click to see CHP car OH OH, Now look what you have done...

Dennis Larson

the new cop and rodder

click here to see what he has been doing in 2005

 

 click to see Barracuda

        This was my project car.  It is a 1964 Dodge 880.  I found it in Hemmings Motor News.  It was formerly a Calif. Highway Patrol car that served in Fresno.  I bought it from the gentleman who bought it from the CHP in 1966.  He did his best to make the car look more like a regular car than a former CHP car.   Which means he painted everything, green. Changed the front seats, painted the dash, changed the hubcaps and quite a few other things.   I've restored it back to its days as a patrol car.  I located most of the emergency equipment, and have rebuilt the 413 engine.

Here is the new 413 going in March 2000

The CHP: 

And here in the Fall of 2000, with a little help from club member Jim Shuck, is the finished product.   A California Highway Patrol black & white.

(editors note: How many remember looking in your rear view mirror for that distinctive front end, besides me?)

Since the car is a retired CHP car, the CHP furnished the Seals and logo graphics to me.  It took quite awhile to find some originals as they have changed the seals.  The new seals have colored centers.  This design has been in use since 1953, so I checked with a bunch of area offices and finally located some. It only took me a year to find them.  I can only drive the car with "Out of Service" signs in the windows and I also cover up the rear emergency lights.  The Dodge qualifies for Historical Plates but I use my original black & yellow plates on the street.  I am looking for some old "State diamond E plates" for when the car is on display. 
 
I amazingly get a lot of thumbs up from people and lots of attention of course going down the road.  It took all summer to get it looking and running good and I could only take it to 2 car shows, so I haven't had much experience driving it restored to its present condition.
 

Patrolling K St. Mall at Autorama 2002

What Dennis had to say in the January 2006 issue of Hemmings Muscle Machines:
Hemmings Muscle Machines, January 2006.

If you would like to drop me a line and talk about old cop cars, especially CHP's,
glad to hear from you...

Send Dennis an e-note

The Barracuda:

Here is my newest addition to my fleet.  It's Travis Kingbury's old 68 Barracuda.  It was a non-runner when I picked it up.  Just finished cleaning all the lifters and poking around looking for something that would make an engine noise??!!

Travis doing burnout when car was running and before it was painted.

 

This is a rare factory color called Omaha Orange.

Here is my latest find, an original 1967 Imperial

Thanks for stopping by folks...