Welcome to My 9c1 Page!

This page will be dedicated to one of my points of interest, the police car!! Yes, most of you know by now that I'm in law enforcement and I drive patrol cars on a regular basis. I've driven just about all types. Ford Crown Victoria, Chevy Impala, Chevy Tahoe, Ford Aerostar, Chevy Astro Van, and my FAVORITE, yes, you guessed it, the KING of all patrol vehicles ever made, the Chevrolet Caprice. Does that sound a bit biased? YES! I can't say enough about the car.

A Brief History

As you know Ford and Chevrolet (GM) have cornered the market in sales of their vehicles to police departments. The Chevy Caprice 9c1 (LT1) have always dominated the market buy building the best and most reliable police car ever made. There has been a huge split of ford lovers and chevy lovers and there always will be. That all ended in 1996 when the last Caprice rolled off the line forever. 1996 was the best year ever for the caprice, offering a V-8, 5.7 ltr engine creating awsome 265 horsepower capable of reaching speeds of up to 141 MPH!!! Personally ive seen them at well over 140 MPH and let me tell you I felt the "knee shaking" POWER.

When GM announced the demise of the Caprice in 1996, they thought we would drive whatever they made. In 2000, the Chevy Impala was reborn. What were they thinking? Did GM actually think this car would bea police car? These things are a complete waste of time. They are slow, front wheel drive, cramped and fall apart. They have a lower ground clearance and cheap frame rail system and don't even get me started on the suspension. There are, however, some reasons to buy them. They are very nimble and manuverable for city use which is a great reason to have them. The biggest reason to have them is that they are NOT a Ford!!

An option for a quick fix to keep their beloved Caprice is called "refurbishing". This works out great for everyone. It cuts the costs of a new vehicle in half for the department creating huge savings, AND we get to keep our Caprice! There are about 2 restores that can be done to each car. I'm fortunate to drive one of our departments LAST Caprice. Mine was refurbed at 75,000 miles, now has around 135,000 on it and runs like new. It has a new engine and transmission along with some other suspension items. Unfortunately my department will only refurb a car once and then it goes. So yes, I know my cars demise is looming.

My Favorite Years for the 9c1 Caprice

The ultimate favorite of mine is the 1990. These are very hard to find as of late and most of them are rusted out or just beat up. Lets face it, they are 14 years old, almost half of my 27 years of age! So when I find a gem I really admire it. Here are some pics of a 1990 caprice 9c1:

I love the interior of this car, its roomy, the seats are comfortable and supportive, the steering wheel fits great in the hands and all the instruments are right where they should be.

The other favorite year of mine is the 1996. This was the best year of the Caprice. It definately went out a winner. Pictured here is a 1994, I love the black color with black spotlights. This is definately my dream car.

Interiors

Another thing I like about police cars is the interior. I like to configure the location of equipment for patrol cars. I have done installs for a few departments I have worked for with great results. I also like to admire the setup of current units. If you have pics of the interior of your patrol car, email me!

This is an awsome way to rig a two seat pursuit car (click to enlarge the pic). This department has taken the front seat out of this Camaro to make room for its equipment. It is stacked and angeled to suit the driver. The computer is made to swing out in front of the officer when he needs it and tucks away when not in use. I also love the positions of the mic's, very accessable. Note the roll-cage installed.

Welcome to My 9c1 Page!

A Brief History

My Favorite Years for the 9c1 Caprice

Interiors

Other Cop Car Links