1972 AMC Matador - Police
 

This is a 1972 AMC Matador sedan black & white 'Adam 12'.
Originally built by Cox as a gas powered free run car with interchangable steering cams that made it drive patterns.

https://i.imgur.com/OBtKwFjh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/K9Cs93Bh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/kqTSiZVh.jpg

Stripped chassis
https://i.imgur.com/HNERmzPh.jpg

She may not be the new Bluesmobile, but i think it's going to work out ok. Missing 2 headlight lenses, and a lightbar lens. I think i can work aound that...

I wasn't around when these were, so i'm going to need some help on lighting patterns. I grew up mostly with CrownVics with a red/blue lightbar up to the current lumen-wars nightblindness causing dangerous walls of light.
Headlights, tail lights, marker lights are easy. May even do turnsignals.

Roof lights do i want wig-wag or both on independant flashers?
Do i want headlight high beams to wigwag opposite roof, or were they not doing that yet?
Do i want tail lights to wigwag, or was that not happening yet either?

Powering the back is my one issue i haven't figured out. Original axle is plastic 1/4" hex between the wheels, and had a huge tooth spiralcut gear

Re: 1972 AMC Matador - Police
 

Subscribed! I know you'll come up with something that was left out of the box a long time ago type of thinking to overcome the hurtles that are present with this build.

Re: 1972 AMC Matador - Police
 

Now you've hit my soft spot Frizzen! Loved that show when I was young. I just checked out some Adam 12 episodes on youtube. The front roof lights were on solid when running "code 3" and the rear roof lights alternated side to side. Head and tail lights did not flash. I can't wait to see this one finished!

Re: 1972 AMC Matador - Police
 

Yeah really... Adam 12 ~ Blues Brother, whatever it takes but this IS a cool project. :bounce:

http://www.kentmccord.com/archives/a...a12gallery.htm

http://www.kentmccord.com/images/arc...-9872-0006.jpg

http://theresaparty.com/peace/wp-con...uesmobileg.jpg

I think that is a '74 Dodge Monaco.



Can't wait to see more!

Re: 1972 AMC Matador - Police
 

I remember back when I was on the Fire Department/ EMS. The local CO's had Matador's while the Sherif's Dept was using the Mercury Grand Marquis, the State had Monaco's. They used to make fun of the Conservation Officer's cars all the time.
Adam 12 was a cool show, they used several cars, the Matador and several different year Plymouth's. You picked the most unusual one for a model for sure.

Re: 1972 AMC Matador - Police
 

[IMG]http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/...psns3jhcvr.jpg[/IMG]

Re: 1972 AMC Matador - Police
 

I'm interested to see how it comes out too! The white paints pretty well shot, so i'm gonna have to rework the roof and back doors, i don't want to touch the front doors much since there are no fresh decals.

Hmm, i was hoping i'd missed it and the front and back of the roof lights did the same thing. Thought i could just solder 2 red 3mm leds together back to back and drop 2 magnet wires into the car each side. That's gonna take some more thought.

Front has Red lens. Rear looks amber, or do i have sun faded red?

I did learn that the old gas schmoo the cox engine spit over everything can be cleaned with electrical contact cleaner.

I just thought the blues mobile would be funny to throw out there since i've got an old cop car. I know blues brothers was a Dodge Monaco, but this thing's got cop tires, cop shocks, cop motor that was made before cats so it'll run good on regular gas...

Mustang, man what are those Type2 VWs doing? That's the second one to get pulled over in my thread.

Any and all reference material and knowlege is appriceated!

Re: 1972 AMC Matador - Police
 

I checked a couple more old episodes and yes the front lens is red and the rear was amber.

Well, it is the 70's for that car and you know the hippie types that drive VW's LOL!!!!!!!

Re: 1972 AMC Matador - Police
 

What size lenses do you need? I have some red and amber lenses that fit 5mm LEDs that might work for you. Also have some clear lenses that might work for headlight lenses. Let me know what you need.

Re: 1972 AMC Matador - Police
 

Original roof light lens OD is 0.275", the OD on the chrome light housing is 0.430". I'm not sure if i'll just go 3mm or try to punch them up to 5mm leds.

Headlight lenses are also at 0.430", i'm going to go 5mm leds, or maybe go 10mm if i can find them.

--
Learned some more.

Tail lights are wrong. 1972 should have 9 segments, 4 red, 1 white, 4 red. I have 7 segment all red, so i guess probably 3-1-3. Or leave it all red and pretend it's not all wrong.

No front turnsignals under bumper, might have to just drop a mostly recessed led under bumper. Not sure if i need signals, but i saw a neat magnet / reed switch setup i kinda want to try. Plus how can i bust ya for failure to signal if i can't do it...

Roof lights are chrome version of either: Trio sales T-2, S&M lamp 757, Highway Safety 1757.

Siren is a Federal Signal PA20A, through a Federal Signal CP-25 speaker

Re: 1972 AMC Matador - Police
 

Doing some really important work on this... No, not ordering servos, a speed control, an rx, a battery, a rear end, or a sound thing, not even buying paint.

https://i.imgur.com/H6RfYXlh.jpg

Bore lens mount into passthrough holes for led, make intersecting tiny hole from base into light base. Grab magnet wire, (mine came from a stock jeep speaker) scrape ends and tin. Poke through tiny hole and out a big hole.

Grab a red and yellow 3mm LED, file off the rim at base, trim short - leads for approx 1/2" oal. Solder short leads together. Take long leads + trim shorter, then put around 45 deg angle. Tack onto magnet wire, mark car side of wire with sharpie or something. I did Black to ground, red to red light, no mark for yellow.

Test. Put new LED pokey-bit assembly into the modified pokey-bit receptical. Test again. Don't be like me and not test the red side until it's assembled, then realize its bad.

By now it works, and you fully remember why you don't like magnet wire, and try to hype yourself up for round 2.

Re: 1972 AMC Matador - Police
 

Magnetic wire, I would have NEVER thought of that! There's that thinking outside the box again, that we come to like about you. an excellent idea you have here. While not borrowing it........YET, I am keeping this idea planted in the memory bank(s) for possible future usage.

Re: 1972 AMC Matador - Police
 

Magnet wire is pretty hateful to work with if you aren't careful, i think i'm up to round 3 or 4 of redoing the first light. But i want the hidden wire, it's about the only way to make it fit without showing.

I'm about to over size the hole a little more, hopefully it stops catching and breaking wires on install. If it's not pretty, i should be able to hide with a lens.

Re: 1972 AMC Matador - Police
 

Great idea!
Hang in there, magnet wire is good stuff, but as you noted, not very friendly to work with. The results will be worth the effort though.

Re: 1972 AMC Matador - Police
 

Gentlemen, i have exhausted the swear words i know. I need to learn more languages...

Let's back up to how i could have gotten what actually worked 'the easy way'. I pulled the lens out, turned the lens pin mount into a through-hole, then up sized it to fit a 3mm Led with the flange filed off. Then one side got up-sized again to about 2/3 or 3/4 depth so it's past the next hole we drill. I drilled a 0.028" hole up through the base intersecting the through hole for leds, then passed 3 strands of 0.005 magnet wire in tiny hole base, and used a stick to push wire out the big side of through hole. Then scrape some enamel and tim end of wire, attach, test, install, test.

https://i.imgur.com/F1GpnhHh.jpg

Red has the oversize holes, not too awful, but looks like i'll probably need to do a lens

Re: 1972 AMC Matador - Police
 

Copy that, 1 adam 12 rolling code 3
https://i.imgur.com/EZHmg3Sh.jpg

And lo there was light.
https://i.imgur.com/YceRs43h.jpg

I'm not sure if i need to put in High beam headlights instead of the stock lenses so it all matches
https://i.imgur.com/yOaQBKOh.jpg
Or should i try to make a filler lens that sorta looks like the inboard ones

Yeah, i'm gonna need more leds before much more progress.
Tail lights are getting 3 per side, then side markers, probably front turns.

Re: 1972 AMC Matador - Police
 

All that hard work has paid off!

Looking very hawt! :cop:

Re: 1972 AMC Matador - Police
 

Loving it frizz!

Re: 1972 AMC Matador - Police
 

Looking good! Take code 7 and relax a bit.

Re: 1972 AMC Matador - Police
 

Just had a thought, you are planning a sound system right?