Color photos of a black and white...

[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 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.

 

[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?

 

[retiredbadge8091]

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?

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.

 

[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.

 

[Watchdog]

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.

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.

 

[g-dad]

. 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.

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.

 

[snowman]

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

 

[S&W ucla]

Thoughts of Mayberry and days gone by. Andy, Barney, Floyd, Goober, Helen and Ellie

 

[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

 

[Rustyt1953]

..(But then too, I never had to ride in the back seat of a cruiser)

I remember when they had ashtrays and let you smoke.

A more civilized time, indeed.

 

[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!!

 

[rwsmith]

We had a '63, same train....

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.

'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.

 

[WuzzFuzz]

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

 

[bushmaster1313]

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.

Did they have perps in 1959 Utah?
In 1960 only 9 murders and 185 robberies in the entire state

 

[hardcase60]

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

Yep, Crawford's Buick had a whip antenna.

Go here: SuperCarWorld: 1955 Buick Century CHP Police Car

 

[Grip_Maker's_Wife]

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.

 

[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 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.

 

[Walkingwolf]

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.

 

[retiredbadge8091]

Not to sound disparaging but is that a corn field next to the police station?

 

[Boox]

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.