Maybe it will stay there longer. Just seemed like a neat feature to my younger self. The idle needs to be re-adjusted (Ill do that myself more than likely, before its purchased) and the suspension bar that holds up the rear trunk needs to be replaced. It was a silver 2 door with red leather guts and stayed nice for about 2 weeks. 1978 Dodge Magnum Color Chart. Have you ever wondered what all those boxy American police sedans were from the 1980s in American movies and television shows? I bought an estate out over the summer, this car was part of the deal, so I'll tell you all I know about the car. Like a 47 Chevy, an 80s LTD for pizza delivery, a Chevrolet Nova from 80s for delivery too. Click below to find your next car. Never buy a used cop car. That car is long gone and sold away, but I originally coveted a St. Regis because my favorite show at the time was Sledge Hammer. The rpm lock, when engaged, keeps the motor running at a desired rpm, to power the lights or for the air conditioning on those hot sunny highway days. In Canada, we only got the Medallion version, the top trim. Its hardly perfect, but like anything else that is mechanically kept up, it has been and continues to be a faithful member of the family fleet outlasting much newer cars meant to replace it. The Encyclopedia of American Cars, 2006 Edition, Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Detailed specs review of 1981 Dodge St. Regis 3.7L TorqueFlite offered since October 1980 for North America", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dodge_St._Regis&oldid=1135981790, This page was last edited on 28 January 2023, at 01:41. The skimpy 7 1/4 rear end wore out prematurely. It was probably easier to do this in my car because it was originally a single speaker AM radio and I ran the speaker wiring from the back and put in some front speakers in the factory holes and hooked everything up to the later harness. . The Lynn Townsend era had seen many, many screwups in managementthe Sales Banks, the 1974 C-bodies that couldnt have come at a worse time, a strict no small Chrysler policy that blew up in their faces when the Cordoba (yes, it was a small Chrysler compared to a New Yorker) proved to be a sales blowout that the company had desperately needed, and of course the problematic quality control gripes had eroded Chryslers reputation. It wasn't an MSP car originally, but it is a real police spec machine, originally hailing from Virginia. A period correct light bar, iren, potlights, hotgun rack and non-functional police radio were installed. (Jeff Hwang thought this might be of interest to you all. You Be The Judge. 1978 Dodge Diplomat 4,804 mi $ 16,500 or $272/mo Gateway Classic Cars of Tulsa is proud to present this slick 1978 Dodge Diplomat Coupe. I non the less fail to see how his bio could be inspiration for naming a car, I mean he was not a coach builder like LeBaron. It was only produced from 1979 to 1981 and most of the 58,000+ cars produced went to fleet use. I made an error, but hey. In The 60s and 70s you even saw the odd Pontiac or Meteor. Either someone needs to use the antenna trimmer or the plug on the end of the cable is messed up and its not making a good connection. The California Highway Patrol tested the St. Regis: * After two miles 1979 Dodge St.Regis (Brochure). Pickup trucks are used for truck enforcment. Towards this I have a Motorola radio, lights, federal pa 200 siren and speaker, sl-20 flashlight, radar, and other items to come. And the 318 is not my favorite Mopar engine. We had chunks of the black painted stripes just fall off the car. The domes on the Federal Signal Aerodynic lightbar are in excellent condition. If you compare them to GM offerings, there was much more flexibility in the GM line in comparison. By the time I sold my St. Regis it had 110k on the clock and still ran great. The Ford LTD was built on the companys new downsized but still large Panther platform and featured 4.9-litre and 5.8-litre V8 engines, with the optional 351 being restricted for police operators only from 1981. 5.12 x 1.82 x 1.34 inches. For that matter, both the Chevy and Ford both got more development money than the Dodge and got it sooner. So they always occupied a small space in my automotive memory banks. Ten years earlier the full size Chrysler cars came out with the cockpit styling and hoods long enough to land a plane on. Twenty years later, at least two of my old compadres were still driving the old patrol units. 1978 Dodge Trucks. Volare Wagons, and Chevy Camaro Z28s on the road for an 18 month test. Wow only am fm and no cassette no 8 track player and one station working. Required fields are marked *. Although this model, like the Aspen/Volare and Omni/Horizon models, was conceptually fine and could have been competitive, new Chryslers launched at that time werent even half-baked when foisted on the public. Yes, Gran Furies were more numerous back then for RCMP highway patrol. Pursuit Police Vehicle (2012-2014) Cars belonging to Dodge Charger 7th-gen. Case in point - the St. Regis cars used on T.J. Hooker had brocade seats. The timing cover in between the block and water pump, with coolant passages cast into it, so coolant actually passes through the timing cover. 360 L-code, was white with blue interior. It always seemed to me that most full sized Chrysler products from the 70s besides the Imperials and New Yorkers were not usually heavily optioned, yet many of the GM full sized cars were. with no issues. Curtis Redgap: The R bodies weren't that bad! This gorgeous full-sized survivor is listed on eBay with an almost laughably-low buy it now price of $4,250! It wasnt an MSP car originally, but it is a real police spec machine, originally hailing from Virginia. Your parents experience with a 78 LeBaron mirrored mine. No wonder the Japanese turned the tide around 1982-83 with the Marysville, Ohio made(1st year made in US) Honda Accord and debut year, 1983 Toyota Camry. Summernats is MktoForms2.loadForm("//app-sn05.marketo.com", "979-LYJ-350", 1596); 707hp. 1979 brought the CHP multiple vehicle test. As 70s interiors go, thats not too bad. I always thought the St. Regis was a good looking car. . ** CHP testing reached the Chrysler numbers with a 445 pound load in the car but only after setting the shifts to factory spec and replacing the muffler with a straight pipe. By many accounts, the Diplomat that Moms LeBaron matured into became a very sturdy ride. The St. Regis is a motor car from Dodge, with rear wheel drive, a front positioned engine and a 4 door saloon (sedan) body style. Bought from the original owner, an old veteran, who purchased it right out of the showroom in the local Chrysler/AMC dealership. The reason I know this is because Ive got a 79 St. Regis. The last photo is of the featured car (and me before I drove it to prom, sorry about that). The Horizon had stick shift and no air conditioning, so he traded it on the LeBaron. Does anyone know why a car was named after a Saint? A rebranded version of the Eagle Premier (adapted from the Renault 25), the 1990 Monaco was the first version produced with front-wheel drive, slotted above the Dodge Dynasty in size. Although I was then and am still a total car nut, I dont recall these big Chryslers making any kind of a splash at the time. Didnt know they retracted, since they were clear to begin with. I recall reading a quote from a Chrysler engineer once saying that the transverse torsion bar suspension was mandated for marketing reasons and there really was no way to model what it was doing in the computer or elsewhere. Even a highly reputable repair shop in my city could not rectify the problem. . Top Rated Seller Top Rated Seller. In the books survey, officers wrote that the 360 powered 1980 St. Regis was the best Mopar police car of all time. It ran OK, nothing obviously wrong with it, but I realized I liked the looks of it more than I liked driving it. The Dodge St. Regis was assembled alongside the Chrysler Newport, Chrysler New Yorker, and Plymouth Gran Fury by Chrysler at Lynch Road Assembly (Detroit, Michigan), becoming the final production vehicles produced at the facility. While police units who used the cars praised handling and had positive things to say about the 360-powered cars, when things are falling off, breaking, or worse, showing up on new cars not put on properly, the damage was considered done. Overall the look is not bad, but it has a cheap look. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hed87QNchpw. 1-3. . Ive only seen them on the road as they drive by or Ive followed one on I-5 or I-405 freeway. The longest fresh water beach in the world couldnt hide a beater imperial. The automatic transmission has been serviced and a third row has been added to the radiator. The St. Regis ended production in 1981 but was seen often thanks to TV cops including Sledge Hammer and T.J Hooker, and many were destroyed in such TV shows. The change in powertrain was unpopular, as officers found the top speed of the vehicle was reduced to below 100 mph when fitted with a lightbar (or 65 mph on a grade). A staggering 25,000 examples were also built by General Motors to meet the requirements of a contract to supply the Iraqi government with a reliable taxicab. Good Lord! This was all new body style for 1979-81 Pure stinginess to carry that awful climate/stereo from the last body style into this one. Despite being an introductory model, nearly 30% of St. Regis production was dedicated for police/law enforcement use. I used to see these on police shows on tv when I was a boy. Looking at that last photo, he wore what appears to be a denim-like leisure suit to prom. I purchased the car in 2004, ith 58,194 original miles, rom the son of the elderly woman who originally purchased the car in Northern California. It's this last engine, the E86-coded 440, that was specified for Barry's Fury, along with a 2.71 rear gear, when it was ordered by the Kansas Highway Patrol. Eventually, the linkage got worn enough that you could just press lightly down on the lever to drop into second and then tap it upward to catch third. Ours was also a 318 with the super tall gearing. He pulled the engine to put in a 53 Willys and sold the car before he finished it. (ABC Comedic, sarcastic Version of Miami Vice in the same time period). The 360 has been beefed up to a proper level and the car barks out through headers into Flowmasters. piraf23, tim boone and 16 more people faved this Naming was equally odd: the Plymouth Gran Fury name was taken from that brands largest car, while the Chrysler Newport was based on that brands (former) smallest car and the Dodge St. Regis name was new. Pursuit Police Vehicle submodel, manufactured or offered in the years 2012-2014 with sedan body type, equipped with engines of 3604 - 5654 cc (220.2 - 345.6 . All windows roll up and down with the hand cranks. Alternators (Leece-Neville) that were well out of alignment to the crank pulley. New Land Rover Defen, New 911 GTS, with 7spd manual It is barely noticeable, nd another pair of taillights is included with the car. American Brands: AMC, Jeep and All Others, Tractors, Lawn Mowers, Off-Road Equipment, Runway Classic Video: The Mighty Convair 880 Takes Off Again, http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2006/12/chrysler-bank-on-it/, http://www.allpar.com/cars/dodge/R-bodies.html. Bought from the original owner, an old veteran, who purchased it right out of the showroom in the local Chrysler/AMC dealership. My clearest memory of these is the numerous pictures in the paper showing acres and acres of these things sitting unsold in rail yards all over north Michigan and southern Ontario. all combined to keep sales low. Let's check out this unbelievable 40,000-mile survivor. And stick/no a-c is the setup to have on the Horizon! I forgot the St. Regis had available leather. 2021. If GM marketing had their way, using Pontiac in comparison, there was a Catalina, Bonneville, Bonneville Brougham, all sharing the same basic body and dashboard. First show I took it to it earned a first in MoPar other (not A, B, C, or E.). I have a 79 St. Regis. Dad bought a 1985 Audi 5000 demonstrator in late 1985 to replace the beloved Buick and that thing made the LeBaron look good. I ran the power wire from the later harness over to the original factory power wire. 4 Door Hardtop Pillared. The original speedometer is included with the vehicle. 1978 Dodge Omni. It could work. It had the 360 4 bbl and the rare open road package. I hope the featured car goes to a good home. Yes, its really confusing to think why there is a transparent headlight cover. 1980 Dodge St Regis police car. (I guess thats the lean in Lean Burn.) I'm looking for old restored and un-restored police and fire department cars Youd think someone at Chrysler would have known better than to repeat that past mistake. 1978 Dodge LRT Express. Sharing its platform with the successful Fox-based Mustang, the Fairmont was the last of the compact rear-wheel drive sedans from Ford during this time. The R-body replaced both the C-body and old B-body cars, killing two birds with one stone; unfortunately, Chrysler's dire financial situation turned worse, leading to Chrysler filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and chairman Ricardo resigning in February 1979 (he would be replaced by Lee Iaccoca, who was recently let go by Ford; Iaccoca would later photo for more information. $9,495. Dont know if Ive previously mentioned that like others, Ive seen rather few of these going all the way back to when they first came out. After the departure of my St. Regis, I made the mistake of purchasing a 95 VW Jetta GLI (my first new car) which spent more time at my VW dealer for repairs than it did in my driveway. Following its introduction, the Dodge St. Regis saw heavy use as a police car in the United States. Dodge Charger 7th-gen. Hell, there was probably a time when a little junkyard combing could have gotten you all the spare ballast resistors & stuff you would need for life. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. The Diplomat has been a long staple in American history mostly recognized as police cars throughout most Gateway Classic Cars Click for Phone O Fallon, IL 62269 (644 miles away) 2 27 1984 Dodge Diplomat I used to own a 79 St. Regis back in the late 80s. It's been off the road 25 years or so, I bought it never hearing it run turn over or anything, I just got . (Ford Explorer Police Interceptor Utility). For 1982, Dodge began marketing the Diplomat as its largest four-door sedan; nearly 16 inches shorter than the St. Regis, the mid-size Diplomat was the final rear-wheel drive sedan marketed by Dodge during the 1980s. That is me. Dodge St. Regis Base 1979 Dodge St. Regis Base 1980 Dodge St. Regis Base 1981 Dodge Stealth Base 1991 The Gran Fury was purpose-designed as a cheaper version of the Chrysler Newport and was aimed at taxi, police and other fleet operators, with police cars utilising the 5.2-litre and 5.9-litre V8s. Andrew was a contributing writer at Performance Drive. Coinciding with efforts to expedite the retirement of the St. Regis from patrol service, the CHP adopted the 'Ford Mustang Severe Service Package' police pursuit vehicle (PPV) in 1982. Rough rider since it is older and it handles OK. Great in snow, and mud since it is 4 wheel drive. I just read a piece on John Francis Regis. This is a HEAVILY OPTIONED CAR with Power Seat, Power Window, A/C, P/S, AM/FM radio, Tilt Steering Column, Cornering Lights, Cruise Control. The underlying platform dates all the way back to 1926 and had a number of major revisions over the decades up to 1991. They should change the breather sticker to Lean Burn of Death. It was based on the old trusted B-body platform and was the fastest police sedan in the quarter mile and was fastest through circuit testing when compared to rival models. . Brands New Products . Location. Chrome housing, clear lens. Being in my 20th year of St. Regis ownership, after my dad owning first for 10 years, I dont think the St. Regis was the worst looking of the 70s cars or that it was designed to fall apart. The automotive landscape and world at-large is shifting away from petrol cars and towards electrification and political correctness. Most of those wound up being wrecked on TV shows and movies. Dodge Durango Pursuit (Police) 2021. He couldnt believe when he bought the car that someone put points in it. I have 253k and still rolling. Between the warranty work, the money we put into it after (including paint touch-up and a great deal on an 8 3/4 Sure Grip off a wrecked 80 Volare Road Runner with 3000 miles on it, it actually became a decently running reliable car. He certainly was worthy of sainthood. 1979 Dodge Challenger (Brochure). Thats the only connection I can think of. About Dezo's Garage. I believe 79 was when Lee Iacocca came in to clean house. 1979 Dodge St. Regis. This car should be seen and driven to fully appreciate it. Always wanted to be a rally expert but never had the right car for the job? 1979 DODGE ST. REGIS: Dodge dumped its really big Royal Monacos after 1977, leaving only mid-size Monacos for 1978. And I thought the general shape of the car was attractive, even if it seemed to owe a lot to Buick. . I experienced all three years of the R bodies, with a 1979 Newport, 1980 Gran Fury, and 1981 Gran Fury, two with the 360 pursuit and one with the 318 four barrel. The Diplomats, conversely, were only available in base trim. By the 1960s, the name was transferred to Dodge's mid-size entry. Used by a wide variety of Chrysler model lines, the B-body architecture underpinned model lines ranging from the Dodge Coronet and Plymouth Belvedere to the Dodge Charger and Chrysler Cordoba. It would be the last full-size Plymouth model ever built. The first example of downsizing of the full-size Chrysler sedan line, the R-body is an evolution of the B-body intermediate chassis. 1968 Dodge Monaco. Andrew has a passion for worldwide cars of many types including classic muscle cars and sports coupes, big luxury barges and production sedans. The leather wouldnt have held up that well. As a result, you were apt to see anything, LTDs and Royal Monacos in the mid 70s, & later on, Panthers, B-bodies, M-bodies, pickups sometimes. I was always impressed with the ride quality and handling, even with the police suspension and police pack components. Around the 50k mile mark, our LeBaron had definitely adopted a nose-down attitude and would bottom out against the suspension stops if driven across big dips with any gusto. The R represented the best all-around balance as far as speed, power, braking and cornering were concerned. Various party buddies employed numerous bubble gum and bobby pin repairs before we finally drove it to the wrecker at the direction of the police. I fixed it then and 20 years later it needs it again. It was maintained meticulously throughout the years, and everything from changing the oil to simply replacing a spark plug has been professionally done and documented by the local Midas. The wiring in the tilt wheel shorted out, leaving us with no cruise or horn. I had one in a 70 Challenger. For 1979, the 360 was available to cops in all fifty states, with a rating of 195 horsepower for everyone but those in California. Im from Saskatoon originally. My son has one sitting behind my shop that he got from an estate a couple years back. 2021. . Though if it was mine, Id have to get rid of that radio. New Tri-Five Chevy Parts: Bolt-In Underdash Hydraulic Clutch System From American Powertrain, Not Stock Photographys John Jackson Takes Us On A Lone Star Throwdown Adventure, B&MS PRECISION SPORTSHIFTER WILL GIVE YOUR 2021-UP FORD BRONCOS 7-SPEED A SOLID SHIFTING FEEL, Lone Star Throwdown 2023: Is This The Baddest Truck Show Of The Year? That would kick in around 28-30 mph, causing a massive ping/detonation/lugging event alarming enough to make you let off the throttle. Do you remember who you sold the car to? It appears to be in very good condition for an R-body. Copyright 2023 BangShift LLC. 2022 Ram 1500; 2022 Ford F-150; . BTW that is some of the best looking vinyl I have ever seen it fooled me! Police officers also gave it better ergonomic ratings. Id totally jump on it if it were a Newport. 1979 Dodge LRT Express. Money couldnt have been an issue, Im sure it wouldnt have broken the bank to source a decent Electronic unit. CNN got the prestige of a major car companys commercials running on their then-new channel and company cars for their reporters, Chrysler cleared out some of the sales bank and got a platform to advertise the coming K-cars. May consider other trades of equal value as well. The Ford LTD Crown Victoria was the main entry from the Blue Oval brand during the 1980s. The ask of $8,995 is much less than the . The Chrysler R platform was introduced for the 1979 model year. The original owner found a non Lean Burn Holley 2280 to put on it. The car runs fine and yard drives but will need fully serviced and probably the brakes gone through and of course new tires before it could be considered roadworthy. I thought they looked great, and kind of reminded me of certain TV shows set in the US Southwest, where this color of patrol car was often seen. In contrast to both the Monaco and the Diplomat, the St. Regis was offered solely as a four-door sedan. . Positioned above the Coronet, but sharing the same chassis, were the Dodge Royal and Dodge Custom Royal. Good Gravy: Ride On This GSXR600 Hill Climb Bike Running 100% Nitromethane! While the St. Regis is of little collector value today (alongside Chrysler/Plymouth R-body counterparts), the mechanical commonality of the R platform with earlier Chrysler vehicles leads collectors to search for scrapped examples for its front disc brakes to upgrade earlier cars (such as the Dodge Dart and Plymouth Barracuda)[citation needed] With the low number built (in comparison to its Ford and Chevrolet competitors) and the high percentage destroyed in film and TV work or retired after police use, very few examples survive today. The only other thing was the headliner started coming down after the car was 20 years old. Those St. Regis very rarely, come up for sale, if ever. Surprisingly, a similar glut of inventory occurred approximately 10 years ago, near the end of Daimler-Benz ownership of Chrysler: http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2006/12/chrysler-bank-on-it/. 1979 Dodge Car Lineup. Shorter than the 1977 Royal Monaco by five inches, narrower by three inches, and lighter by almost half a ton, the Dodge St. Regis (and its platform mates Chrysler Newport and Plymouth Gran Fury) shouldve worked in the market. Worked great for a long time until the display died. Alternatively (and preferably for my 17 year old self) you could just gun it enough to delay the upshift. Compared to its 1977 Dodge Royal Monaco predecessor, the Dodge St. Regis shed 5.5 inches in length, 2.7 inches in width, 3 inches in wheelbase, and nearly 900 pounds of curb weight (dependent on powertrain). Dodge, Plymouth, and Chrysler Police Cars 1979-1994 notes that the 360 powered St. Regis, Newport, and Gran Fury were the fastest and best performing police cars of the era. 1979 dodge st regis very nice car see pictures there is slight damage on left rear side of bumper again see pictures it is a 318 motor automatic transmission missing the 2 hubcaps 136k+ miles motor is quiet and smooth as well as transmission shifts smooth this car can be driven home interior again see pictures is very nice including dash the Its north Michigan afterall, every town has an odd car, sometimes for odd use too. It forms part of Dodge's Series EH range of cars. Nowadays, I have my 2012 Chrysler 300c (Hemi of course), my 1977 AMC Gremlin, and my 1969 Toyota Corona. Find 3 used Dodge Diplomat as low as $3,999 on Carsforsale.com. 1979. Shop millions of cars from over 22,500 dealers and find the perfect car. Dodge, Plymouth, and Chrysler Police Cars 1979-1994 notes that the 360 powered St. Regis, Newport, and Gran Fury were the fastest and best performing police cars of the era. Not sure if I even drove it around the block, or just in the parking lot. Because lower priced F-Body Dodge Aspens and Plymouth Volares were designated as the mid-size squad cars through 1980 - not M-bodies. Most of those wound up being wrecked on TV shows and movies. At least this Allpar article gives a good overview: http://www.allpar.com/cars/dodge/R-bodies.html. In the future Ill be equipping it with period correct equipment as a Chiefs Car. I drove a later model Volare a few times for work and it steered much better, so I suspect it may have just been our cars particular set up. Im sure its simpler than I think. Remember, this is just before Chrysler nearly slips under the waveswhat quality control? Perhaps push bumpers and prisoner partion screen (great for grandchildren or wife). I bought from him and have owned it 20 years and drove it as recently as yesterday. Why? 1:43 Car 1980-1999 USA. My brother took it over, and when he sold it in the fall of 83 it was in better shape at 5 years old than when it was brand new!. My dad put a factory rear anti sway bar on it, I replaced the rims with factory 7inch and cop sized tires instead of the smaller tires my dad had on it. ACCOUNT. Full review an, Cool sound Got 340 engine with MP heads with the big valves, steel crank, KB 10.25 hyper pistons. The car would go both fast and handle. 1980 Dodge Aspen (Canadian brochure). The car was so gutless that they removed the mufflers and ran straight pipes out past the bumper. Original owners manual and all 1979 Chrysler emissions documentation, and repair slips. Base . She is Catholic, however. By 1989 it was very outdated with its three-speed auto and carburetted engines but was the first Chrysler model to feature an air bag and tilt-adjust steering wheel. The only St. Regis I can ever recall seeing was this one I took a picture of about 5 years ago. 1979 Dodge Truck Color Chart. Henry Ford II would only go kicking and screaming, and only after he saw the success of GMads from the later 1970s showcased the full-size girth of cars like the LTD II, Thunderbird and LTD. The car is offered for sale locally, nd I reserve the right to end the auction early. State inspectors snipped the police lights, including the spot light, and the wiring for the hideaway headlight motor. Skip to content. There is no in-between. The owner brought it to my place of business to let me see it and drive it.
Jametta Chandler Moore Wife,
Mahlkonig E65s Vs Mythos,
Talladega Daily Home Obituaries Past 3 Days,
Sagittarius Ascendant Woman Tumblr,
Articles OTHER