1985 CHP #E408428

[Unmrkd]

Seat back and clutch repairs were abundant. Large officer with heavy "Foot"??

[Rhino]

Originally Posted by Unmrkd

Seat back and clutch repairs were abundant. Large officer with heavy "Foot"??

Sounds a lot like me, but the civilian version.

[Rhino]

This morning was interesting. I got ahold of the buyer from the CHP auction by searching his name/address on a search engine. Called the # listed and sure enough, Wes was there. We talked for 45 minutes and had a great chat.

He said he owned the car up until April of last year. He sold it to a friend for $50 (yes, that's $50) with the promise that the friend would quit smoking and take care of himself for a transplant operation. His buddy then sold it about a month later to the guy I bought it from. When I told him the story of how I got the car, he was pretty shocked that his buddy no longer had the vehicle.

Wes bought the car in 1988, but not directly from the MT lot in Torrance. His son worked for a local Ford dealer in the Bay Area. His co-worker often traveled to LA to buy cars, bring them up to the Bay Area and then sell them. That's what happened here. Wes bought it from his son's co-worker, who also happened to be the treasurer of the Hells Angel's moto club at the time. His son also bought another 85 CHP SSP 2 VIN #s off of this one (he thinks). Trying to get info on that car, but it's long gone.

Wes said that he transferred the car with the ESC from Ford into his name. And he used the heck out of it. 12 months of coverage with unlimited miles. He said he drove as much as he could and sent the car into the dealer every other week to get his repairs done and take full advantage of the program (although I don't think it was really every other week).

Car was painted a lighter color/shade of silver when he got is. And in 2005 he painted it a darker titanium silver more to his liking.

Sounds like Wes was constantly looking for ways to soup the car up and improve it. He was always fiddling with upgrades and performance parts, etc. And he drove it every day up until 2001, then once a week until he sold it in 2010.

I asked about the accident to the front where the core support is bent. He said he was driving at about 10 MPH when a cab pulled out in front of him on A Street in Hayward one day. He locked up the brakes as the new tires he had were not great and hit a Toyota Land Cruiser at low speed. But hard enough to put a dent in it. He patched up the car, and put spacers back onto front to put it back to normal shape.

Wes says he has some pics of the car before it was painted - and will try to mail them to me in the next few weeks. He really loved the car, but after 20 years, he says it was time to let it go. He also said if I am ever down in Southern Oregon that he's got a strut tower brace brand new in the box for me to pickup.

Cool stuff.

[28HopUp]

VERY cool stuff, Ryan!

[MOstang]

Great info! I wonder if they will still be friends since you mentioned his shock at the car's path of late. Guess I would be too if sold to friend for $50 and a promise to quit smoking and take care of self....only to learn car was sold a month later. Maybe he's just fast at quitting smoking and taking care of self.

[Rhino]

Old pics of the car have been located. I am hopeful I will see them in the mail sometime next week.

No idea of when/what they are of, but will see. Also trying to get info on the Son's other 85 CHP SSP. Stay tuned.

[Rhino]

3 additional pics arrived in the mail today from Wes (owner who bought from the CHP). Enjoy!

Car prior to the repaint with a fox in the background. A fox with a fox...cool, huh?


Car after repaint in 2005:

[mac88chp]

Good score on the photos although I can't say I'm a real big fan of the monocromatic look.

[Rhino]

Originally Posted by mac88chp

I can't say I'm a real big fan of the monocromatic look.

Agree. I like mine better in black and white.

[MOstang]

Great he sent you those photos and the one with the real fox is a hoot.