Is it phony? Honestly, I don't know. Something sure seems odd none the less. Why would any gov. have that to sell at this point if real? Must be a confiscation or impound or something. Has exempt gov. tags though. I don't see any radio or anything though. Probably bogus.
I would guess it is real. They probably took it around to different events and that's probably a participation trophy. Probably selling it now cause the person that was the main reason they perserved it probably passed away or probably retired. Just an idea.
Not hoping anything, but do fully realize they rarely have any common sense. And certainly not enough to keep something like that around in halfway decent shape for 60 years. Seems odd they would store that thing reasonably well for 50 years or so and now just decide to sell it as just typical gov. surplus. But, who knows, I guess anything is possible. Maybe was just sitting back in some corner of some old underused gov. storage building for decades and somebody is just now getting around to clearing it out. Just seems like it would have cleaned out long before now though, particularly when those things were barely worth more than scrap value. Govs. tend to sell old stuff off pretty vigorously and not waste time/money storing too much old junk.
State of Minnesota Highway patrol has old squad cars they bring to shows, maybe this chev is from a city that did the same and due to the times they are liiking for some $$$$ to balance the budget.
We have had a few "show cars" here at the City for our DARE (Drug Awareness program), small dragsters, a couple of older 'vettes and that sort of thing. Once they've outlived their usefulness for that purpose they are auctioned off through the government surplus program. We used to do our own auctions but this service generally generates more revenue than doing it ourselves.
Bet its a replica done by the police officers union for PR events such as street fairs, elementary school DARE assemblies, etc. Not likely they'd have ordered a full trim Bel Air for a squad car back in '55. Front fender siren and lights look "ovedone".
Screams movie car. The upholstery, trophy, alternator, battery, air cleaner, new trans, and a Bel Air, = fake. And I have the Texas plates from when my 56 ford was used in Apollo 13. They look like the real thing too but are made of plastic. I say, not a time capsule at all.
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