Thread: What Vehicles do the WA Police Have??

Had similar highway patrol cars in Vic around '85. Not even general duties officers could tell what they were & saw a general duties crew try to chase one. HaHaHa.

Originally Posted by CraigE

Geez JC, I actually remember that car, must have been around 84-86. Suprised the crap out of a lot of people.
Also remember the Silver Brock Commodore in Kalgoorlie. The XE was also in Kal for a while.

Correct with the timing Craig, we were there in mid to late 1984, had a XE 4.1 NEW Avis rental at the time Had 5000Km on the clock when we picked it up! Took it from Perth across to CAnberra and Sydney etc, then back. BIG road trip for us kids!

I remember drooling at that 5.8 badge...........

JC

Originally Posted by LandyAndy

Yes Justin,the WA plods had what you would call the last of the GT breed.
Was a falcoon GL,but had the ESP suspension,ghia headlights and "spoiler".They had the 5.8 BLACK motor,basicaly a GTHO motor.
A mate bought one from the government auctions,it went REALLY well His was a bright yellow GL with mousehole steel rims and the lowered ESP suspension,"spoiler" and ghia headlights,only COPPED the taxi vinal seat trim.Looked more like a taxi than a chase car!!!Went hard and handled even better!!!!
Andrew

A pity all of them have gone now. I remember seeing the Sunday Times Auction lists and there were heaps up for sale sometimes, 'LOT334, 5.8 auto GL with pwr str and air, Lot 335 5.8 auto GL pwrstr air....' Must've been a bonanza for all those Cleveland worhippers back then! The same happenned when they sold off the first of the Commys, Had VB SL 5.0 Manuals and Autos up for sale!!! Wish i had some $$ back then but was barely out of school

JC

Heres one for you Andy...

1982 XE ESP ? Ford Fairmont Ghia 351 Muscle Car Experience

MMMmmmmmmmmmmm ESP Ghia, 5.8...

Just tried to post a pic up I found, but won't let me.

Just have to drool over it myself then

JC

Originally Posted by Tombie

Yeah, anything with no speed limiter could catch that pace...

My Street (Track more like) car was well capable of over 240km/h

A Subaru Liberty doesnt run out of puff to over 220...

To catch something doing 216kph you have to go faster although the WA cops haven't quiet worked this out and have tried to book people with the speed they did to catch up. See how long it takes to do 500meters at 25kph thats the closing speed if the chase vehicle is doing 240 this is of course assuming the vehicle goes straight up to its top speed and doesn't take kms and kms of coaxing and cajoling to get it there. The WA police also have to get permission to go on with things over 140kph.

I'd say he pulled over if he has a good lawyer they might have a hard time getting a conviction if they nailed him during overtaking. The are possibly a few places to bolt but if you are bombing down the Albany hwy you probably don't know about them why things are played with a straight bat on the major arterials.

Talking about the old Fords cop cars brought back memories from many moons ago I was an apprentice to the CRB (Country Roads Board) Vic I was based at Syndal but we had to do a stint at the Kew workshop, The CRB had their own heavy vehicle police that mostly ran XC 351s these used to come into the WS manifolds still crackling with heat and we had to do a service and tune changing, the plugs was great fun, After this we had to "test drive" them. They also had 1 VC valiant 265 3 on the tree, this was the best one to "test drive"
I still remember trying to pull out of a side road across the tram tracks, when I finally got my chance dumped it, I looked in the mirror only to see all the traffic slowing down to see trough the tyre smoke " only one wheel let go" still like valiants, I think thats why I put a 265 in a CJ6 Jeep I had. Fond memories cant work on modern stuff any more sadly ...Gary

Hey Justn.
Got a lazy $135K laying around????
Australian Musclecar Sales
Andrew

A while back, the WA Gold Stealing Detection Unit (GSDU), commonly known as the "Gold Squad" had some interesting cars. Basically, these blokes are police officers with some very unusual powers, paid for by the Chamber of Minerals and Energy from a levee imposed on all of the gold and diamond producers over here.

Their vehicles have always been purchased and paid for by the CME, and up until a few years ago, they had pretty much open slather on what they were allowed to buy, though they were never allowed fancy imports. These days, they have been restricted a bit, and they all drive Nissan Patrols.

In Kalgoorlie, they used to have a very souped up VN Berlina wagon. Unusual maroon / purple colour, Calais wheels, lowered, full Irvin Bullbar, very souped up 5.0L V8 and a tricked up transmission, plus a bit of other work done underneath, including guarding around engine and transmission sumps etc. They also had a white Falcon wagon of the same era, similarly worked over. At the time, they were the quickest cop cars in Kalgoorlie - they openly boasted that even the V8 pursuit cars of the day couldn't get near them.

I bought the Berlina from the local Ford / Nissan dealer after it was traded in on a Patrol, and a mate of mine still has it. Don't know what became of the Falcon. I remember one of the Gold Squad coppers telling me after I bought it (I used to know them all well due to my job at the time) - "don't let it get stolen, 'cause the local cops have got nothing that can catch it". Was definitely a very quick bit of gear.