Constantine Hannaher has found what are apparently more props for Wonder Woman. I do remember MPD Diplomats like these in DC back then. I wonder if the supply is getting a bit thin?
Cohort Outtake: More Wonder Woman-Mobiles
– Posted on July 7, 2018
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Curbside Classics Archives
Police cars might be in short supply but taxis might be fairly easy. When I would visit D.C. in the 70s and 80s I noticed any and every make and model of a car was used for taxi duty.
I would guess the opposite. When a taxi company is done with a vehicle, it’s usually pretty well used up. I would say almost all of those vehicles serving as taxis in the 70’s and 80’s were driven into the ground and scrapped a long time ago.
Law enforcement can be pretty hard on their vehicles, but on the other hand they’ll typically sell them off while they still have some life left in them. The ones that don’t end up as a taxi in their second life would have a better of chance of ending up a survivor.
My point was that ANY old car can be used as a taxi in this movie. Take any run-of-the-mill 70s and 80s car, add a few graphics and radio/meter equipment and viola: instant D.C. cab.
I would tend to doubt that all the Diplomats pictured above are retired police cars.
There is a few of these 80s M bodies are still in daily use down here in YAZD.318&727A is pretty reliable.
That’s pretty impressive. How do people find the parts for them? I imagine some pieces must be getting scarce.
You’d be surprised. Most of what l need can be found at common auto part stores. Most of the drive train components were made for decades, so while they can be tricky to locate, most can be found in any junkyard that specializes in domestics
In the days before the Internet and CC, before I had even seen the term M Body, the various flavors of the civilian versions of these cars seemed indistinguishable to me. So whether it was a Diplomat, Fury, LeBaron or ?? they were just Mopar cop cars to me. The styling, at least the basic shape, has aged well though.
I wonder how many might get destroyed? Grrr…
I wouldn’t worry. Modern blockbusters destroy most of their cars in post with CGI.
These were commonplace in the DC and surrounding states until a few years ago and many are still in private hands. Startling only to see them together again.
Someone here in Baltimore County has one. I’m not sure how he got permission from Baltimore County to paint it up in their livery….
These seemed to be a staple on TV shows in the 1980s.
I sure love mine! 😀