Cops ‘N Rodders

Welcome to the first edition of “Cops and Hot Rods,” or as we move forward, “Cops N Rodders.”

As a cop and a car guy, I have been blessed to meet some great people across this nation over the years.

I’ve been an automobile enthusiast my entire life (aka car guy). I like cool cars. Do I have a preference for manufacturers? Not necessarily. I used to describe myself as having a Ford blue oval tattooed on my chest. Ten years ago, I had nothing but Ford products in my garage. Today, that's not the case. Good cars are just good cars regardless of who makes them. On the other hand, a poorly made car is what it is.

I’ve always liked the unique cars.

The story of Preston Tucker and his innovative cars is a great one. I have the March 1, 1948, edition of Life Magazine, in which the car was only advertised.

Every car has a story, and those are the local cars I’d like to highlight in this column.

I know a lot of people. My history includes the restaurant business, sales, public office, public safety, and now as a trainer.

There are now hundreds of car stories out there, but I wanted a unique car for the first one.

While I was at Tipp City Police, I was the fleet manager. That position allowed me to attend events like the Hendon Publishing Police Fleet Expo, which will attract hundreds of police fleet managers from across the United States and Canada. This led to me being selected to serve on the Ford Motor Company’s elite Ford Police Advisory Board from 2012-2015.

I love old police cars. I purchased Tipp City’s last Ford Crown Victoria through a public auction.

Another fan of police cars is Victor Roberts, or Vic as many know him.

Vic, who I have known for 25 years, was the service director for the City of Englewood. Like me, he had previously owned a Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor or P-71, as they are designated. Vic is also the man who is known and published in Hot Rod Magazine as “The American Patrol Car Association.”

Our paths are similar in that in 1986, one of the cars he had ordered and driven—a 1983 Chevrolet Malibu 9C1 patrol car—was up for auction. Vic purchased the car and kept it in his climate-controlled garage for the last 38 years!

Here’s an overview of its history:

The Chevrolet Malibu 9C1 police package is a specialized variant of the Chevrolet Malibu designed for law enforcement use. Chevrolet introduced the 9C1 designation as a police package code in the 1970s for vehicles like the Impala and Caprice. The 9C1 Malibu continued this tradition, tailored for agencies needing a mid-size patrol car.

1978–1983: The First Chevrolet Malibu 9C1

This 1983 Chevrolet Malibu police car has had some modifications. To look at the car is what we call a “sleeper car.” In other words, don’t judge a book by its cover. From its still-installed factory spotlight, original paint, and vinyl bench seats, that is where the preservation stops. The rest of the car is pure performance.

Vic took me for a ride. After a few miles of “Warm-up,” Vic tapped the accelerator. Oh my! I’ve ridden in some performance cars - a 1966 Hertz Mustang and a 1978 Porche 930. Those cars accelerated so fast that they pushed me into the seat and hurt my back. Now, I can say that in 1983, the Malibu 9C1 joined that small classification of vehicles! Vic is humble and does not want to get “deep in the weeds” of performance parts hung on the car. Let’s say that this car would be a force to be reckoned with at the drag strip.

Do you have a car with a great story you’d like featured in this column? You can email me at Marcthecop@tippgazette.com.

The opinions and statements in this column are those of the author, who is not affiliated with any law enforcement agency. This column is for entertainment purposes only. Persons referred to may be fictional for comedic purposes only.