Police Car Conversion Possibilities

If you haven't already found it, there's a great intro to the Monaco police cars here: http://www.allpar.com/squads/dodge-monaco.html

Specific make and model match is tricky, since the kit is a conglomeration of features, resulting from the kit having been modified several times over its long life. It currently most closely resembles the redesigned "standard" '77 Monaco in terms of body style and front grill. The kit has non-standard deep racing-type wheels and tires as well as non-police style "sport" side mirrors.

If you do a search for "77 Monaco police cars," you should get some ideas---though quite a few of the photos that come up are movie/TV versions like the DOH cars. There are several neat pics of what look like restored (or "replica") California Highway Patrol black & whites. (Example here.)

The earlier 70s style Monacos are probably most famous for their use in the first Blues Brothers film. Partly as a nod to that, and partly because I grew up in Chicago in that era, I did a "sort-of" version as a regular CPD cruiser using a mix of Fred Cady and home-made decals. (The real CPD Monacos--and they used quite a few of them--were the pre-1977 style.) I basically built the kit stock (racing wheels and sport mirrors unchanged), but scratchbuilt a more appropriate Mars Skybolt lightbar. A few pics:

One of the simplest OOB fixes, which somehow didn't occur to me at the time, would be to insert spacers in the wheels to bring the hubs out flush with the rims. That way, at least at first glance, the wheels wouldn't appear so odd on a cruiser.

While I was building mine, I happened across the original 1977 Monaco Police car brochure online. If you're interested, I can probably either find the link, or shoot you copies of the files.

Thanks for the feedback! I'm going to check out the Allpar page and I'd love to see the '77 brochure. The CHP cruiser is great!

Glad it was useful. Here's the link to hi-res images of the brochure:

www.74monaco.com/.../Monaco%20Police%201977-.html

Be advised,this kit sucks.Poor fit,minimal detail and oversized tires.

Thanks for the heads up - any specific fitting problems or is it overall?

The bumpers have almost nothing to attach to.The chassis fits into the body,but it's difficult to find anywhere to cement the two together.I hot-glued all the above.Check the fit of the front wheels especially.Unless you sand/grind down the part the axle fits into,the tires will stick out past the wheel opening.I have a feeling this kit was rushed into production upon it's initial release.Also,the kit includes the wrong mirrors.Lots of errors.The interior however seems to be accurate and well detailed.

Here's the one I built for a friend.I was so disappointed in the kit,I never posted the pics here.

I sure am happy you posted about this kit as I purchased it recently with the intention of building it as some version of police vehicle while stealing the M 16 for use with a Monogram 1/24 Huey.

From the posts in this thread, it looks like the kit will require a fair amount of work

For my own build, I intend to replace the tires but leave the engine compartment painted with the hood closed.

Best of luck with your build,  jackball74. 

There is plenty of weaponry with this kit.M16,shotgun,revolver,M1 Carbine,Tommy Gun and grenade launcher.I didn't need them for this build,but there are a lot of copcar parts as well.Lights,first aid kit,radar and cage to name a few.Too bad nobody makes a wheel set for this kit.Modeling skills can't shrink a tire.

Regarding the added weapons set for the car:

Unfortunately, the M16 lower is badly molded and I will end up making a new lower for it.

Thankfully, the BATF won't care about a 1/25 model.

I might consider turning the car into military police vehicle but don't know if the US military used the vehicles or if their cars carried M16s in a front seat rack.

I was told by a guy on another forum that the military did use these vehicles.If nothing else,the A-Team was chased by US military Monacos on a regular basis.

BTW,I keep forgetting to compliment the builder of the CPD Monaco.Well done.

TD4438

I was told by a guy on another forum that the military did use these vehicles.If nothing else,the A-Team was chased by US military Monacos on a regular basis.

BTW,I keep forgetting to compliment the builder of the CPD Monaco.Well done.

Indeed! Very nicely finished CPD vehicle. 

During my pre-internet days I purchased a book titled:

" Police Cars-A Photographic History"

by Monty McCord

ISBN 0-87341-171-4 

Unfortunately the publication is only monochrome photos and none of a 1977 Dodge Monaco, but does provide some interesting photos that can provide a list of vehicles for research on the internet.

For a neat overview of TV and feature film appearances of the Monaco, there's an interesting site called the Internet Movie Cars Database. They've got 13 pages devoted to the Monaco, in sort-of chronological order. The classic '74-'77 models start (more or less) on page 4:

Wonders Await

I take a little issue with some of their model-year calls, but it's stunning, even as someone who was a big movie/TV fan during the years involved, how omnipresent the beloved Monaco was in various productions. (My big TV memory of them is from "Hill Street Blues," where they appeared through most of its run.)

(Apologies to Jackball74 if it's a little off-topic, but there are actually some pretty cool---albeit largely fictional---modeling ideas to be seen there.)

gregbale

For a neat overview of TV and feature film appearances of the Monaco, there's an interesting site called the Internet Movie Cars Database. They've got 13 pages devoted to the Monaco, in sort-of chronological order. The classic '74-'77 models start (more or less) on page 4:

Wonders Await

WOW !!!

I love my Monaco!

Thanks for the heads-up on the database, gregbale!

Found a pic on there from Miami Vice with one done up in the old Metro-Dade livery. I'm wondering if that was an actual surplus cruiser - does anyone know if Dade used Monacos? At the time the show was on I only remember seeing the "newer" Diplomats around town, but perhaps they had them a few years before?

And TD4438, who wouldn't love your car?!

@TD - are you on a mission from god???

Couldn't resist !

Ken

jackball74

Found a pic on there from Miami Vice with one done up in the old Metro-Dade livery. I'm wondering if that was an actual surplus cruiser - does anyone know if Dade used Monacos? At the time the show was on I only remember seeing the "newer" Diplomats around town, but perhaps they had them a few years before?

A quick flip-through in the "Florida" section of copcar.com shows some Fords of the same era, and some earlier Plymouths, but no Monaco. Not comprehensive, necessarily, but it's a good indication it was probably just a TV version. Here's the link:

LINK

gregbale beat me to it.

I may have to work up a "what-if" model - always did like the old paint jobs.

have a look at  http://www.allpar.com/squads/dodge-monaco.html there's a good looking CHP pictured  and  NYSP clown -er-  Patrol Car  too.

How about just building it out of the box?  You could even make a taxi out of it - I saw just as many taxi pics on the IMCdb site as cruisers.

I've been wondering if an "El Camino " conversion might be feasible ( but a lotta work) for a second kit.....and I'd have an extra M16 for the 1/24 Monogram Huey

Sprue-ce Goose

I've been wondering if an "El Camino " conversion might be feasible ( but a lotta work) for a second kit.....and I'd have an extra M16 for the 1/24 Monogram Huey

Have you seen the Royal Monaco "El-wood-Camino?"

HERE

gregbale

Have you seen the Royal Monaco "El-wood-Camino?"

HERE

The only other thing I can do is type LOL because FSM doesn't have a laughing smiley for some reason.

OP: source some decals (incase you need it)

http://www.policecarmodels.com/

http://www.jbot.ca/polveh2.shtml

TD4438

I love my Monaco!

>image<

AWESOME!!!!!!!

Anyone make a proper roof light for a Michigan State Police car?

ps1scw

Anyone make a proper roof light for a Michigan State Police car?

If you're talking about the traditional "bubble," the supplier OctaneOrange referred to, Policecarmodels.com, has the bubble fixture, though theirs is a two-light rather than the proper four-light version (though that should be an easy scratchbuild fix). You'll also have to tint it to the proper color. See it here.