The Fastest Highway Patrol Car in Alabama

[Whoops]

The extent of the surveillance is extraordinary. I loved the video and the idea of going the whole James Bond on someone for speeding.

Especially the end where multiple officers had their assault rifles trained on him as they filed out in a tactical advance formation from behind the blockade… for speeding.

[Gone in 60]

I still remember the 5.0 Fox Body Mustang coupes the CHP used up through the early 90s. I had a black Fox with the same 10-hole "phone dial" whees, and when I'd catch a glimpse of my own car walking up to it, it would send a quick "fight or flight" jolt through me. Even though it was my own car...

[Whoops]

I still remember the 5.0 Fox Body Mustang coupes the CHP used up through the early 90s. I had a black Fox with the same 10-hole "phone dial" whees, and when I'd catch a glimpse of my own car walking up to it, it would send a quick "fight or flight" jolt through me. Even though it was my own car...

Hehe. Utah Highway Patrol used them here as well. I remember hearing about them crashing in Parleys Canyon every so often. If there was any snow on the road they would spin out pretty easily. Also I think the officers just loved driving them fast, but who knows. They stopped using them after only about 10 years. They were pretty badazz looking though.

[PowerDubs_imp]

There are many countries with modern cop cars that will reach speeds well above that old thing.

And I'd bet a paycheck that old thing couldn't hit a true 161mph on a GPS no matter how long and straight the road.

It takes large % power gains at speed just for a few MPH- the fast you claim, the greater the rate of power increase.

The vast majority of people you hear say they had an old car that would do 1xx are full of it. Indicated on a speedo is NOT reality.

Just like guessing power made- there is no real answer other than a dyno or GPS for speed. Both are notorious heartbreakers- and many avoid them as they don't want to know the truth!

[Gone in 60]

That is true, but, when the 5.0 Fox was in its prime in the late 80s-early 90s, 225 horsepower in a lightweight body was quite formidable. The CHP cars were in LX trim, and were devoid of any of the aero mods and frippery of the GT models, and legend had it that when they hit 120, the front ends became light enough that control become very difficult. I never pushed mine that hard on the street, of course.

These days, a 5.0 Mustang makes 480 horsepower, a GT500 makes 760, both from the factory. Plus, they can handle and stop a lot better than the disk/drum solid-axle Fox Flintstone chassis.

[SportsterDoc]

1. Police vehicles have calibrated speedos. Date of calibration may be asked in court. Speed could also be compared with radar display...fond memories of hitting the shotgun barrel with a tuning fork to check radar calibration at the beginning of a shift. The Matador that I drove was unmarked (only red spot and siren) and not radar equipped.

2. This article states 140 MPH for a 69 Plymouth 383 and gives accolades to the AMC Matador (401): https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/lapds-finest

3. Most police vehicles in my department (1977-1993) were capable of just over 122 MPH, excluding off-road enforcement.

4. Chevy Novas (late seventies/early eighties) had good speed and cornered OK, but suspension for driving over curbs was limited. A Nova on one pursuit (armed robbery) went air-born over railroad tracks and took the vehicle out of commission, although the robber lost a subsequent foot pursuit

5. Many military police vehicles of the sixties were less than peppy...many were straight sixes.

6. Be interesting to research the LAPD freeway flyer Oldsmobiles of the sixties...

Another trip down memory lane!

[PowerDubs_imp]

Mechanical speedo calibration is not ‘calibrated’ across is entire range. It is physically impossible. The faster they go- which by default is not where they are calibrated to- the more inaccurate they became.

And for same of argument- a car that could do a legit 140mph (gps) would require a lot more power to hit 150- and a car that could hit a real 160 requires more power from 150-160 than the car that went 140-150.

I’ve chased power and speed out of cars my whole life- decades of hot rodding. Have travelled across country many times just to race down airport runways as the drag strips aren’t long enough.


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[SportsterDoc]

Speedo error is a percentage.
From new to old tires may increase speed display by ~4% on a car tire...more on SUV/truck, depending on OD and tread depth.
So, if speedo accurate/calibrated with new tires and the circumference is reduced by 4%
30 would increase to 31.2
60 would increase to 62.4
90 would increase to 93.6
120 would increase to 124.8

Same with changing tire sizes or even different brand of same size. I replaced a stock tire (Metzler?) on my 2012 Bonneville with a Shinko of the same size and it would barely turn when on the center stand, resulting in higher speed than previously indicated.

Yes, you may argue other factors, such as tire pressure lower or higher than door sticker, variance in temperature, etc. But, the bottom line is that 4% error will have approximately twice the MPH difference at 120 versus 60.

So, checking speed with GPS or Radar at a few speeds can indicate % error.
If not practical to calibrate, just apply that % to indicated speed.

[PowerDubs_imp]

That was a long way of responding the same conclusion I already said the faster you go the more inaccurate they are.


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[peterbaron]

NO vehicle speedo is accurately calibrated... and intentionally always shows speed higher than travelled.
The faster the vehicle goes, the bigger/higher the error.
This slight difference in accuracy is done on purpose to avoid lawsuit against vehicle manufacturers.
There are other aspects as well such as different tire size and wear of the nominal tire during operation, simple physics.