Although the era in which police departments across the USA chose to invest in specialized, high-performance machines was far too short, it is possible to find the occassional Fox Body Mustang cop car up for grabs. Harder to find is the Camaro from the same era, and this 1992 police package Chevy here on craigslist looks just as intimidating today as it did in the early 90s parked alongside an interstate.
The seller says this Camaro is one of only 20 specially built for the California Highway Patrol, and one of just under 600 ever made. As you can see here, it sports a utilitarian interior framed by an impressive roll cage that the seller contends was included so the Camaro could be used on the “high speed track.” That may possibly be a reference to using this modern muscle car as a test vehicle for practicing high-risk maneuvers.
As seen above, the interior remains in fine condition, and is quite spartan – a hallmark of active duty police vehicles. This example is made rarer still with the inclusion of the 1LE package that featured firmer suspension and upgraded brakes. The seller doesn’t offer many details, and it’d be helpful to know what its maintenance history was like in the hands of the CHP and how long it’s been under private ownership.
The mileage can’t be too high, as the body looks to be in very clean condition. I can’t tell if those graphics are genuine or fake, but I’m leaning towards the latter as most ex-police cars have to be stripped of markings and gear before going into private hands. The seller is mainly looking for muscle car trades in exchange for his rare Camaro, but if you don’t have something he wants, the $18,600 asking price gives you a clue as to what else may work.
We had our share here in Florida back in the day. No way worth that kind of money he is asking…not even close.
No way worth it because it is obviously a fake. A scam. Surprise, surprise. No longer listed. CL quickly took down ad: “…posting has been flagged for removal.” Eh hem. Seriously? Was anyone really fooled with this fake listing?Obviously not a real, former CHP car. A dressed up “tribute” car. If the seller had the real thing, he’d show us the VIN plate and dash speedometer. Show us the police package items unique to CHP. But alas, no such photos.
go back and check my ad – i’ve added more pictures proving its originality, “obviously not a real, former CHP car”. instead of talking smack why not just ask me for the items you think needs to be in my ad?
The Camaros in Florida were the later models more like the 98s and on they only put 70,000 thousand miles on them and the Mustangs he reason on the Camaros from that year was the front door were too big on the Camaro that year
Not buying the story. Even a test mule will have more mileage than that; if it was a “working” car, mileage would be 4 times that before it was retired. Besides… even in that era the cars would have specific center consoles to hold light switches, etc (now, the entire passenger side holds the computer and the center console controls lights, sirens, etc..). I’m not seeing any evidence of any interior modifications other than the roll cage (and an operating squad car would not have a roll cage, at least in my experience) that lends credibility to the story. And… why does it have a clean TN title if it was a CHP car?? Local authorities purchase from local dealers.. even state enforcement purchases locally..
Under Normal Circumsatances I would Agree With you But this Vehicle Was Used as a Training Vehicle and Being Used on the High Performance Test Track It wouldn’t Have Racked up allot of miles and Would have been Retired automatically after about 10yrs as the Dept Phased out the Camaros after a few years. But if you’ll Notice the CAR Is Radio Delete how ever if it were my $$$$ I’d want to See the CHP inventory Tag or at least the Door Tag with the Correct 1LE Or B43C Tag #. I’d say on the Surface I’d Say the Story is Probable
I agree.
The CHP did use specially prepared vehicles for their EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operations) training course.
I’m guessing this may be one of them since it has a roll bar installed. Yes….the mileage would also be lower since the car was never used on the street for patrolling.
Might still have a CHP vehicle number on the inside part of the door or someplace else on the car.
True, the CHP (and most other departments) have an EVOC program; HOWEVER, you have to keep in mind, that they use the SAME VEHICLES that an officer would use, when out on the streets. Think about it. It would serve ZERO benefit, if you go to the shooting range, and they have you firing .22’s and then they put you out on the street, and they hand you a .38 or a .45.
And the chances that the California Highway Patrol would sell a vehicle still bearing all the insignias is minimal. In fact, I would suspect, if you were seen driving a car marked like this, in California, you would most likely get stopped and cited, if not worse. I have heard or many cases where guys with those little LED license plate frames that had chasing LEDs, were cited because (and I quote) “Someone might mistake those blue lights on the license plate frame as being an Emergency Vehicle.” That considered, in California, driving a car like this would likely get you arrested for impersonating a Police Officer.
Just because it has a TN title it doesn’t mean that it’s not a true CHP car. My 1999 car was from
TN then moved to Texas and then I brought it to Georgia. It now has a clean Georgia title.
Yes, but when it was originally owned and operated by the State of California, and if you look at the Craigslist ad, photos insinuate that this is an officer, or that he is somehow affiliated with the CHP, as he is showing photos of what he is at least appearing to imply is this car (although in those pictures it bears California “E” Plates), sitting at some public event, parked next to other CHP vehicles, and a CHP EZ-Up, and it is up for sale IN California, the fact that it has Tennessee Title/Plates, as well as the fact that the ad states it is in Bakersfield, but yet it is posted in the Orange County section; all raise significant question marks in my mind.
Yeah no thanks. Looks way too much like the idaho state police cars that make my teen years interesting
Cory,
I remember travelling south from Calgary in the spring of 92 and seeing one of these pursuit cars force a car into the ditch outside of Sandpoint, both vehicles passed us like we was standing still.
More impressive was a blacked out Corvette in Couer d’Alene with its roof painted ID # pulling into a 7/11.
We stopped there too, and talked to the officer.
The only trip I remember where Dad did not speed even once…
No pictures of the dash – the speedometer should say
something like “CERTIFIED – CALIBRATED”.
….and wouldn’t it say “HIGHWAY PATROL” on the back,
like the Mustangs?
yes it would say Highway Patrol on the rear end – i just chose to not have those emblems installed, but they can be purchased and applied if wanted. pics of the dash have been added to my ad.
The agency markings on retired cars are typically magnets because you can’t look too much like the real deal on the road. Maybe the owner does not have a complete set.
Here is a video of some drifting, “CHiPs” style. An in-car shot of a mustang shows a similar cage.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-DOMBA72Axw
my brother still has an original ex-Washington State Patrol ’84 Fox body Mustang 5.0 5 speed that he bought at auction around ’86-’87, anyhow the neat thing about that car is it still had the solenoid to make the high beams alternately flash, but remarkably came equipped fully plumbed for nitrous (everything except the bottle), seems like the WSP didn’t want to get outrun. I also recall that the WSP ran a few Burt Reynolds-era fully marked and lit Firebird Trans Ams in the late 70s-early 80s (saw at least one)
How would have Bandit and Snowman fared if Smokey was in hot pursuit with this beauty?
I have the real deal! All proof and documentation here. My car lgets more attention then most new vehicles. This late in the game it’s a one off car. Completely off the hook!
If it’s an authentic mule or service car, you sure couldn’t run around in Cali with the graphic uncovered assuming theyre permanent. Besides that , The real Chippies would be jealous as they’re driving lame SUV;s these days in addition to a few errant white LTDS.
All the CHP ehicles are sold in 2 locations, one in Sacramento and one near the 405-110 freeway merger in the LA area. I have bought everything from Airplanes to Motorcycles from them. Many are repainted before being sold to the public or at least the markings removed. They actually sold these fairly quickly for some reason. I suspect like the Ford mustangs, they ran out of room for electronic and radios. I really don’t think with the type of work usually done by the CHP these had any great advantage over a Caprice and there is no place to put anyone you arrested. This could be a movie, a recreation or an original that has been repainted in CHP markings. In any event I wouldn’t be driving it on the street. I was stopped with an old Dodge fire truck I owned that still had the (amber) light bar. They gave me a fix it ticket, I had to take it to the CHP office to prove I had removed it. I argued that it wasn’t law enforcement colors and the same as most tow trucks used to no avail.
Nothing “rare” about this having the 1LE package as EVERY 91 & 92 B4C was also a 1LE
A good number of them were made too, AZ and Nevada had them as well
Regardless, nice car
@ al8apex…..
Where’s your documentation that every B4C was also a 1LE?
The factory B4C sales brochure
I intimately know these cars, EVERY single B4C also had the 1LE option
It was the ONLY way you could get a 1LE with a/c too …
Mine doesn’t have the 1LE brakes on it.
Nobody was ever stuffed in a camaro or mustang squad car the were patrol/pursuit cars. Ask me how I know? When one pulled you over and you needed chuffed and stuffed they called a regular cruiser. To put a grown person in the back of this would be cruel and unusual punishment.
actually we did stuff them into the mustangs :)
That’s cruel and unusual…
Lame SUV’s? Those Explorer Interceptors have about 400 HP, Eco boost 3.5 L. With AWD too they’re said to handle really well.
That asking price is laughable.
Wisconsin had 22 of these in ’91…..all auto-O/D 3.23-gearred 350’s.
Got cited (w/aircraft assistance) by a female Trooper behind the wheel of one for 11 over comin’ from Chippewa Falls to Eau Claire.
Wisconsin’s pursuit Camaro’s all had clean-roofs & usually set up their radar in the tall weeds in the median(s) beneath overpasses…….unseen until you were right on ’em!
I should’ve known better because a friend & I personally delivered a B4C Camaro & a 9C1 Caprice for the state to evaluate purchasing. Though the state purchased all automatic 350-powered B4C’s, the one I drove from GM’s Test Facility in Milford, Mi. was a 5-speed 305 w/3.42’s. Those were some halcyon days, dear friends!
This is one in State livery…..
Hello,
I have a friend who is a retired CHP.
He was one of them that patrolled I 5 with a Camaro.
He said it had a 427/450 HP Corvette engine installed.
The reason they went to this particular vehicle, was to patrol I 5, flat,straight and great for hi powered cars to “fly”.
He said the fastest he had it up to was 140MPH
He said the car would go even faster, but he never had to use the full speed to “pinch” a violator.
I’d need some documentation to back this up. The CHP did (had to) modify earlier units like the ’70 Merc Monterey’s & others,but that was when necessity was the mother of invention for the CHP. To justify the cost & maintenance of this more recent alteration of a factory pursuit vehicle would’ve been tantamount to a miracle in CHP’s budget of the day. If true….w/that drivetrain, no doubt 140 mph was a bit under its actual capability, as 78 Fury’s/Monaco’s easily had such capability w/just 255hp.
that is not true – they never had the 427/450 motor. the engines were all stock in these cars.
FLorida Highway Patrol transported their prisoners in the front seat of their Camaros and patrol Mustangs. They were the envy of us box crown Vic drivers😕.
I’ve a few Dodge Challenger Police cars roaming around some marked and some unmarked.
I do’t buy into this. There are aftermarket wheels on both cats and nowhere does it indicated the name of the State where is is assigned. Police cars always have rugged vinyl upholstery to prevent cloth covers from wear when sliding butts in and out several times a shift.
those are stock wheels and they haven’t used vinyl in patrol cars since the late 70’s. they found out your butt slides all over the place with the vinyl, but with cloth you actually stay in place better.
Solano county had one of these Camaro CHP cars I remember seeing it on I 80 Wasn’t here very long, though.
The only cop car I would invest money in, because it makes friends wherever you go.
This car has a roll bar and great history too. The car has a complete Roll Cage that was installed in the car when new by Chris Alston Chassis Works. The car has other modifications made by the CHP for EVOC service to include seats, exhaust, suspension, rear aluminum work, radio mounts and more. All of these modifications are still in and on the car. The STICO hidden CHP radio antennae is still on the car along with the CHP radio mounting boards in the rear of the car.
http://www.thirdgen.org/forums/camaros-sale/723167-fs-1992-chp-evoc.html
In 2015 this was $10,500 obo. Now it’s $18,600? Probably cool at a bit less than the 2015 price.
Back in the day, Alabama state troopers were in some kind of a spat with the big three. So they bought a fleet of special AMXs. I asked a trooper what did he do without a back seat and he needed to take someone to the pokey. He said he would cuff them behind the back and belt them in the right seat. “The car can burn and they’re not going anywhere” Don’t know about now but one used to be in the Talladega museum.
some good info on the B4C Camaros
http://sspcentral.com/library/camaro_ssp.shtml
on the 2nd page, it shows a few RPO code tags w/ the B4C codes. some tags are w/o the 1LE code.
Thanks a lot!
To be truthful…I’m somewhat perplexed @ seeing both options on the same vehicle, as B4C negates/overrides some of the “unavailability” aspects which are denied when 1LE is spec’d singularly (w/o B4C), i.e., A/C & various power features, etc.; which WERE available/included w/B4C.
In 1992 Chevy changed the 1LE factory race car designation to G92. They kept the 1LE but changed it to the heavy duty brakes in 1992. Ordering G92 kicked in radio delete, aluminum driveshaft and fuel tank baffles. Maybe some other stuff too.
the craigslist ad has been deleted, where was it stated that the car resides?
I ask because a prior comment mentions that it has a TN title, but the TGO link states that the car was in TN then sold to a gentleman in CA 10/15. Shouldn’t it have a CA title?
Not knowing CA laws as I am from MA/RI. Can he sell it on a TN title? why didn’t he get a CA title? are there back taxes due to the non-title transfer?
it poses too many questions for me.
@ Jeff……
Wrong…..here’s a 1992 trunk sticker showing both B4C & 1LE, which contradicts your comment above…as well, G92 is NOT listed.
i’ve up dated my ad to answer several of the questions that are listed above. i have all documentation proving this is the one camaro that was used on the high speed track at the CHP EVOC. i’ve added several more pics of the original paperwork, and more information, to my ad.
as far as the price goes (with the people complaining about it) i don’t care if it sells or not. i don’t need the money and if i keep the car for several years that will be fine with me.
This is hard to make a comment on this car without sounding condescending, but I am a thinking man, and as such I find the “police car” theme in very poor taste. The only person who would enjoy a “concept or theme” that basically represents “hurting people” would likely be someone who also thinks that hurting people will teach them a lesson. Herein the seller fails to consider just how many people he will offend by producing this type of vehicle.
Moreover, I find his “paperwork” to be unconvincing because “paperwork” is more easily forged than vin numbers.
This vehicle is worth less with it’s current paint theme because it will cost time and money to change it.
I give it a thumbs down because I would actually consider this car to need a repaint at the very least.
Like the car. Real or not. Just wish the seller the best. Thanks, Barry L