Classic Police Cruiser - Can I put on Police Lights?

[zachh1020]

Hey Everyone!

I purchased a 1964 Pickup to turn into a show/dragster. We've setteled on a Classic Black/White Police Car theme (40s, 50s, 60s) except modernized a bit with true flames among other things just to kinda spark up the style a bit.

I have a couple questions...

Am I allowed to have Red/Blue strobes on the truck ask long as they are not used on the street and just at shows and races?

Also, I know it is illegal to have the word "Police" anywhere on the vehicle, but, I would like to have some "classic" police markings such as a seal or badge with some wording other than "Police". Would it be legal to have a badge on each door as long as it does not have the word "police"?


I didn't know where else to ask these questions and I figured someone on here could answer them.

Thanks in advance for the help!

[Steve]

You can do this but you have to be careful and be able to document that it will be used for the production and furthering of an artistic endeavour. You can't drive it around as a daily driver, but you could drive it (you will probably tow it) to a car show or to the set of a movie depecting the 1960's where the vehicle would be a prop, etc.

Check with an entertainment lawyer if you need further help on that. Just be careful and don't drive around pulling folks over.

[zachh1020]

I would even have the fuse pulled whilst driving to or from shows just to be 100 percent positive.

[Steve]

Huh ....

Here's an article on a dude that turned his Mustang into the police car from the Transformers movie -- and it's legal.

http://www.egmcartech.com/2008/03/14...and-its-legal/



I think the goal is that you can not make people think that you are an active duty Police officer, I'd check with someone in your state and see what you have to do.

[vncj96]

Your best place to start with I think would be your state troopers, they may have a little better understanding of what you want to do and probably would have more experiance in dealing with it then say a sheriff or local city cop. I know that you can do this but there are things depending on your state they may require you to do.

[zachh1020]

That is exactly what I want to do. I have no desire to impersonate a police officer. I just want to make a really unique different show vehicle. I wanted it to be street legal so I could take it out now and again to show it off and take it to some of the car cruise ins in the area.

[tbplus10]

Try researching here first. They have a section for Privately owned emergency vehicles that might give a list of items authorized on POV's.
http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title9/ar19/

[KidHauler]

I know this is a couple of days old, but I just got to the computer.

I agree with everyone above; check your local laws - vehicle code and the patrol officer. With any luck, no one is going to confuse a flamed '64 pickup with a new era cop car!

When I was installing, we took some magnetic hvac vent covers and put our logo on them, along with great big black letters that said "NOT IN SERVICE". Slap those over the police decals when you're driving and they should get the hint.
Depending on what lights you'll be using, Galls Inc has a number of O.O.S. nylon covers for most lightbars.

Good luck with it, can't wait to see pics.

D

[sstoner911]

Hey Everyone!

I purchased a 1964 Pickup to turn into a show/dragster. We've setteled on a Classic Black/White Police Car theme (40s, 50s, 60s) except modernized a bit with true flames among other things just to kinda spark up the style a bit.

I have a couple questions...

Am I allowed to have Red/Blue strobes on the truck ask long as they are not used on the street and just at shows and races?

Also, I know it is illegal to have the word "Police" anywhere on the vehicle, but, I would like to have some "classic" police markings such as a seal or badge with some wording other than "Police". Would it be legal to have a badge on each door as long as it does not have the word "police"?


I didn't know where else to ask these questions and I figured someone on here could answer them.

Thanks in advance for the help!

Its going to vary from state to state however in Arizona you can get a waiver if you show that the vehicle is used strictly as a show vehicle - generally the vehicle has to be obviously not street legal - like a dragster etc....

[Z71_guy]

def would check local laws before doing anything