[geeks] Fight with computer brings SWAT team

[Michael Schiller]

On Sunday, January 12, 2003, at 12:03 AM, Chris Byrne wrote:
>
> Ahh the dodge diplomat. Staple of the NYPD and many many many cop shows
> for the better part of a decade. Aka the chrysler New Yorker. Every 
> time
> I see a Diplomat I start humming the theme to hill street blues in my
> head.

I love the Dodge Diplomats! I had bought 12 of them (from 1982 to 1986 
models) at one shot, plus an older Fury (I think it was a 77) all for 
$5000.00! I had to laugh, as the other guys paid SO much more for their 
cabs (my partner was real happy if he bought a caprice for $2500, and 
the other 'fleet' owner at the company used Fords, and was happy when 
he managed to get a crown vic for like $1500. They both laughed at me 
when I bought my dozen cars, but then when one got crunched, my BP 
didn't rise like theirs did!
>
> If they had the old "A" straight six and the three speed auto and no 
> A/C
> they were indestuctible (the same setup as in the old darts and dusters
> that never die, they just rust away).

I had bought a Dodge Aspen that was setup exactly as you describe, and 
it was a great car! I couldn't use it as a taxi, because in Broward 
County FL the cabs MUST have A/C (gee, I can't imagine why!) but I used 
it as a personal car for about 2 years. The undercarriage was getting 
pretty rusted out, and in fact when my mechanic had to put it up on the 
lift, he always supported the engine with a trans jack to keep the 
front of the car from breaking off! No kidding, one time we measured 
the space between the front fender, and the driver's door, sitting on 
the ground, there was about 1/8" between top, and about 5/8" between 
the bottom. On the lift the bottoms touched, and there was about a 1" 
space between the door & fender! Other than feeling like it needed 
shocks even when they've been replaced, the car ran great! I wish I 
could remember what I ever did with that car. After I got thru driving 
it, I let my partner drive it (he had been driving one of the 'future 
cab' Diplomats I had already had painted, but when summertime came I 
switched with him because he NEVER used A/C)

> The cop and taxi spec cars were a lot better though. Firstly they got
> MUCH better engines and transmisssions with more than adequate cooling
> systems, and a completely uprated electrical system. Most of those
> problems went away right then.

All the cars I had were former Police cars, and they DID have great 
engines / transmissions, but I don't know about the electrical systems, 
they seemed as bad as any Dodge. (seems like Dodge just can't seem to 
make a good electrical system :( ) Heck, I had one car that blew a head 
gasket (just a small leak), and at the time I needed to keep the car on 
the road, so I drained out all the water from the cooling system, 
refilled it with Marvel Mystery Oil, and that cab ran for another 2 
weeks like that! (and I didn't even charge the city for all the 
mosquitos that thing had to have killed!)
>
> Anyone else miss the Caprice? I know every cab operator in America 
> does.
> Most cops too. Hell they stopped making it eight years ago (96 model
> year was the last. Probably cranked the last one out in late '95)

Well, the ones made after 90 were refered to as 'bubble cars' and 
generally hated by most of the cab owners in Fort Lauderdale. The older 
box cars were much better made, and even somewhat easier to fix 
(although no where as easy as my Diplomats)

-Mike

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