A Ford Galaxie 500 four-door hardtop is a little fancy for a police car, but I bet in the history of law enforcement, a few have slipped through the paperwork cracks. This 1966 Ford Galaxie 500 is a tribute to a Chicago Police Department car and the seller says it’s a barn find. They have it posted here on craigslist in North Phoenix, Arizona and they’re asking $12,500. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Tony P. for the tip!
I can’t imagine a friendly-looking light blue police car today, but maybe that would work? It must have worked in 1977 Chicago as I’m assuming the creator of this Chicago police car tribute did a bit of research before repainting it. From what I can find, Chicago police cars in the 1970s were mostly white with a light blue stripe, and some were an aqua color, not really this shade of light blue. Maybe one of you has experience with Chicago law enforcement vehicles from the 70s and can set it straight?
It appears that this car has bounced around a bit, it’s listed on at least one auction page so this could be its second time being for sale recently, we don’t know. The seller talks about the trunk floor needing to be replaced due to it being a barn find, that’s all we know about its storage history. It has its share of dents and dings for the next owner to take care of before showing it at a law enforcement Concours event if there is such a thing… I’m sure there is.
The interior is certainly not police-related, I don’t see anything inside that screams police car to me, not that I’ve been in one recently. At least the front seat (kidding, I’ve never been arrested) (as far as you know) (kidding again). The seats are nice, much too nice to be police car spec. The back seat looks great but there’s a bit of damage on the front bench seat that hopefully won’t be too hard to fix. I think most Ford police cars from the 60s or 70s would have been Custom, Custom 500, or Fairlanes, but maybe there were a few Galaxies in the mix.
All the seller says is that the engine is a V8 so we don’t know exactly what it is. I found the VIN listed on one of the sites where this car has been sold or listed before and from what I can tell, it decodes to being a “Thunderbird Special” 390-cu.in. OHV V8 with a four-barrel carb. It would have had 315 horsepower and 427 lb-ft of torque when new, and it sends power through a three-speed Cruise-O-Matic transmission to the rear wheels. The seller says it runs and drives and has a working police light on top, and it needs some work. Are there any law enforcement vehicle collectors out there?
I’m with you Scotty, being a Galaxie this example may not be particularly historically accurate. But it still would be an eye-catcher. Kind of like the Andy Griffith show tribute cars, lots of them around, and from the ones I have seen there is a wide variation in their accuracy. I’m curious if any Barn Finders can comment on the “legality” of this paint scheme/lights; I know with SSP Mustangs and their jurisdictions, it varies quite a bit.
That Ford police-specific brochure linked in Scotty’s good write-up is cool.
Looks like the one they had for sale at classic country classics in Stanton il
If it was a real car,it might be interesting.
If you buy this,how long until you tired of just
going to car shows? If you drive it on the street,
you need to at least make sure that the light’s
covered up.
I think this would have more value in nice,
stock condition.
Most images of the 60s riots in Chicago show mostly Plymouths. Fact is, in TV and movies, Andy Griffith was about the only one to use a Ford. While Milwaukee had Ramblers, natch, it seemed Plymouth was the car for most police depts. I don’t recall many full size Fords until the Crown Vic. It’s okay, any tribute to a LEO is almost hallowed, in that, they don’t get near enough respect considering the unbelievable job they have.
Alabama State Troopers used them in the 1960s. If you look at the photos/videos of the 1965 Selma march 1964-65 Galaxies abound.
The Galaxy was not typically used as a police car, they would more likely have used the Ford 500. I don’t remember many fords being used in thos years, Maryland state Police used Chevrolet Biscane’s, however Baltimore City had a variety of make’s including Fords.
Images show it was used more for taxi cab service. I think Ford offered a basic Custom model just for a taxi.
Maryland State Police did indeed use Fords in some jurisdictions in these years. There is a fully restored 67 Galaxie in my area that is an actual MSP unit. At shows it is displayed with the decertification paperwork.
I always kept a pair of magnetic “NOT IN SERVICE” signs in the demonstrator fire apparatus that I drove during my career. Only once was I asked to apply them. I was in a small rural fire department talking to the Chief when a young CHP officer walked in to use the bathroom. He asked if that was my “fire truck” outside, and, if so, I needed to cover the lights and put the signs on the front cab doors. I showed him the signs and said that I would get right on it. After the officer left, we had a good laugh. I put the signs back in the cab, shook hands with the Chief (who referred to the officer with an anatomical reference) and drove off.
My 1st car was a 1967 Ford Custom, 5th digit in VIN a “P” for police, of course.
Stacked headlights – loved the ’67 front end. Room for me and 5 HS pals!
VIN: 7U50P168200.
Still have the 1977 registration- was bought at auction for $275.
Sent for a Marti Report and still feel it was my favorite car I have owned.
– Police Package
– PS, PDB
– C6
– Custom Paint (repainted white by ’77)
– Radio Noise Suppresion
– Transitorized Regulator
– open diff., 2.8
Back and forth to college never an issue.
428, 4V interceptor engine, aluminum intake and open filter air cleaner. Spotlight on A-pillar, rubber floor covering no carpet.
Great running car, heavy duty and reliable. Was a highway patrol car I believe.
Did yours have an external fuel pump to refill motorists’ cars who had run out of gas? If so, it was a highway patrol car.
Good one. The neighbors ’65 Plymouth ex-patrol car had that. I think it was just a rubber hose plumbed into the gas line. I remember it coiled up on the fender well.
Not sure about the color scheme, but sure if I dig out an old DVD I could check with the Blues Brothers. They seemed to wreck alot of old Chicago Police vehicles. As for the Strobe, it is a no-no on the streets. Worked in fire equipment industry for a while, and drove a previous Sheriff’s ’89 Crown Vic that were the #1 pick by PD’s. Got a trade in on a light bar and started to put on my Vic, when found out is BIG fine. Glad didn’t spend the $500 for the bar, would have needed another $500 to keep out of court.
My dad bought a 66-67 Custom 500 4 Door from the local Moffat County sheriffs Department. Black, slick seats, spotlight on the door post. Rebuilt 428 with 4spd floor shift. MY mom drove it slow and careful. My sister didn’t like it til she was old enough to drive( realized it could beat all comers at the only light in town ). Great car, wish I had it.
Always kind of liked the retired pursuit vehicle with it all business intention. This would have made a much better Galaxie restoration being a seldom seen hardtop. With air even ;)
Was bidding at a online auction on a 4 door Ford police car with 428 emblem on the fenders. It was sitting in an old junkyard being auctioned off. Bidding went to high for a sight unseen car, along with shipping…
Dad bought a ‘67, and then a ‘68 Ford Custom at Seattle Police auction for Mom to drive. Each had a 390 Interceptor, which has a 2bbl. Dad painted the ‘67 maroon to disguise its origins. Drove it to Minnesota on vacation. Pulled up to the relative’s place, and they all came out laughing, wondering how we got ahold of a Minnesota Highway Patrol car. They were using the identical car- in the identical color. To make matters worse, Dad was wearing a maroon Pendleton shirt- which looked just like the MWP uniforms. Mom never lived down the embarrassment.
If I’m not mistaking, CPD used the 66 Chevy Biscayne or Bel air for that year. A retired former CPD vehicle historian, Greg Reynolds, would be the expert in this arena.
I am generally not a fan of tribute police cars. I greatly appreciate original , historic police vehicles that are now quite rare. I find rides like this disappointing in that most details are just wrong.
I do understand cars like this when painted for use in a film. I was a partner in a large picture vehicle company for about 20 years. We typically had about 70 (mostly current) police vehicles in the fleet. Almost all were bought from police services. Some came fully equipped.
When productions wanted period police cars, cost was usually the primary deciding factor over authenticity. Especially when used as background vehicles, they were not very fussy. If it were a mid-60s show, they would likely accept any domestic full-size, Chev, Ford, or Mopar sedan. A quick/cheap (no-primer) mop-and-glow paint job, stickers and a gum-ball machine roof light would make it happen. Most were 10+ footers with bad interiors, and rusty bumpers “rechromed” by a rattle can. They actually looked good on film though. Because there is relatively little demand for period police cars, we usually sold them after the show, although we tended to keep the lights. A car like this might bring $2,500 on a really good day.
My daughter works in the entertainment industry, and couple years back, she was doing research for the Selma riots, and asked ME,,,what type of police cars were used. She had several examples, many too new, and I said, more than likely a ’61 Ford. The producers and like you say, the public couldn’t care less when being destroyed. She even said, I could be an authenticator for TV or movies. I said, no thanks.
The only odd thing I see is ignition switch middle of dash instead of on left side being ex-police car. Also odd to be 4 door hardtop instead of 4 door sedan.
The bubble top light should of been taken off by the force.
Chicago, or any other municipality in the 1960’s would not have purchased a fourth trim level like a Galaxie 500 for marked police cars. Chicago would have bought the lowest line Custom model with the straight six engine. Chicago would buy V-8’s for their traffic division cars. The restoration of police cars or cloned police cars is an actual hobby. That being said, there are restored police cars out there that are more accurate than this car.
Custom, the low trim level was the pick. Mine was a Custom (post above) and did not even have carpet, just rubberized finish.
Aluminum intake, open filter were factory.
My Marti Report on my ’67 states this production:
Police Pkg. 3,021
428 PI engine. 1,080
Special Paint. 939
Great driving car, my favorite car, impressive passing power with that 428 even with 2.8 rear.
This is a poorly done tribute “police” car that has serious rust vibes and a ridiculous price. A hard and fast “NO”
Thanks Scotty for including the PDF in there of the different specs these came with!
CPD cars were painted like this from the late 1950s/early 1960s until 1974, When they switched to the more or less current white with blue and red decal scheme.
Chicago primarily used Chevrolet and Plymouth squad cars during this era. I have seen some Fords, but i’m not sure if they used them in 1965. It is certainly possible. A 1960s CPD patrol car, however, would have have a six cylinder engine. There were a few highway patrol cars, but they would have the biggest V-8 option. So this is inaccurate in that respect in addition to the trim of course. They were all base models.
Pics definitely aren’t from North Phoenix!!
Kraft Auctions is in N Indiana. I’m pretty sure I looked at this car when they ran it there a year or so back
The Ford version of the Catalina 4dr hardtops used in Naked City. And always with the windows down in mid NYC winters.
That’s a great show!
I’d convert that thing to a stock Galaxie in a heartbeat.