Highway Patrol
Posted: Thu May 15, 2025 12:08 am
There was mention made of the TV show, "Highway Patrol" in another topic. In order not to derail that topic, I'll start this one. I don't know for sure how long the show was on, but it was at least thru 1958. I think it started in 1954. Dan Matthews and his crew patrolled a certain section of California roadways on the show. His team drove Buick, Oldsmobile, Mercury and Dodge patrol cars. Two-door and four-door sedans all. Occasionally, there might be a Ford or Plymouth police car on the show, but it was a different team that drove those. Broderick Crawford's character, Dan Matthews, drove a Buick usually. He started out with a '54 Century, but he drove the '55 model 68 two-door sedan for several years, even after his team got newer cars. "2150 to headquarters" was a famous bi-line of his character.
The '55 Century he drove had rather an interesting history. One of 200 or 250 (depending on who you ask) that were built specifically for the CHP by the Buick Motor Division. They were not "real" Century cars, per se. The model 68 Century two-door sedan was not a regular production option for Buick. These cars were Special model 48's with Century script on the rear quarters, four-hole front fenders, the 322 V-8 and some had the Century engine-turned applique on the instrument panel. It has not been definitively determined if all were so constructed or not. Both Synchromesh and Dynaflow transmissions were offered. The standard steering wheel (really ugly) was used with the Synchromesh jobs, the deluxe wheel used with Dynaflow. The Dan Matthews character drove a Dynaflow car. The Synchromesh cars were hot rods, because they lacked the extra insulation and weight of the Century body. The CHP cars had rubber floor mats, "school bus" interior rather than the customary three-tone interior found in Century models and lacked the sound deadening and insulation found in production Century models. All were radio and clock delete cars. Some had heater/defroster, some didn't. Very stripped, very light, very fast Buicks.....
Another detail about the Highway Patrol TV show. It was one of the first filmed shows to use bright paint and chrome and to leave the glass in cars being filmed. Typically, the paint and chrome were dulled and the glass removed to prevent glare in those old TV cameras of the day. If there was a close-up of a character driving a car, the driver's door glass was lowered.
For 1956 and 1957 model years, Buick did not build a Century sedan, except the '56 Station Wagon. So the CHP and the Highway Patrol TV series, used Special sedans. Starting with the 1956 model year, the Special series used the same engine as the upper series cars, only with a two-barrel carb and single exhaust. Four-barrel and dual exhausts were standard on all other series. A "power pack" option became available that used a four-barrel carb and dual exhausts on Special for police duty. It could be ordered as a regular production option as well. The '56 Specials had better suspension and were lighter than the '55's so they ran better than the '55 Centurys did. The same story for 1957, no Century sedans. With the larger 364 V-8 in the '57's the CHP just used the two-barrel standard engine in the Special and got along okay. In '58, the Century four-door sedan became available, was a fairly popular seller, and was what the CHP used.
I don't know how they rigged the other makes of cars used on the show for CHP use. I was a Buick fan, so I concentrated on those cars. When I was judging cars with the BCA, there was a man who made a '55 CHP tribute '55 Century two-door sedan and presented it at the 1991 Nationals in Sacramento. He had used a Special two door sedan as a donor car, used the correct 322, but he gussied it up with all manner of options. Selectronic radio, power antenna, seats, tri-tone interior, power windows, gas door guard, door edge guards, tissue dispenser, and Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels, power steering and brakes, all correct options for a '55 Century. Not correct, however, for a '55 CHP Century. It was a beautiful car, well-restored with exceptional workmanship. He got gigged for all those options. It should have been a stripper and he'd have been fine......
The '55 Century he drove had rather an interesting history. One of 200 or 250 (depending on who you ask) that were built specifically for the CHP by the Buick Motor Division. They were not "real" Century cars, per se. The model 68 Century two-door sedan was not a regular production option for Buick. These cars were Special model 48's with Century script on the rear quarters, four-hole front fenders, the 322 V-8 and some had the Century engine-turned applique on the instrument panel. It has not been definitively determined if all were so constructed or not. Both Synchromesh and Dynaflow transmissions were offered. The standard steering wheel (really ugly) was used with the Synchromesh jobs, the deluxe wheel used with Dynaflow. The Dan Matthews character drove a Dynaflow car. The Synchromesh cars were hot rods, because they lacked the extra insulation and weight of the Century body. The CHP cars had rubber floor mats, "school bus" interior rather than the customary three-tone interior found in Century models and lacked the sound deadening and insulation found in production Century models. All were radio and clock delete cars. Some had heater/defroster, some didn't. Very stripped, very light, very fast Buicks.....
Another detail about the Highway Patrol TV show. It was one of the first filmed shows to use bright paint and chrome and to leave the glass in cars being filmed. Typically, the paint and chrome were dulled and the glass removed to prevent glare in those old TV cameras of the day. If there was a close-up of a character driving a car, the driver's door glass was lowered.
For 1956 and 1957 model years, Buick did not build a Century sedan, except the '56 Station Wagon. So the CHP and the Highway Patrol TV series, used Special sedans. Starting with the 1956 model year, the Special series used the same engine as the upper series cars, only with a two-barrel carb and single exhaust. Four-barrel and dual exhausts were standard on all other series. A "power pack" option became available that used a four-barrel carb and dual exhausts on Special for police duty. It could be ordered as a regular production option as well. The '56 Specials had better suspension and were lighter than the '55's so they ran better than the '55 Centurys did. The same story for 1957, no Century sedans. With the larger 364 V-8 in the '57's the CHP just used the two-barrel standard engine in the Special and got along okay. In '58, the Century four-door sedan became available, was a fairly popular seller, and was what the CHP used.
I don't know how they rigged the other makes of cars used on the show for CHP use. I was a Buick fan, so I concentrated on those cars. When I was judging cars with the BCA, there was a man who made a '55 CHP tribute '55 Century two-door sedan and presented it at the 1991 Nationals in Sacramento. He had used a Special two door sedan as a donor car, used the correct 322, but he gussied it up with all manner of options. Selectronic radio, power antenna, seats, tri-tone interior, power windows, gas door guard, door edge guards, tissue dispenser, and Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels, power steering and brakes, all correct options for a '55 Century. Not correct, however, for a '55 CHP Century. It was a beautiful car, well-restored with exceptional workmanship. He got gigged for all those options. It should have been a stripper and he'd have been fine......
