Michigan State Police Vehicle Tests...

Jonathan KC8RYW · Post by **Jonathan KC8RYW** » Wed Apr 14, 2004 7:37 pm

Figured the crowd here in the "batlabs install bay" would enjoy taking a look at these:

http://www.justnet.org/pdffiles/msp2001bulletin.pdf

http://www.justnet.org/pdffiles/msp2002bulletin.pdf

http://www.justnet.org/pdffiles/msp2003bulletin.pdf

http://www.justnet.org/pdffiles/msp2004bulletin.pdf

thebigphish · Post by **thebigphish** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 11:42 am

i wonder if they tested the top speed on the intercepters with that big ol' honkin beacon on the top of the car, as ya'll michiganites like to run!

KitN1MCC · Post by **KitN1MCC** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 3:34 pm

God thos lights are Ugly. the thing is why

b7spectra · Post by **b7spectra** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 4:47 pm

I just want to know about that STOOPID looking STOP sign that is on the hoods! Do they really expect people to stop for that? Yeah, that rotating beacon is a hoot. I guess someone's brother made a fortune selling them to the MSP!

Cam · Post by **Cam** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 4:55 pm

b7spectra wrote:I just want to know about that STOOPID looking STOP sign that is on the hoods! Do they really expect people to stop for that? Yeah, that rotating beacon is a hoot. I guess someone's brother made a fortune selling them to the MSP!

If I recall, they buy them for $98.97.

FFParamedic571 · Post by **FFParamedic571** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 5:19 pm

one word sums it up... Tradition.

Other than the single Unity light and the hood sign. The MSP is pretty well outfitted with Wigwags, deck strobes and tail light flashers.

BTW.. the single beacon is pretty damn bright and gets your attention on dark stretch of highway

thebigphish · Post by **thebigphish** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 10:25 pm

FFParamedic571 wrote:BTW.. the single beacon is pretty damn bright and gets your attention on dark stretch of highway

i should hope so, what are those unity's running? 100watts? that must be a sight to see...and hell, that beacon will cut fog & weather better than just about ANY strobe.

not only will it get your attention, it will also fade the paint on the back of your car, bleach your hair, and physically project what you are thinking on the windshield.

va3wxm · Post by **va3wxm** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 4:22 am

Interesting articles there, Jonathan. Several years ago my dad got a copy of a MSP video in which they put a mid-90's Caprice through its paces. Probably the wildest portion was the 100-0 braking test WITHOUT ABS engaged. And this was before they migrated to Astro so you got to see that big low-band whip flopping around in the wind.

Boy, talk about a smoke show! Not to mention the flat-spotting on Goodyear meats!

thebigphish · Post by **thebigphish** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 7:48 am

va3wxm wrote:Interesting articles there, Jonathan. Several years ago my dad got a copy of a MSP video in which they put a mid-90's Caprice through its paces. Probably the wildest portion was the 100-0 braking test WITHOUT ABS engaged. And this was before they migrated to Astro so you got to see that big low-band whip flopping around in the wind.

Boy, talk about a smoke show! Not to mention the flat-spotting on Goodyear meats!

so a couple of days after those slides, someone else drives by and sees the spaghetti streaks on the roadway and does one of these....."that must have been one COOL LOOKING SPINOUT!"

who needs a siren or a horn when you have a bigass lowband whip shrieking thru the wind, talk about harmonics and wind noise....

KitN1MCC · Post by **KitN1MCC** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 7:43 am

. the thing is did some of the cars had blue ones as well. plus that clear in the center of the dome is not cheap to make

Tech225 · Post by **Tech225** » Sun Apr 18, 2004 1:01 pm

thebigphish wrote: not only will it get your attention, it will also fade the paint on the back of your car, bleach your hair, and physically project what you are thinking on the windshield.

There is a reason we called those things "Death Rays" when Ohio ran them. The only light I've seen that will overpower high beams at night. The only real problem is the occasional airline pilot that thinks you are
the control tower.

Mike in CT · Post by **Mike in CT** » Sun Apr 18, 2004 4:04 pm

travel through MI often...

I dont think MSP would be the same if they ever had to get rid of the BIG LITE and the Stop Sign...

I kinda like it!

73,

Mike in Ct
KM1R

Post by Pj » Sun Apr 18, 2004 4:26 pm

Anyone know the history of the stop sign, and does it light up?

FFParamedic571 · Post by **FFParamedic571** » Sun Apr 18, 2004 4:34 pm

PJ.,

Its from the old days when the trooper would pull along side you to stop a car and light up the sign. They also used them for road blocks.

To this day they still light up.

And and they are HARD to find used.. Once they become non -serviceable they are disposed of by the state

KitN1MCC · Post by **KitN1MCC** » Mon Apr 19, 2004 5:12 pm

Ahh yess. but a Smart lawyaer can get a hold of this informationd and it can be used against a case.There has bien somm Hoo haaa here in CT about these things.

Plus the FBI is not alowed to use nextel to talk about Cases from what i heard

chipjumper · Post by **chipjumper** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 4:10 pm

Unity beacon light is still available from their website http://www.unityusa.com. Its the big one with the red "spitfire" lens.
Its like 300 bones though...

I was told they put in aircraft landing lights instead the 35watt'rs. So bright though. I was also told they are going to have four bulbs in there instead of just 2...

I remember a trooper that took the red lens off of it and was playing with it because the motor died. He spun it around to blind me as a joke (we were on a MVA scene in the middle of nowhere waiting for a hook) and I couldn't see for a while--very very bright!

lake1020 · Post by **lake1020** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 5:02 pm

In response to the Michigan State Police vehicles, my
real job is owning and running a Sales/Service garage.
We have been servicing the Michigan State Police post
#64 in Grand Haven, Michigan since 1969. When we
started they used the Federal 174 lights, then in the
1970 s they went to the Unity RV26. They use a
Par 46, 4537 Aircraft bulb, and it is a very effective
light. They also use the "blitzer" lens, it is called many different names. They have stayed with this light for
its ease of maintiance.
It takes less than 5 minutes change out a burned out bulb, and once installed only about 15 min. to change a complete light.

The only problem with the lights that we have is the bulb
life is ave. 25 hrs. and the load raise's havoc with the
switch, burning the contacts. I am trying to find an
effective LED bulb to replace the 4537 to offer as a
replacement, but the only thing close, is the Par 36
Whelen "LED" with 15 patterns. Will have to wait
for a Par 46 before we try a retrofit. The Hood light
is as stated a Tradition, but other than an occasional
bulb replacement, their is no maintenance. They are
very effective on the freeways at night. One additional
thing to note is that the color of the vehicle is special
order and available only to the Michigan State Police.
Recently they purchased some Jeep Cherokee's that
they use for patrol, but the order was small and Chrysler
would not run a special paint line, so they are a somewhat darker blue. They have a Web site and it
usually has the latest testing information available or
if you have question that in this day and age is not
covered under the espionage act I will try and answer
it.

lake1020
Tom

chipjumper · Post by **chipjumper** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 5:41 pm

Rediculous they wouldn't run the paint color. Since the Kraut's took over...nothing but trouble at DCM. Iacocca would have done it!

I was told by a troop that the color used to be protected by state law (is not anymore...)

freema22 · Post by **freema22** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 8:33 pm

I am suprised they didn't test the new Tahoe Z56. Maybe it is going to be classified as a 2005. Seeing how quick the regular 2WD one was makes me wonder how fast the Z56 will be.

Mike

chipjumper · Post by **chipjumper** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 8:57 pm

Just wait until DCM comes out with the AWD Hemi-powered CHARGER!!!!

My brother saw one when he took at tour recently for one of his classes.

Whatever happend to that company that was converting new CVPI's to V10 power?

Rick Rock · Post by **Rick Rock** » Thu Jun 03, 2004 8:40 am

Quote FFParamedic571:

PJ.,

Its from the old days when the trooper would pull along side you to stop a car and light up the sign. They also used them for road blocks.

To this day they still light up.

I'm a local 'Michigander' wrecker driver for the last 8 years who works almost daily with the local MSP Post enough that I'm on a first name basis with most of them (A definite perk to the job!!!) and I've never seen those signs lit up.

As for the 'Cherry' on top, you can see those over a mile away at night. We use them for homing beacons to find the troopers when they're cars are just out of sight- you can see the overhead going like a search light.

Just my $.02 worth...

chipjumper · Post by **chipjumper** » Thu Jun 03, 2004 8:07 pm

Rick,

I just did a ride along a couple months ago and the sign lit up fine! Trooper even told that same story about the old days! I am pretty sure it had its own switch for it!

Cam · Post by **Cam** » Thu Jun 03, 2004 8:38 pm

chipjumper wrote:Rediculous they wouldn't run the paint color. Since the Kraut's took over...nothing but trouble at DCM. Iacocca would have done it!

I was told by a troop that the color used to be protected by state law (is not anymore...)

Or Rediclious that they would have there own color.

Cam

chipjumper · Post by **chipjumper** » Fri Jun 04, 2004 7:34 pm

hey, its "just a color"...

I wonder what the truth is behind that "fact" though. I wonder if DCM told MSP that if they want that special blue color, they need to order a $hit ton of cars and if MSP told them they wanted to order whenever they want to...who knows. I dont' know of a public release of that info.

k8ai · Post by **k8ai** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 11:09 am

I've got a buddy that worked for a Chevy dealer here in MI. He just took
the paint code off a MSP "blue goose" and bought some paint at the local
NAPA store and painted his S-10 with it... It looked very nice.

Michigan State Police Vehicle Tests...

Michigan State Police Vehicle Tests...

tradition

Tahoe Z56 package

The sign doesn't light up...