MBH (much better half) says. :-)
Leon
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06-27-2017, 06:07 PM
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You guys sent me lookin' to see if I could find at least a photo or two. Found three. First one is likely a 1969 Plymouth Fury (high compression 383 with a monster 4 barrel!) which was my first issued State Police patrol car. Second one was my second issue, an early 70's Plymouth Fury (nice howl car but couldn't hold a light for the first one to run by!). And the third one was my fourth issue, I think. It's a late 70's, maybe an 80 model Dodge. Took delivery of it after the first real effects of emmisions control came to pass. Unit had a computer of sorts which was factory set for the elevation where the cars were delivered, in our case Santa Fe. My patrol area in SENM was at about 4000 feet, some 3500 or more feet lower in elevation than Santa Fe. Result was that even as slow as I am, I could just about run along side it when it was going as fast as it would go. All I could do while I had that unit was to run a huge bluff when it came to catching anybody! Thankfully, I didn't have it long. This thread has brought up lots of memories for me! Lets see what these old photographs look like after scanning!
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06-27-2017, 06:21 PM
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I had a 1958 Plymouth Kansas highway patrol car. It was blue and gray. It had two doors, 350 golden commando engine with 11 to 1 compression and a push button transmission. It was quick. I painted it a light blue metallic and removed the spot light. It was a sleeper.
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06-28-2017, 01:08 AM
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[
Thats one evening in STL or Chicago now.
QUOTE=bushmaster1313;139643634]Did they have perps in 1959 Utah?
In 1960 only 9 murders and 185 robberies in the entire state[/QUOTE]
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06-28-2017, 02:15 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kthom
You guys sent me lookin' to see if I could find at least a photo or two. Found three. First one is likely a 1969 Plymouth Fury (high compression 383 with a monster 4 barrel!) which was my first issued State Police patrol car. Second one was my second issue, an early 70's Plymouth Fury (nice howl car but couldn't hold a light for the first one to run by!). And the third one was my fourth issue, I think. It's a late 70's, maybe an 80 model Dodge. Took delivery of it after the first real effects of emmisions control came to pass. Unit had a computer of sorts which was factory set for the elevation where the cars were delivered, in our case Santa Fe. My patrol area in SENM was at about 4000 feet, some 3500 or more feet lower in elevation than Santa Fe. Result was that even as slow as I am, I could just about run along side it when it was going as fast as it would go. All I could do while I had that unit was to run a huge bluff when it came to catching anybody! Thankfully, I didn't have it long. This thread has brought up lots of memories for me! Lets see what these old photographs look like after scanning!
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That's one sharp looking Officer. What revolver is that on your hip and were those cartridge loops your only method of reload?
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06-28-2017, 10:47 AM
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Thanks for the kind words! Can't remember being that slim in my life!! I was still in my twenties at that time. That revolver is an S&W Model 19, which remains a very special favorite in my inventory today. Not that specific one, because the regulations pertaining to owning the original would not allow it. But I have one just like it! And yes, that 12 loop cartridge slide was the uniform of the day. The agency was pretty particular about wearing nothing else but the approved items but that did not keep me from having a few HK speedloaders handy, and during times of colder weather, usually one in my coat pocket. I also carried an extra speed strip or two much of the time.
I was in summer uniform at the time, which meant that we were allowed to dispense with the wearing of the bow tie that was part of uniform wear. Those uniforms were also a wool blend for year round wear. They looked nice, held their shape well, and were really nice during colder weather, but they were not much fun on the desert. They were made to measure, cost dearly, required dry cleaning, and unless you got hung up in a barbed wire fence, they lasted well and wore for a long time. That specific uniform style was in use for a great many years. The tradition was very hard to break or change. At some point, we were authorized to wear the same uniform with a short sleeved shirt made of a polyester blend during summer months. But I'm not certain that they were any cooler, and they didn't look as nice, IMO.
Regarding the loop loader, I had one special made similar to the competition 18 loop loaders for PPC competitions that had a flat strip of leather sewed underneath the loops which caused the bottom and top of the cartridges to stand a bit proud of the base of the slide. That allowed my fingertips to more easily catch and raise two cartridges at a time for removal from the loops. With practice, you could reload in a pretty short period of time if you didn't fumble things! I also got approval to carry a Marlin Model 1894 lever action rifle in .357 Mag while on duty, in addition to the issued Remington Model 870 shotgun. In those days, I felt pretty well armed for what ever might come along. We were almost always by ourselves on duty, and a helping hand was down on the end of your arm. Back up was a looooong way away out in those wide open spaces!
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So long ... Ken
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06-29-2017, 11:52 PM
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Member
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Sandy Utah
Posts: 8,723
Likes: 1,578
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Iggy
Our cars didn't have regular radios. We all had little transistor radios up on the dash.. Most times when on the midnight shift, all I could get was KXLEO in Chihuahua Mexico and only if going north or south.
When I migrated to the Highway Patrol they had radios and air conditioning.. Big time!!
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It is station XELO you are thinking about. Only US stations begin with K or W, and all of them are one or the other. All (I believe) Mexican stations begin with X, which is pronounced as equis, as in "Dos Equis" beer.
I am amazed you couldn't get KOA Denver, KFAB Omaha, KOMA Oklahoma City, KSL Salt Lake City, and a couple more. These are all 50,000 Watt "Clear Channel" stations that I have been able to get clear across Wyoming and Nebraska for many years. Only at night
__________________
Gunsmithing since 1961
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06-30-2017, 12:27 AM
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Member
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Sandy Utah
Posts: 8,723
Likes: 1,578
Liked 8,839 Times in 3,525 Posts
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Iggy
Our cars didn't have regular radios. We all had little transistor radios up on the dash.. Most times when on the midnight shift, all I could get was KXLEO in Chihuahua Mexico and only if going north or south.
When I migrated to the Highway Patrol they had radios and air conditioning.. Big time!!
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It is station XELO you are thinking about. Only US stations begin with K or W, and all of them are one or the other. All (I believe) Mexican stations begin with X, which is pronounced as equis, as in "Dos Equis" beer.
I am amazed you couldn't get KOA Denver, KFAB Omaha, KOMA Oklahoma City, KSL Salt Lake City, and a couple more. These are all 50,000 Watt "Clear Channel" stations that I have been able to get clear across Wyoming and Nebraska for many years. Only at night!
__________________
Gunsmithing since 1961
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