2001-2002 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor Oregon State Police Car

Photo by Cliff West

The Ford Crown Victoria was redesigned for 1998, and in 1999 the P71 police package became officially known as the Police Interceptor. In 2001, the slatted grille of the standard Crown Victoria was replaced on the Police Interceptor with a honeycomb grille with a floating Ford oval. The Police Interceptor also received the "Performance Improved" 4.6-liter dual-valve V8 producing 235 horsepower and 265 foot-pounds of torque, along with a new rear differential and a more powerful alternator. The 2002 models were virtually identical to the 2001s.

Photo by Cliff West

The Oregon State Police introduced this dark blue paint scheme around the year 2000, replacing the previous black and white livery dating back to around 1995. This new paint scheme would have a long run, lasting until a new silver paint scheme was introduced in late 2017. 

Photo by Cliff West

This Oregon State Police Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor is a 2001 or 2002 model that was photographed in Rainier, Oregon, around October of 2003.

1958 Edsel Ranger Hardtop Coupe

Photo by Cliff West

 

Ford's Edsel is probably the most famous failure in the history of the American auto industry. That reputation was likely cemented by the unmistakably bizarre styling of the debut 1958 models. It wasn't simply the styling that made the Edsel infamous. Though promoted as revolutionary, beyond its unique look, the Edsel wasn't that different from the Ford and Mercury products it was based on.

The story of the Edsel began in 1954, when Ford planned to compete with General Motors by emulating GM's five-brand structure. The key to this plan was the addition of a new medium-priced marque between Mercury and Lincoln. With the addition of Continental above Lincoln, Ford hoped to match GM at every price point. After considering 6000 possible names, the new division was named after Edsel Ford, son of Henry Ford and father Ford's the-president Henry Ford II. In contrast to the original plans, by the time the Edsel actually debuted in 1958, it actually found itself placed between Ford and Mercury.

Edsel wasn't simply a single car, it was an entire lineup with four models called Ranger, Pacer, Corsair, and Citation. Ranger and Pacer were the lower-end models, using Ford's 118-inch wheelbase chassis and a 303-horsepower 361 cubic-inch V8. The higher-priced Corsair and top-of-the-line Citation used Mercury's 124-inch wheelbase chassis and were powered by a 345-horsepower 410 cubic-inch V8.

Pictured here is a 1958 Edsel Ranger hardtop coupe at the Northwest Car Collectors Association Car Show & Swap Meet in Portland, Oregon, on October 18-19, 2003. 

Edsel arrived during a recession that hit mid-priced brands particularly hard. Ford had hoped to sell 100,000 Edsels in 1958 but only sold about 63,000. Of those, 24,049 were Rangers. Ford tried to recalibrate, toning down the styling, offering smaller, more fuel-efficient engines, and cutting back the number of models, but the damage was already done. Coupled with the losses from Continental which was folded back into Lincoln in 1959, Ford's five-brand plan was dead, and Edsel was canceled in 1960.

1958 Dodge Coronet Lancer Hardtop Coupe

Photo by Cliff West

 

Dodge had debuted Virgil Exner’s all-new “Forward Look” in 1957, so the 1958 models carried over with a mild facelift featuring a Sweep-View picture window windshield and true quad Twin-Set headlights. Dodge hardtops were called Lancers from 1955 to 1959. The Coronet was the base model, typically powered by either a 138-horsepower 230-cubic-inch Get-Away inline 6-cylinder L-head engine or a 252-horsepower 325-cubic-inch Red Ram V8 engine, with several more powerful V8 options available. Transmissions were a 3-speed manual, 2-speed PowerFlite push-button automatic (only available with the Six), or 3-speed Torqueflite push-button automatic. New available options for 1958 included Electronic Fuel Injection, Constant-Control Power Steering, and Sure-Grip Differential with Automatic Traction Pilot. This 1958 Dodge Coronet Lancer Hardtop Coupe was photographed at the Northwest Car Collectors Association Car Show & Swap Meet at the Portland Metropolitan Exposition Center in Portland, Oregon, on October 18-19, 2003.

1951-1952 Chrysler Saratoga Club Coupe

Photo by Cliff West

 

Chrysler styling for 1951 and 1952 was nearly identical. The tail lights are the only distinguishing characteristic, with the 1952s featuring integrated back-up lights. Chrysler didn’t even keep separate production figures for the model years. The Saratoga was just above the base-model Windsor in the Chrysler lineup, on a 125.5-inch wheelbase, and didn’t return for 1951 until well into the model year. With its return, the Saratoga became the smallest Chrysler to offer the new 180-horsepower 331-cubic-inch PowerFlight V8 engine with its hemispherical combustion chambers, and was capable of going from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 10 seconds with a top speed of nearly 110 miles per hour. The Club Coupe shown here at the Northwest Car Collectors Association Car Show & Swap Meet at the Portland Metropolitan Exposition Center in Portland, Oregon, on October 18-19, 2003, represents the only 2-door Saratoga body style, with 6-passenger and long-wheelbase 8-passenger 4-door sedans and a Town & Country 4-door station wagon also available. The Saratoga model would be discontinued after 1952 and would not return until 1957.

1937 Packard Super-Eight Touring Sedan

Photo by Cliff West

 

In 1937, Packard offered the Touring Sedan across all four series: the Six, the One-Twenty, the Super-Eight, and the Twelve. The example pictured here at the Northwest Car Collectors Association Car Show & Swap Meet at the Portland Metropolitan Exposition Center in Portland, Oregon, on October 18-19, 2003, appears to be a Super-Eight. The Super-Eight Touring Sedan was offered with three wheelbases: 127 inches, 134 inches, and 139 inches. This appears to be the 134-inch wheelbase model. The 1937 Packard Super-Eight was all-new with a smaller and lighter design, with each of the three wheelbases now 5 inches shorter than the previous year, and 1936's 150-horsepower 320-cubic-inch inline 8-cylinder engine was changed to a new 135-horsepower 320-cubic-inch inline 8-cylinder engine. Other changes included the addition of hydraulic brakes and the front doors now being hinged at the front instead of the back. The rear doors, however, remained rear-hinged "suicide" doors. 1937 would be Packard's peak production year, with a total of 122,593 cars, though only 5,793 were Super-Eights.

1946 Lincoln Sedan

Photo by Cliff West

 

When World War II stopped all American automobile production in 1942, Lincoln had been producing the Lincoln Zephyr as a 4-door sedan, coupe, club coupe, and convertible coupe, alongside the Lincoln Custom sedan and limousine and the Lincoln Continental cabriolet and coupe. When production resumed after the war in 1946, Lincoln brought back its pre-war models with updated styling. The Continental name returned but the Zephyr name did not, with the former Zephyrs now being identified only by body style. Thus, the car pictured here at the Northwest Car Collectors Association Car Show & Swap Meet at the Portland Metropolitan Exposition Center in Portland, Oregon, on October 18-19, 2003, is simply a 1946 Lincoln Sedan. Initially, 1946 Lincolns were powered by a low-compression 130-horsepower 306-cubic-inch V12 with iron heads that had been used for the last month of 1942 production. Later in 1946, Lincoln switched to the 130-horsepower 292-cubic-inch V12 that had been used in 1940 and 1941. Production of these Lincolns would continue with little change through 1948.

1932 Lincoln Model KA 5-Passenger Coupe

Photo by Cliff West

 

The Lincoln Motor Company was founded in August 1917 by Henry M. Leland and his son Wilfred and initially produced Liberty V12 aircraft engines. Lincoln produced its first automobile, the L Series, on January 26, 1920, and was purchased by the Ford Motor Company in February 1922. The Model K was introduced in 1931 on a new 145-inch wheelbase and powered by a 120-horsepower 384.8-cubic-inch L-head V8 engine. For 1932, Lincoln split the Model K into two models: the V8-powered Model KA on the 136-inch wheelbase from the L Series, and the Model KB, powered by a 150-horsepower 447.9-cubic-inch L-head V12 in the 145-inch wheelbase. The 1932 Model KA's V8 produced 125 horsepower and would be the last Lincoln V8 until 1949, as the 1933 Model KA would receive its own 125-horsepower 381.7-cubic-inch L-head V12 engine. The Model K would remain in production until January 1940. The 1932 Lincoln Model KA 5-Passenger Coupe shown here at the Northwest Car Collectors Association Car Show & Swap Meet at the Portland Metropolitan Exposition Center in Portland, Oregon, on October 18-19, 2003, is an example if one of the seven body styles available for the 1932 Model KA.