It was in a church parking lot and I took the picture through the fence from the next door Sports Authority. In the books survey, officers wrote that the 360 powered 1980 St. Regis was the best Mopar police car of all time.
It was a compact-class model which was employed by police forces with either six-cylinder or 4.9-litre V8 engines. The popular Dodge Diplomat was based on Chryslers mid-size M-body platform from 1977. A period correct light bar, iren, potlights, hotgun rack and non-functional police radio were installed. Im afraid it went beyond the rail yardsChryslers infamous sales bank occupied the Michigan State Fairgrounds, and anywhere else that unsold inventory could be stashed. I ran the power wire from the later harness over to the original factory power wire. I was about to take issue with your comment then remembered the low idle vibration my 1975, Custom 500 had. Driven one winter since new. Im from Saskatoon originally. Havent seen one in many, many years though. Air regulations imposed by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) required detuning the California destined engines to 190 horsepower to meet emissions standards. Not sure if I even drove it around the block, or just in the parking lot. This was 1979 and Chrysler still had dial radio with pushbutton Cadillac had digital soundsytems on all models back then. While the St. Regis is of little collector value today (alongside Chrysler/Plymouth R-body counterparts), the mechanical commonality of the R platform with earlier Chrysler vehicles leads collectors to search for scrapped examples for its front disc brakes to upgrade earlier cars (such as the Dodge Dart and Plymouth Barracuda)[citation needed] With the low number built (in comparison to its Ford and Chevrolet competitors) and the high percentage destroyed in film and TV work or retired after police use, very few examples survive today. Aluminum bumpers, coated with a chrome-like substance that peeled right off when getting splattered with the chemicals for snow melting on the roads. My BIL had one of these, an 80 model he bought in fall of 1991. The CHP tried some marked Camaros in 1992, and used a few 1993 and 1994 (and 2001 and 2002) Camaros for truck enforcement. Cars for Sale in; Houston, TXCars for Sale in; Jacksonville, FLCars for Sale in; Miami, FL It was a very traditional full-size model based on the Panther platform built until 1991 when it morphed into the iconic aero-styled Crown Victoria. It was 5 degrees outside or I would have followed it and photographed it when it came to rest. The second gas crisis came in 1979, the car was bigger than the B-body GM or the new-for-1979 Panther platform over at Ford, the styling echoed the Buick LeSabre just a little too much, the old suspension design showed through, the big-block cop cars had gone so fleet sales wound up going to hell, and then there was the quality control issues. Rough rider since it is older and it handles OK. Great in snow, and mud since it is 4 wheel drive. The wipers need a near impossible to find nylon bushing, a c compressor clutch is bad.
My clearest memory of these is the numerous pictures in the paper showing acres and acres of these things sitting unsold in rail yards all over north Michigan and southern Ontario. . Eventually, the linkage got worn enough that you could just press lightly down on the lever to drop into second and then tap it upward to catch third. We are always looking for good bang shifty stories, projects, photos & videos. New Tri-Five Chevy Parts: Bolt-In Underdash Hydraulic Clutch System From American Powertrain, Not Stock Photographys John Jackson Takes Us On A Lone Star Throwdown Adventure, B&MS PRECISION SPORTSHIFTER WILL GIVE YOUR 2021-UP FORD BRONCOS 7-SPEED A SOLID SHIFTING FEEL, Lone Star Throwdown 2023: Is This The Baddest Truck Show Of The Year? I fixed it then and 20 years later it needs it again. I just read a piece on John Francis Regis. Goodyear GT+4 tires were installed at 58,500 miles. Your email address will not be published. I had one in a 70 Challenger. Out of all the things you listed, Ive only experienced the mirror falling off the windshield, the hard plastic panel that went over the defroster and radio speakers cracking but only after the car well past 30 years old. We'll give you credit for the submission (of course) and what is cooler than showing all your gang that you have a story on Bang Shift?
Vehicles Used By The California Highway Patrol - Code 3 Garage This is a 1979 Dodge St. Regis. And worse yet, that cover was made out of aluminum, which quickly corroded through, allowing coolant in the oil and oil in the coolant. Let's check out this unbelievable 40,000-mile survivor. I bought my first Chrysler product, a 2014 Durango, about a year ago and it has been a delightful and flawless vehicle for 25,000 miles. Worked great for a long time until the display died. Thats not leather, its vinyl. Dad bought a 1985 Audi 5000 demonstrator in late 1985 to replace the beloved Buick and that thing made the LeBaron look good. . It has been in California all its life and is rust free. For 1980, the 360 was replaced by a 155 hp 318 V8 4-bbl with California emissions to comply with state emissions regulations. If you compare them to GM offerings, there was much more flexibility in the GM line in comparison. Replacing the Monaco, the St. Regis was the largest Dodge sedan, positioned above the mid-size Diplomat and Aspen. Always wanted to be a rally expert but never had the right car for the job? The Chrysler R platform was introduced for the 1979 model year. If these are civilian cars mocked up as CHP units, they could be any year off the lot, including 1979 models. Shorter than the 1977 Royal Monaco by five inches, narrower by three inches, and lighter by almost half a ton, the Dodge St. Regis (and its platform mates Chrysler Newport and Plymouth Gran Fury) shouldve worked in the market.
Curbside Classic: 1979 to 1981 Dodge St. Regis - The Perfect Storm I could say more about this but I wont. The only other thing was the headliner started coming down after the car was 20 years old. The timing cover in between the block and water pump, with coolant passages cast into it, so coolant actually passes through the timing cover. 1980 Dodge St Regis police car. Ive only seen them on the road as they drive by or Ive followed one on I-5 or I-405 freeway. It was comfortable, handled superbly, and had lots of room. 1978 Dodge Omni. Even then, these were unusual to see, but I remember thinking it was much nicer than I expected. All the St. Regis and the Volares were replaced with Dodge Diplomats in 1982. St Louis County Police dept. The LTD switched to the mid-size Fox body platform from 1982 and also gained a fuel-injected 302 V8, then was phased out from 1986 when the new aero-styled front-wheel drive Taurus arrived. The automotive landscape and world at-large is shifting away from petrol cars and towards electrification and political correctness. This just looks like the car company ran out of good ideas and let the car get junky. I bought from him and have owned it 20 years and drove it as recently as yesterday. In contrast to the clean-sheet Ford and GM designs, the dire financial situation of Chrysler relegated the company to retool an existing chassis. I saw one up for sale on CL, I think, dont quote me, like last year, It was going for about $2500-3000, in good original condition I think it was that dove gray color, that they used in the original St. Regis ad, back in 1979 I remember, the ad slogan, Hey, thats my Dodge.. I was thinking the same thing, jerseyfred like the universal power window kits you saw in JC Whitney catalogs from the 80s. The rpm lock, when engaged, keeps the motor running at a desired rpm, to power the lights or for the air conditioning on those hot sunny highway days. "TJ Hooker" (1979 Dodge St. Regis): The post-"'Star Trek' the TV series" and pre-"'Star Trek' the Motion Picture" years saw William Shatner in a relatively forgettable cop show that starred perhaps the least believable cop of all time, Heather Locklear. I dont recall ever seeing one of them with leather seats. I thought, most of the St. Regis were used on T.J. Hooker. Free shipping on many items | Browse your favorite brands | affordable prices. A quick trip to the junkyard and he had everything he needed to convert it to electronic ignition. It could work. Dodge, Plymouth, and Chrysler Police Cars 1979-1994 notes that the 360 powered St. Regis, Newport, and Gran Fury were the fastest and best performing police cars of the era. It was not a high speed pursuit car, but it was no slouch either. Yes, its really confusing to think why there is a transparent headlight cover. The Dodge St. Regis is a very rare car. Top Rated Seller . Sure is, just looked at the brochure and vinyl was optional, no mention of leather at all. 52,000.
CHP Police Cars While shifting to an intermediate chassis allowed the St. Regis a smaller exterior footprint over the 1974-1977 Monaco, it remained far larger than its Ford LTD and Chevrolet Caprice competitors (at 220.2 inches long, an inch shorter than a Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham). Air Resources Board) to modify the exhaust for patrol duty. Door handles coming off, seams tearing loose, dashes cracking in 2 years, the pad and horn switches falling out of the steering wheels, mirrors falling off, mechanical digital clocks failing, dash switches and knobs breaking, especially on the climate control and push button radios, headliners falling down, sunvisors breaking, etc. Of course I later learned that the Monacos performed far better than the St. Regis. The CHP also maintains a SWAT team on 24hour standby to respond to any terrorist activity. One of my fellow students, who was not known for his good judgment, had a rather battered one and six of us crammed into it to go somewhere local. Powered by a 318-cubic inch V8, that car was so slow that the agency feared it stood no chance of keeping up with the old muscle cars still on the highways. 1979 DODGE ST. REGIS: Dodge dumped its really big Royal Monacos after 1977, leaving only mid-size Monacos for 1978. For 1979, Dodge dumped he Monaco line altogether and unveiled this mid-size sedan called St. Regis. Maybe it will stay there longer. The headlight doors open and close. Only owned it for 27 years, lol. Lol. 5.12 x 1.82 x 1.34 inches. But my dad, who passed away in 2007, actively avoided Chrysler products for the rest of his life. And as Brock Yates wrote in The Decline and Fall of the American Automobile Industry, the combination of options on these cars was sometimes a bit odd, to say the least. I was always impressed with the ride quality and handling, even with the police suspension and police pack components.
IMCDb.org: 1979 Dodge St. Regis in "The Junkman, 1982" A person could probably write a whole book on it. Sharing its platform with the successful Fox-based Mustang, the Fairmont was the last of the compact rear-wheel drive sedans from Ford during this time. Oh, and the car is luxurious enough to have cruise control, AC ( good chance of working or relatively easy fix ) and FM radio with more than one speaker, non cloth seats not falling apart. Bought from the original owner, an old veteran, who purchased it right out of the showroom in the local Chrysler/AMC dealership. I used to own a 79 St. Regis back in the late 80s.
Six Of The Best TV Cop Cars - Hagerty Media I told the BIL not to buy it but he didnt listen. Broad Brook, Connecticut, United States. Despite being an introductory model, nearly 30% of St. Regis production was dedicated for police/law enforcement use. He certainly was worthy of sainthood. It had a 360 four-barrel and that good old never-breaking 727 Torqueflite transmission. I made an error, but hey. Even the grille pattern looks more Buick than Dodge. Up to 1958, the California Highway Patrol would purchase vehicles 2 times a year, and many times it would be a different make. [1] In total, 64,502 examples were produced.
1979 Dodge St Regis Police TJ Hooker R Body - Classic cars for sale Thats the only connection I can think of. Like a lot of old Chrysler products they were driven for years and then simply became scrap. Hes not real clear on the just what the problem is.
The Dodge St. Regis and Plymouth Gran Fury police car - Allpar Forums The current bid is just over half that amount and this car is located in equally-beautiful Boise, Idaho. The dash pad is crack-free. I have owned a number of 70s cars. I added dual remote mirrors from a 79 Newport and salvaged the wiring harness from a 90 Daytona so I could use a much later factory stereo.
1979 dodge st regis - Classic Cars for Sale Classifieds Ads Prices shown are the prices you can expect to pay for a 1979 Dodge St Regis 4 Door Hardtop Pillared across different levels of condition. Pickup trucks are used for truck enforcment. because the CHP had to petition the CARB (Ca. CNN got the prestige of a major car companys commercials running on their then-new channel and company cars for their reporters, Chrysler cleared out some of the sales bank and got a platform to advertise the coming K-cars. It went back to the dealer numerous times for things I cant even remember. The Celebrity replaced the Malibu mentioned above and presented more efficient packaging with better interior space and fuel economy, a configuration which was becoming more and more popular with private customers rather than traditional large rear-wheel drive models. I bet that car is rare with leather interior. A second oil crisis hit in 1979, and while Chrysler's new front-drive Omnirizons sold strongly, the company was sinking around them. Do you remember who you sold the car to? 1979 Dodge Magnum XE ORIGINAL (Cordoba, St. Regis, 1978 Dodge Magnum GT) NO RESV. I forgot the St. Regis had available leather. You Be The Judge. I am the second owner of this 1979 Dodge St. Regis. But.this..Chrysler pioneered breakerless ignition, to convert a Chrysler product to points, thats like peeing on Walter Ps Chryslers Grave! The 360 has been beefed up to a proper level and the car barks out through headers into Flowmasters. C $10.00. While police units who used the cars praised handling and had positive things to say about the 360-powered cars, when things are falling off, breaking, or worse, showing up on new cars not put on properly, the damage was considered done. In The 60s and 70s you even saw the odd Pontiac or Meteor. Edit options. Pulled the miserable tired original seats and stored them. Dodge Coronet Police Vehicle (1959) Dodge Coronet Police Vehicle The Coronet was a full-size car from Dodge from the 1950s. I thought they looked much better than the 78 Dodge Monacos and Plymouth Furies used in Season 1 and also by Rick Hunter.
Cop Cars: Cop Car Performance Data 1981-1989 1979 dodge st regis - Classic cars for sale, rare cars, collector cars This is a HEAVILY OPTIONED CAR with Power Seat, Power Window, A/C, P/S, AM/FM radio, Tilt Steering Column, Cornering Lights, Cruise Control. Saw one of these, white over white, on my drive home the other day. The featured car is in better shape cosmetically than mine and if I had room for it would be all over it, but since my car has been in the family for 30 years will put in the sweat equity it would take to get it back to where we had it looking years ago. gasoline (petrol) engine with displacement: 3682 cm3 / 224.7 cui, advertised power: 82 kW / 110 hp / 112 PS ( SAE net ), torque: 244 Nm / 180 lb-ft, more data: 1979 Dodge St. Regis 225-2 TorqueFlite (aut. The CHP also works with municipal and federal law enforcement agencies, providing assistance in investigations, patrol and other aspects of law enforcement. Does anyone know why a car was named after a Saint? police car fan 2012-09-05 18:16-- Last edit: 2014-03-24 14:42:15: police car fan 2013-11-07 20:50. Tool Review: Is This Hand Tool The Budget Solution For LARGE WIRE CRIMPING? Surprisingly, a similar glut of inventory occurred approximately 10 years ago, near the end of Daimler-Benz ownership of Chrysler: http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2006/12/chrysler-bank-on-it/. The Car have 3 Different Lightbars, all working Gamefeatures and other small working Parts. ( I came across a excellent looking Fox Continental in a Ford-Lincoln dealership in North Michigan last month, and it reveals the problem when I opened the door ). There is a good chance that the following car may be an ex-prop from the show - it matches the main photo and the last thumbnail with . The rear tires are 80% Winter tires. I used to see these on police shows on tv when I was a boy. My grandpa had one as a police car.
Dodge Cars, 1970-1989 | Reed Brothers Dodge History 1915 - 2012 Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Although it is not a police package car, have cloned it to represent the police department from the 1980s TV show "TJ Hooker" that starred William Shatner and Heather Locklear. It was a 318 with a 2.45 gear and it was beyond sluggish, it struggled to move because the Lean Burn wasnt functioning properly. It has a newer battery. 2018 Ford Escape SEL. The Dodge St. Regis is a full-size Dodge automobile built from 1979 to 1981. Its not as heavily optioned as this one, but it currently has 253,000 miles on it. 1979 Dodge St.Regis Minnesota State Patrol Car Minnesota State Patrol 50th Anniversary car Website for MN State Patrol cars: home.comcast.net/~sgtsletten/site/?/page/MSP_Cars_1981-1990/ Thousands of car pictures at the link below: www.flickr.com/photos/greggjerdingen/collections/72157631. Most of those wound up being wrecked on TV shows and movies. Its so fortunate the car is equipped with FM too ( I bought a parts radio from ebay for my volare as I cant stand the AM radio in remote north Michigan countryside ) and more than one speaker is a big plus on St Regis. 1980 Dodge Aspen (Canadian brochure). Definitely not police issue.
Brochures - Autoblog - lov2xlr8.no The "St. Regis" name first saw use as an uplevel trim package on the 1956 New Yorker hardtop coupe and again on the 197478 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham coupe.
Progrs-dimanche, dimanche 15 novembre 1981 | BAnQ numrique GM actually did move to smaller, lighter machines, starting with the full-size cars and moving downwards from there. I bought a lean burn 81 imperial as a gag for beer runs at the cottage 20 plus years ago . 1979 Dodge St.Regis Maryland State Police Roof hardware: Federal Signal AeroDynic light bar D Dech Sayyasavee 103 followers More information 1979 Dodge St.Regis Maryland State Police | Roof hardware: F | Flickr Emergency Vehicles Police Vehicles Old Police Cars Sports Car Racing State Police Police Department Fire Trucks Plymouth 1978 Dodge Trucks. They could hit one hundred five mph. 1978 Dodge Challenger. Or not. So, if you took your eyes off the road for even a moment, you could find yourself halfway in the adjacent lane. The Ford LTD Crown Victoria was the main entry from the Blue Oval brand during the 1980s. Id do it myself, its simple. FREE LIVE DRAG RACING: The $25,000 64 Car Shootout At The K&N Southwest Showdown Has Been Reschedule For Friday Due To SNOW! It always seemed to me that most full sized Chrysler products from the 70s besides the Imperials and New Yorkers were not usually heavily optioned, yet many of the GM full sized cars were. 360 4 Barrel 999 trans. . But most of them had style.
8,700 Original Miles: 1980 Chrysler Newport | Barn Finds There is no in-between. Has the trusty Chrysler 318 V8. It was only produced from 1979 to 1981 and most of the 58,000+ cars produced went to fleet use. Original owners manual and all 1979 Chrysler emissions documentation, and repair slips. 1979 Dodge Diplomat (Brochure). Original paint, top and in . Only 34,434 St. Regis sedans were produced in 1979. That year the CHP put a limited number of Ford Fairmonts, Chevy Malibus, Plymouth In the fall of 80, a wheel bearing failed, causing the front wheel to part company with the rest of the heap. While closer in exterior size to the Diplomat, the Intrepid nearly matches the St. Regis in interior room. At 58,461 miles, he front brake pads were replaced, otors turned and wheel bearings repacked. The digital clock lights, ut does not reset. Learn how your comment data is processed. The St. Regis ended production in 1981 but was seen often thanks to TV cops including Sledge Hammer and T.J Hooker, and many were destroyed in such TV shows. 1:43 Car 1980-1999 USA. Got 340 engine with MP heads with the big valves, steel crank, KB 10.25 hyper pistons. 1979-1981 is the correct yearrange. I sold that car years ago when I was still a teenager and now I regret it! Dodge St. Regis (1979-1981) Dodge Stealth (1991-1996) Dodge Stratus 1gen (1995-2000) . Dodge Charger 7th-gen. That would kick in around 28-30 mph, causing a massive ping/detonation/lugging event alarming enough to make you let off the throttle. I made the mistake of buying one of these that was used by the Georgia State Patrol for six years. I can see dumping the lean burn but convert to points? Some of the last police cars I had were the 1981 R bodies with the 318 four barrel. Coinciding with efforts to expedite the retirement of the St. Regis from patrol service, the CHP adopted the 'Ford Mustang Severe Service Package' police pursuit vehicle (PPV) in 1982.
Eaton Detroit Truetrac Differential 31 Spline 1.32in Axle Shaft 1979 Dodge Car Lineup. The St Regis hangs around for over a year already, the poor kid has such a hard time selling it, even though it cant be better for a non-garaged car in North Michigan. Yes, Gran Furies were more numerous back then for RCMP highway patrol. I'm looking for old restored and un-restored police and fire department cars
On Diplomat SE, the heavier steering improves the handling much, with smaller steering wheel. All Rights Reserved. Its not a perfect car as I would have done some things differently design wise, especially around the windows, window regulators, wiper linkage attachments and door seals. Perhaps push bumpers and prisoner partion screen (great for grandchildren or wife).
Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volare: Great Idea, Lousy Execution - MotorTrend Dodge (USA) Charger 7gen data and specifications catalogue The St. Regis was based on Chrysler's rear wheel drive R-body platform, itself based on a modified version of the circa 1971 B-body design that provided the underpinnings for such cars as the Dodge Charger and the Chrysler Cordoba. In the winter of 1993, I was hunting for a replacement for my ruined 67 Sport Fury and looked at a couple of Magnums, both with actual leather. New emissions controls, not yet countered by technology. I know the seats werent leather too. Both being wheeler-dealers they made a trade of cars for ad time. There are some quirks like any car of this age. Learn more before you buy, or discover other cool products in Vehicles. As Chrysler needed to expedite a downsized replacement for the 1974-1977 C-body to market (in response to the 1973 oil crisis), the R-body was developed from existing underpinnings at minimal costs. Even AMC, the perpetual fourth-place finisher, bowed out at the end of 1978 with no real replacement in sight. L-code 360, white with blue interior. This car should be seen and driven to fully appreciate it. The St. Regis trademark. There is a small chip on the plastic of the right rear taillight (not the lens). Poor quality, especially on the interior was common. The Diplomats, conversely, were only available in base trim. I still cant get past the way Dodge partially wrapped chrome bumpers with plastic, leaving exposed plastic edges. They had replaced 1977 Plymouth Fury sedans powered by the 440 Magnum, and 1978 Plymouth Volares with 360 4-barrel (my favorite squad of all for city use). In the book's survey, officers wrote that the 360 powered 1980 St. Regis was the best Mopar police car of all time. Between the warranty work, the money we put into it after (including paint touch-up and a great deal on an 8 3/4 Sure Grip off a wrecked 80 Volare Road Runner with 3000 miles on it, it actually became a decently running reliable car. It has buckets from a 1985 Omni that were a direct bolt on to the original seat tracks. At the time I thought it was the best looking car Dodge ever produced. The only St. Regis I can ever recall seeing was this one I took a picture of about 5 years ago. 79 Dodge St Regis with 340 engine Hey, its time to sell my ride. I wonder if they were actually any more comfortable?
Dodge Charger vs Chevrolet C/K 10 - CarGurus Wow, I dont think Ive ever seen a St. Regis that nice. . A new grille for its final year heralded the merger of the Fifth Avenue and New Yorker names in 1982, in the more successful luxury version of the M-body Dodge Diplomat. Popular Cars for Sale. May consider other trades of equal value as well. About Dezo's Garage. New Product, And How To Assemble It: The Speedway Motors Sheet Metal Mock Up LS Engine! Appearances in The Blues Brothers and the television series T.J. Hooker assured the Dodge St. Regis would remain in the public eye for many years, though few were made and they quickly disappeared from the roads. It came with a 318ci (5.2 litres) or 360ci V8 (5.9 litres) V8 mated to a three-speed automatic, and its odd, narrow grille was the result of being forced to re-use the bonnet from the Chrysler LeBaron. I have a Pioneer in it now because it has a USB port and Im running almost all my music off a thumb drive now. Because lower priced F-Body Dodge Aspens and Plymouth Volares were designated as the mid-size squad cars through 1980 - not M-bodies. "It sits lower to the ground, it is a car, and it is newer". My son has one sitting behind my shop that he got from an estate a couple years back. Ugh, I cant stand that archaic looking climate control system and push button stereo Those buttons always stuck froze in very cold weather in my 77 Newport. It would be the last rear-wheel drive model made by Chrysler until the Plymouth Prowler from 1997. We had chunks of the black painted stripes just fall off the car. By 1994 however the performance of the full sized enforcement class vehicle (Chevy Caprice and Ford Crown Victoria) was near to that of the pony cars, so the CHP now longer needed to buy Camaros and Mustangs.The 1994 Caprice with its LT1 engine was faster than a 93 Mustang, with faster quater mile times and higher top speed. The original owner found a non Lean Burn Holley 2280 to put on it. Replacing the Monaco, the St. Regis was the largest Dodge sedan, positioned above the mid-size Diplomat and Aspen.