Model Car Garage - 1960 Plymouth Police Emergency Wagon By Jo-Han - A Model Car Unboxing Video
Channel: Monster Hobbies Model Car Garage
Date: 26/08/2020

In 1960, more and more police departments and taxi fleets were moving to Plymouth. Today on the Monster Hobbies Model Car Garage we will be looking at the 1960 Plymouth Police Emergency Wagon by Jo-Han. This model kit was loaned to me by my friend John for this video. 

The new unibody made all the Chrysler lines ride solid, rigid, and silent with no rattles or squeaks. To achieve this in a fleet car was truly astounding. It was along those lines that Plymouth set aside a “fleet special” model. It could be a two or four door and a choice of the 225 six or the 318 V-8. Fleet managers tend to be loyal to a good brand, and Plymouth had always been good to the fleets. Plymouths had great torque, so they could move quickly while carrying heavy loads. Yet, the cars consistently delivered 20 to 22 miles per gallon in the rigors of city operations.

The State Police solicited the usual units for testing in their bid. However, the “fleet special” also applied to the Police Pursuit versions of Plymouth. They were some $70 less expensive if you bought more than 5 units together on the same order. 

The chosen model was the fleet special four door with AM radio (a first!), heater/defroster, heavy duty suspension with sway bars, police brakes, (which oddly were the 12 inch drums from the Chrysler car with the non-organic linings). They also had a heavy duty Torqueflite transmission, Sure-Grip differential with 3.21 gears, power steering, power brake booster, and heavy duty electrical system with a 75 amp hour alternator.

The bid that Plymouth made was $1,837 per car, $100 dollars for set up fee for a total of $1,737 a car. Up against bids from Ford, Chevrolet, and Pontiac, Plymouth beat them all.

Plymouth contacted the customer for permission to upgrade the 361 V-8 to the 383 (Dodge) big block. This raised the horsepower from 305 to 325. No big deal. However, the torque production flung those pursuits to a 7 second 0-60 time! Top speed was over 130 miles an hour. The big block 383 put out 450 foot pounds of torque at 2500 r.p.m. Quite a difference in power!

Jo-Han has captured the look of this 1960 Plymouth Police Emergency Wagon well. This model kit is a reworking of their 1960 USA Oldies Plymouth Wagon with a lot of police equipment added to the body to make it look like the Police Emergency Wagon. However, although listed on the box art, the model kit is missing the Police Radio and the Push Bar with Overrider Front Bumper. These items could be sourced out from other police model cars or scratch built from plastic sheets. 

Since this model started life as a promotional vehicle back in the 1960's, there are a lot of oversimplifications and missing components. For example, the engine block has the intake manifold, cylinder heads and distributor as one piece, missing inner fender wells under the hood, and a four piece interior with an extremely long interior bucket that includes all the seats molded in place. This wouldn't be such a problem, except that the seats in the interior are placed for a family of 8 instead of as a wagon to put police equipment or criminals in. The addition of a barrier screen along the front seat, as in Jo-Han's excellent 1965 Plymouth Fury Police Car would give this wagon more of a "police car" feel.

However, what is included is excellent. The body proportions and chrome details (Which you have to cover with Bare Metal Foil) are excellent and the chrome bumpers fit perfectly. The dashboard and steering wheel looks perfect for the 1960 Plymouth and is highly detailed. The chrome police siren is a multi-piece affair and includes the transparent red "Bubblegum Machine" dome and 4 individual chrome reflectors. The fender mounted siren is chromed and consists of two parts that fit into each other perfectly. Side mirrors, spotlights and three antennas are also included in the police package. 

The 1960 Plymouth Police Emergency Wagon By Jo-Han is a simple model kit, but does fill a spot in the already thin 1959-1963 model car timeline which doesn't have a lot of entries overall, never mind in the Fleet Utility department. If you opt out of the Police Emergency Wagon options, you can build a fully stock 1960 Plymouth Wagon for those family picnic dioramas instead. Either way you choose to build yours, this is an excellent representation of the 1960 Plymouth wagon. 

Skill Level 2 for ages 10+
Molded in buttermilk yellow with clear, transparent red and chrome parts.
Paint and cement not included.
Not produced since the 1990's, so look out for it at garage sales, estate sales and on the internet. :D - best of luck there! 

For our current kits, please visit our online store at http://www.monster-hobbies.ca

We hope you enjoyed this Model Car Garage - 1960 Plymouth Police Emergency Wagon By Jo-Han Model Car Review

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