Adam 12 Satellites

[Mike Szadaj]

As I’m sure all of you know, back in the golden age of muscle cars, All three of the television networks started their new season of episodes in September. The first episode of Adam 12, was shown on September 21, 1968. Obviously, it was filmed before that date. That makes me wonder If the big three were sometimes really scrambling to get their brand new model cars to Hollywood in time For filming. In the case of Adam 12, they would have needed time to put lights, sirens, radio, and decals on the car after they Got it. I never realized how close the new car models coming out was to the new TV season starting. The car companies must have seen that as a great way to advertise. I am also curious as to why later on there was a switch from Plymouth to AMC on the show.

 

[Kern Dog]

I’ll bet the models they used were Belvederes, not Satellites.
It is great to watch old shows and see them.

 

[Billccm]

I think LAPD in real life switched to Matador vehicles. Jack Webb wanted realistic scenes in both Adam 12 and Emergency.

 

[Mike Szadaj]

I think LAPD in real life switched to Matador vehicles. Jack Webb wanted realistic scenes in both Adam 12 and Emergency.

Right. Just like on Dragnet at the end of each show, there was a statement saying the stories were true, with the names changed to protect the innocent.

 

[YY1]

Pretty sure the first season Adam-12 car was a 67 model year.

Also the first season Emergency truck was a 71.

 

[Mike Szadaj]

Pretty sure the first season Adam-12 car was a 67 model year.

Also the first season Emergency truck was a 71.

I just watched the first episode yesterday. They were driving a 68. That’s what got me started on this whole thing

 

[YY1]

What's this from?

 

[Mike Szadaj]

I don’t know, maybe they had some older cars in the series, but in the first episode, Malloy and Reed drove around in a 68

 

[chargervert]

There was a pilot episode where they drove a 67 Belvidere that was an actual LA cruiser they borrowed from the LAPD.

 

[Mike Szadaj]

Sorry, my mistake. It was the second episode I watched yesterday. In that episode they were riding in a 68. In the first episode they were riding in a 67. It’s possible the first episode was filmed before the 1968 models came out. Pilots for TV shows are usually filmed a ways ahead of the series being picked up. Sometimes they will use the pilot as the first episode of the series.
To clarify things, I posted this reply before I saw chargerverts post.
Thanks for that information.

 

[Mike Szadaj]

The pilot was filmed in September 1967, And then became the first episode in September 1968

 

[YY1]

Mystery solved!

 

[YY1]

I found this on a model club pdf newsletter but I think the formatting was off because there's no info for anything in the column it was in like there was for the other kits listed as "new". It also looks kinds home cut and pasted. A real 4 door 67 B body would be a welcome addition.
I have the resin 67 wagon and it's fair to good but a real mold in styrene would be better.

 

[Mike Szadaj]

Mystery solved!

It still wouldn’t surprise me if they used some 67s in the first season, By other cops, in scenes where there were several cars

 

[Mike Szadaj]

I found this on a model club pdf newsletter but I think the formatting was off because there's no info for anything in the column it was in like there was for the other kits listed as "new". It also looks kinds home cut and pasted. A real 4 door 67 B body would be a welcome addition.
I have the resin 67 wagon and it's fair to good but a real mold in styrene would be better.

View attachment 1514859

The funny thing is, if the research we have just done is true, Reed and Malloy would have only have driven a 67 in one episode. If that’s true, it seems like it would have made more sense to have made the model a 68. Especially when you consider, they wouldn’t have made the molds for the model until the series was picked up.

 

[YY1]

Most jurisdictions had 2 or more generations in the fleet at the same time.

Adam 12 did that with the 69/70/71 Plymouths later on.

 

[YY1]

The funny thing is, if the research we have just done is true, Reed and Malloy would have only have driven a 67 in one episode. If that’s true, it seems like it would have made more sense to have made the model a 68. Especially when you consider, they wouldn’t have made the molds for the model until the series was picked up.

Agree. I think that's either a new release or someone's wishful hand at kit box art.

 

[Mike Szadaj]

Going slightly off the original topic, that second episode had Cloris Leachman, who played Frau Blucher in Young Frankenstein, as a bad parent, and Melody Patterson, who played Wrangler Jane in F Troop, as a bad driver.

 

[demonram]

Pretty sure the first season Adam-12 car was a 67 model year.

Also the first season Emergency truck was a 71.

I don’t think that’s correct. It was a 72, that was the first year of that body style.

 

[440 PHIXX]

Here’s my ‘68 Satellite, factory 383. It’s a Belvedere with more junk on it.

The chief had a wagon. Mine has seen better days.