I just discovered that www.hulu.com has 37 episodes of the old Highway Patrol TV show that you can watch online. Episode 27 features Clint Eastwood as a very young member of a motorcycle club.
Hulu is a treasure trove of the old shows. HIGHLY recommended. Case in point, this episode of Dragnet. Check out the cool T Bucket. Anyone recognize it? http://www.hulu.com/watch/15133/dragnet-the-joy-riders
I just watched the whole video. Since this is an "Automotive" forum, not a "TV Series" forum, I should point out that the car he is so passionate about is all wrong. From the clips from the original series, the "real" cars were Buick "Century" 2 door posts (a model I never knew existed until seeing this), while his car is a "Special" two door hardtop. In that era, the "Century"'s were basically "Specials" with "Roadmaster" engines. (322 ci/236 HP vs 263 ci/188 hp). The top of the line engine also had a 4 BBL carburetor). It appears that the real CHP Buick's were specially produced models, since I can't find a reference to a "Century" two door post anywhere else. This makes sense to me, as the CHP would want the highest performance engine in the lightest body available, as well as keeping costs down. I watched a lot of "Highway Patrol" when I was a kid, and while I don't specifically remember any Buicks being stick shifts I do remember that the subsequent later Dodges and Mercurys were. Therefore, it makes sense that the original cars used GM's heavy duty 3 speed transmission (with the 6 bolt cover), which would make for a car with tremendous performance potential for the period. No wonder the guy would not take $36,000 for his correct version; it's probably the only one still in existence. You can't demean the guy's passion though. However, if it was me that was spending $200,000 to become the world's greatest Highway Patrol "Geek", I'd make damn sure I had the correct car. How hard would it have been to find a "Special" two door post to start with?
Note that I posted that back in 2009, when Hulu was free...these days I agree, I watch Highway Patrol on YouTube as well.
There were articles in Hot Rod and other magazines back in the day about the CHP cars - each year they'd put out a request for bids with all the specific requirements they had for engine performance, transmission type, brakes, etc., and the manufacturers would sometimes dig in their parts bins to put together cars that weren't otherwise available. There were a bunch of other things they required, for example they specified white steering wheels so they wouldn't get as hot to the touch. I always thought it was interesting that the CHP used two door cars - I guess they weren't so concerned about carrying prisoners in the back seat.
Interesting trivia: The California Highway Patrol strongly supported this show in its first two seasons, and the production company was able to rent actual CHP squad cars. Generic "Highway Patrol" logos were placed over the real CHP emblems and studio license plates were taped over the genuine "E" (exempt) plates. The 1955 Buick Century two-door sedans seen were built especially for the CHP and were never offered for sale to the public. Two-door sedans were adequate, because the real CHP rarely arrested anyone at that time, being involved more with accident investigations, enforcement, and auto thefts. Major police powers were not invested in the CHP until 1964..... More here https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047739/trivia
In the '50s, in my adolescent and teen years, I was an avid fan of "Highway Patrol"....stayed up 'late' to watch it......."Hero Worship" Also, I well remember the annual Hot Rod Magazine coverage of the cars submitted by the various manufacturers of the day. The CHP really wrung 'em out. Good read. One of the coolest HP cars I can recall was the '60 Dodge Polara the Missouri Highway Patrol used at the time. Big, powerful and with a 'presence' that was kind of intimidating. Especially one late night when one was in our driveway and I and three buddies were escorted to the County Jail for a prank that the law didn't think was as funny as we did. Ray
Taken from the Writers guide for Highway Patrol: "13. Authenticity. We try at all times for complete authenticity. You should be cautioned that the technical advisor’s word is law, Don't count on a dramatic license, which he may not understand. In our authenticity we use code numbers when talking over the radio between cars and headquarters. When one officer calls another he uses his badge number. Dan Mathews is 2150 so his call would be 2150 to headquarters or 2150 to 3310 and the answer would be headquarters bye, or from 3310 bye." website....http://highwaypatroltv.com/ZIV1955b/ I'm guessing its the same as over or over and out......or maybe just a clever insertion from a sexually confused writer.
@wraymen How about the possibility it is short form of "standing by"? radio communications are almost always abbreviated to minimize 'air' time......speeds up critical communications Ray
Makes sense, after reading the writers guide. It seems they were quite serious about a factual portrayal.
I've been watching the series on MeTV the last 4 months and really enjoyed Season 2 Episode 7 "Hot Rod". The whole episode is about an Olds powered '32 Ford roadster used in robbery get-a-ways. The original car still exists.
Found this on a railroad forum: "By" is an indication that YOUR part of the radio transmission is over, and by saying "by" you are telling the other person that if they have further radio transmissions to make to you they are clear to do so. Sort of like a period at the end of a sentence. Another way to do it is to say "over" which indicates the same thing. http://railroad.net/viewtopic.php?f=63&t=39507
I seem to remember at the end of the "Hot Rod" episode there is a shootout and one of the bad guys is shot dead and the other taken into custody. As the Highway Patrol drive aways, the dead guy lying on the ground is forgotten about. I guess they will send someone around later to clean up the mess.
the disclaimer probably read the following bears no resemblance to realitydisregard the body in the road.that was a time for escape from reality
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