1978 Plymouth Fury Cop Car with A38 and E86

[Michael_]

Hi,

I know the Furys and similar Satellites, Coronets, Monacos etc. have been used as cop cars very often back than, but what i did not knew unless i found out recently is there have been special packages for the cop cars that include:

A38 Handling Package:
Torison Bars, Anti Sway Bars, Reinforced Frame, Dana 60 Rear End, Front Disc Brakes.

E86 Package:
440 Engine, Engine Oil Cooler, Power Steering Oil Cooler, Transmission Oil Cooler.

So these are very powerful cars that should also handle very well compared to the stock furys and stuff. So the ultimate 70s performance sedan i guess.

What i want to know:

Was the A38 Handling Package just available on the 78 Fury? if i google the 75/76 fury (which front i like better) and A38 i can not find anything?
Was it just named differently?

Was such a Package also available for the 69 polara/monaco?

Im actually out for a 69 charger at the moment, but a four door sedan would be cool to.
Expecially if it would look like this:

 

[YY1]

There's a book called "Dodge, Plymouth, and Chrysler Police cars 1956-1978", that's about as much of an in depth analysis as you can get.

The A38 "package" was used to turn any car into a cop car, including some Chryslers, 2 doors, and wagons. This was done to non- "factory" cop cars which would have had a "K" as the second VIN digit.

The A38 package also had potentially different components depending on which body style was optioned with it.

 

[YY1]

Those 71-78 B body Fury/Satellite/Coronet cop cars ware THE stereotypical police car in America for decades.

You couldn't hardly watch TV or a movie without seeing one.

Finding a 440 powered B body car is somewhat rare.

Finding bucket seats in a 4 door is also interesting.

 

[Michael_]

They have also been driven a lot by the criminals as the one i posted above.

Thanks for recommending me that book i think i will buy it and have a closer look.

 

[Darter6]

Remember at one time you could get anything from Chrysler when ordering a new car. Time and time again cars show up that were factory "they never made that"..
Here is a strange one for you.1968 Valiant factory 4 door bucket seat car. Yes it showed it on the fender tag.

 

[Michael_]

Have there been civil cars with such A38 and E86 like specs too? i mean for normal civil customers.

I just ordered the book btw.

 

[YY1]

Just to clarify- E86 is just the engine code for a 440-4, which would also appear on a GTX, R/T, E body, even a Chrysler or other C body.

 

[Montclaire]

CHP custom ordered a lot of stuff beyond the A38 package, including an AC cut off switch and white steering wheel. Some of these things may have become part of the package after a few years, and some "police" cars were ordered by departments but were not A38 cars.

 

[Michael_]

I hope in the book is clarified which "code" on the fender tag refers to what options.

Or can i look that up somewhere online too?

 

[YY1]

The book I referenced is more a history of Mopar police car development with what was changed or added for each year and model.

The fender tag decoder at mymopar.com is probably the best available online.

 

[YY1]

To expound on my earlier statement from that book:

A WK41 Coronet would be a "police car".

A WH41 Coronet with an A38 package would also be a "police car".

That way you could get velour seats and power windows on your WH41 Coronet and still be a police car rather than the standard equipment that came on a WK police car.

 

[Michael_]

I am trying to figure out what codes the car has to have on the fender tag for:

- 440-4 (E86, i know)
- Reinforced Frame (F58, i know)

But is all that included in A38 Police/Handling Package?
- Anti Sway Bars
- Torsion Bars
- Front Disk Brakes
- 9 1/4 suregrip rear end and factory torque boxes

And is all that included in E86?
- Engine Oil Cooler
- Transmission Oil Cooler
- Power Steering Oil Cooler

 

[YY1]

I am trying to figure out what codes the car has to have on the fender tag for:

- 440-4 (E86, i know)
- Reinforced Frame (F58, i know)

But is all that included in A38 Police/Handling Package?
- Anti Sway Bars
- Torsion Bars
- Front Disk Brakes
- 9 1/4 suregrip rear end and factory torque boxes

Can vary by model and year

And is all that included in E86?
- Engine Oil Cooler
- Transmission Oil Cooler
- Power Steering Oil Cooler

No, would have been either STD on xK series car or in A38.

*** I am NOT an authority on cop cars, I just happen to have re-read portions of the book this week while researching a car.

 

[69Coronetrt]

Remember at one time you could get anything from Chrysler when ordering a new car. Time and time again cars show up that were factory "they never made that"..
Here is a strange one for you.1968 Valiant factory 4 door bucket seat car. Yes it showed it on the fender tag.View attachment 716379 View attachment 716380

1) As much as people love to repeat this, no you could not get “anything” you wanted. Certain engineering, warranty, safety and cost considerations still apply. If that line of thinking was true, then one would expect to see Hemi Dusters or 440-6 four speed New Yorkers.

2) most of what people think “didn’t exist” or “didn’t happen” is because the combination wasn’t common (the “I haven’t seen it in person so it didn’t exist” line of thinking”). Your example is not odd at all. Bucket seats were an option in a 68 four door Valiant. Examples of this type should exist.

http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/dealerships/1968PlymouthColorAndTrim-06.shtml

 

[Michael_]

In the meanwhile i got the book and read the relevant chapters.

The book I referenced is more a history of Mopar police car development with what was changed or added for each year and model.

This is true, i got a lot of information that i wanted but not everything.

I am mainly interested in the
1975-1978 Plymouth Fury and Dodge Coronet/Monaco.

Is there a website or another book that goes into details what was available on pursuit cop cars per model/year?

ALSO i always liked the 1961 Dodge Polara, i now know there have been 1200 Pursuit vehicles built for CHP.
But i think getting one of these will be very difficult and expensive.
In a youtube video they said there are only 2 known to be restored, but not how many are still alive.

 

[Michael_]

Also here is the information i found in the book.

1961 Dodge Dart
(Polara was not officially available but 61 CHP Squad is a Polara Pursuit)

Highway Patrol Package
Special Police Pursuit 383ci
front torsion bars
front sway bar
heavy duty suspension
extra rear leaf springs
12x2,5in brakes

video: reinforced frame
video: bigger radiator
video: transmission oil cooler
video: 100mph for 1 hour at 100 degree
video: no power steering, no power brakes

-----

1975-1976 Plymouth Fury/Dodge Coronet

E86 440cu for pursuit cars
dual exhaust
A38 Police Package
9 1/4 rear axle (3.21 gear ratio)
straight roller weheel bearing
sure grip limited slip differential
police spec firm feel power steering
power steering pump oil cooler
rear anti sway bar

1976

"Special handling package included heavy duty front and rear sway bars, heavy duty torsion bars,
extra heavy duty rear leaf springs and heavy duty shocks front and rear"

-> A38/Police Cars includes additional frame welds, rear cross member reinforcement (also bevor 1976)
-> A38 Include auxilary transmission oil cooler (also bevor 1976)

"All of the Blocks from 1958-75 in both b and rb configurations, have always been noted for their strength
and durability. the problem with the 1976-1978 blocks
both 400ci and 440ci is, they are of the thinwall casting design and shouldnt be bored more than .020in.
FOr racing purpose use the pre 76 blocks only."

Auxilary Engine Cooler oil cooler has been added to E86 440 dual exhaust engine.

-----

1977 Plymouth Fury/Dodge Monaco

E86 440cu
A38 police package
3.21 rear axle ratio was optional on E86 440cu
sure grip
"1976 an auxilary engine oil cooler was standard equipment on e86 440ci dual exhaust engine. the same year
a transmission oil cooler was also standard but located in the water radiator as it had been for years. this
changed for 1977. In 1977 an auxilary engine oil cooler was optional but still highly recommended, on the
E86 four barrel heavy duty police engine. an auxilary transmission oil cooler was not standard equipment on
all compact, mid-size and full-size police models and a38 packages. as of that year, mopar police cars had all
three critical lubricants covered: auxilary engine oil cooler, auxilary tranmission oil cooler and auxilary
power steering coil cooler."

-----

1978 Plymouth Fury/Dodge Monaco

E86 440ci "These Cars could do 130 to 150mph and they had the cooling capacity to do it all day long."
"Those Cars also had the brakes, suspension and tires to back up the big block."

"The Porsche, Ferrari, and Jaguar could outrun the Fury A38 and that was it. And not by much. The Fury A38 outran
the best performance cars from Maserati, Mercedes, Mazda, Datsun, Pontiac, and Chevrolet. Nothing from Ford, Buick
or Oldsmobile even came close."

"unlike the past, all the a38 package cars had structural reinforcements and additional welds on the unibody."

Links with more info:
http://smclassiccars.com/plymouth/1...ate-police-78-325-show-car-440ci-e86-a38.html
http://smclassiccars.com/plymouth/108850-1978-plymouth-fury-minnesota-highway-patrol-police-car.html

But does someone have a book where i could look up for examples what options have been available and standard on a 75 fury for example?

I mean i already have a lot of information here but

1976 fury

A38/Police Cars includes additional frame welds, rear cross member reinforcement (also bevor 1976)

1978 fury

unlike the past, all the a38 package cars had structural reinforcements and additional welds on the unibody.

it would be cool if there would be an option to look up all the options and standard equipment for each single car and not only what was new and stuff.

 

[YY1]

I bought the galen govier "white book" for 75-80 thinking it would have police car info.

It had almost none.

Didn't even list the VL41L6 factory 360 4 door Valiant A38 I was doing research on.

 

[Michael_]

It looks like the 78 fury/monaco have been the best equipped according to the book, at least it should be as its the most recent of these series.

I already seen an ad (bevor creating this topic) with someone rebuild that 440 to 69 super commando specs with 400hp.

I guess a car with a nice suspension, anti sway bars, torsion bars, reinforced frame and a 440 with 400hp (and even more cool stuff) would be VERY fun to drive ^^

its just a pitty i like the 75 fury front even better but 78 is also really cool...

 

[Montclaire]

Wasn't the 1978 A-38 package the fastest US production built car that year? I think there was an article in HP Mopar.

 

[Michael_]

Yeah according to the book it could outrun almost any car of that year. except porsche, ferrari and jaguar.