2010 Dodge Caravan... Really??

C17LVFD

Member
May 21, 2010
1,537
Harrisburg, PA
Good Afternoon All!


Yes, I know… a CARAVAN!! Ok… moving on… This was done for a government agency here in the metropolitan area. I think it turned out well, although I don’t think it’ll be running code much.


Front:


- 2 Whelen Dual Avengers on custom brackets above RVM.


- Whelen UHF2150A HLF


- Whelen SA315P speaker


Side:


- 1 Dual Avenger in rear side window


Rear:


- Whelen Dominator 6


- Whelen Vertex LED’s in the Taillights


Controller:


- Whelen HHS2200


You’d think that the Caravan would be pretty easy to find places to mount things like the siren controller, but Dodge has done quite the job of using just about every free inch of space, which made things fun. Very basic system, but it’s what the customer wanted.


Enjoy!


Seth


**I am having some picture sizing issues, if anyone cares to help on that, it would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!


[Broken External Image]:http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj49/C17LVFD/2010 Dodge Caravan/GEDC0760.jpg


[Broken External Image]:http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj49/C17LVFD/2010 Dodge Caravan/GEDC0762.jpg


[Broken External Image]:http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj49/C17LVFD/2010 Dodge Caravan/GEDC0773.jpg


[Broken External Image]:http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj49/C17LVFD/2010 Dodge Caravan/GEDC0768.jpg


[Broken External Image]:http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj49/C17LVFD/2010 Dodge Caravan/GEDC0763.jpg


[Broken External Image]:http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj49/C17LVFD/2010 Dodge Caravan/GEDC0767.jpg


And the Video..


[Broken External Image]:[URL]http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj49/C17LVFD/2010%20Dodge%20Caravan/th_GEDC0772.jpg[/URL]
 

C17LVFD

Member
May 21, 2010
1,537
Harrisburg, PA
I personally think it's lacking on intersection coverage, but when a customer says I want "X" and only "X" then you give them what they want.
 

Doug

Member
May 23, 2010
1,151
Maryland
Great job as usual, Seth. When you told me you were doing a van, I ASS-u-med you meant a full sized van, not a mini-van!


Have you been able to rectify your problem re the brick?
 

RMBROWN

Member
May 20, 2010
631
Brooklyn.MI
Nice install.I c u wrapped the dual dashlights with black wire covering how well does it work and do you have any flashback with it.
 

chono

Member
Jun 5, 2010
496
Midwest
Looks great except for the rear pattern. I think you should alternate the colors and slow it down. But then again thats just how I like it
 

lafd55

Member
May 27, 2010
2,393
New York, USA
I have seen those vans used in florida alot, especially in the show "the real women of broward county" i believed it was called. looks good though, probably is an undercover unit, lights are hidden enough so you dont necessarily see them, but noticable when on.
 

TheGatekeeper

Member
Jun 19, 2010
1,734
France
As much as I love the lo-pro look of this van (Although I do hate minivans, being a member of the Minivan Denial Association) :lol: , I fail to see the added value of 2 dual Avengers located side by side...
 

VolEms

Member
May 24, 2010
2,112
NY, USA
Very nice install. I would add grill lights . 2 Rect13's or TIR3's. I like the 2 duel avengers it looks like an interior light bar.
 

ncarpenter

Member
Sep 12, 2010
25
Northwestern Michigan
US Government plates! I see em' peekin'! lol


Nice install, very clean. I like the idea of the split-loom around the flash guards. I've used cheap rubber vacuum hose before that they sell by the foot at the hardware store, that worked pretty well too.


I'm sure we'll see this in the next Bourne movie?? lol
 

C17LVFD

Member
May 21, 2010
1,537
Harrisburg, PA
RMBROWN said:
Nice install.I c u wrapped the dual dashlights with black wire covering how well does it work and do you have any flashback with it.
The wire loom worked VERY well and the avengers have as much or less flashback than an inner edge.

Doug said:
Great job as usual, Seth. When you told me you were doing a van, I ASS-u-med you meant a full sized van, not a mini-van!
Have you been able to rectify your problem re the brick?
Lol... Nope it's mini-van... The brick is still a brick... Gonna have "the master" take a look at it... He thinks it can be revivied!

chono said:
Looks great except for the rear pattern. I think you should alternate the colors and slow it down. But then again thats just how I like it
I understand the thought process on slowing the rear pattern down, I still might due that. It gets delivered tomorrow morning, we'll see how the customer likes it and if they want any of the patterns changed.

TheGatekeeper said:
As much as I love the lo-pro look of this van (Although I do hate minivans, being a member of the Minivan Denial Association) :lol: , I fail to see the added value of 2 dual Avengers located side by side...
I wanted to do an inner-edge for this vehicle, but alas, they don't make one... lol Soo... Dual Avengers side by side is the next best thing... Plus, the customer didn't want any lightheads showing. How they're mounted you can't see them unless they're on... If I spread them out, they'd also take headroom and visibility away from the driver... Now, they're up and out of the way.

VolEms said:
Very nice install. I would add grill lights . 2 Rect13's or TIR3's. I like the 2 duel avengers it looks like an interior light bar.
I do agree some grill lights would have been nice. It's wired for them, if they choose to add additional lights, but they weren't initially reqested for the project.

Respondcode3 said:
Must be a GSA bid thing. I have done about 5-6 in the last year for the US marshalls and TSA Air Marshalls, and ICE
You hit the nail on the head :D


Thanks everyone for the compliments! Hopefully the customer will like it as well!
 
May 24, 2010
1,627
PG County, MD
Hey Seth,


Aren't GSA jobs fun?


I have a GSA project going down here and they are bringing me "brand new" HHS 2100s and want them to work like the 2200. When I show the customer how extensive the relays and wiring would be to make a 2100 act like a 2200, they just say "make it work like this."


Looks good pal, nice job as always.
 

C17LVFD

Member
May 21, 2010
1,537
Harrisburg, PA
SlickTop Solutions said:
Hey Seth,

Aren't GSA jobs fun?


I have a GSA project going down here and they are bringing me "brand new" HHS 2100s and want them to work like the 2200. When I show the customer how extensive the relays and wiring would be to make a 2100 act like a 2200, they just say "make it work like this."


Looks good pal, nice job as always.


Thanks Dan! They are fun. They dropped the van off at the hangar, and were like... I want lights here, and here and here... I'm like "time-out" you only asked me to quote X & Y, not XYZ-ABC & 123... Gotta love the Govt! It pays the bills though... lol


Seth
 

agtkgv

Member
May 23, 2010
32
MA
I've had a caravan on and off for 10 years now as my "work" car, and let me just say to all you skeptics. It fits in just about everywhere, draws little attention to itself and can transports a bunch of people or hold a bunch of stuff...
 

TCO

Member
May 21, 2010
808
Malvern,Pa
nice and simple. not as unusual as alot of people think,alot of agencies have been using mini-vans more due to fuel savings and cost compared to full size vans. good job
 

RickLBZ

Member
Sep 9, 2010
184
Miami, Fl.
Although I would never own one, I do agree mini vans are great for surveillance work and jump outs. Very clean install.


The guys requesting the lights ALWAYS know more than the installers :roll:
 

pdk9

Member
May 26, 2010
3,834
New York & Florida
C17LVFD said:
I personally think it's lacking on intersection coverage, but when a customer says I want "X" and only "X" then you give them what they want.
+1. def agree with u there, but it's still another clean install that u did seth. ;)


sorry to be slightly off-topic, but do u work on these installs in bet. air-medic runs? i've noticed the pics of ur installs are often on the landing pad by the water
 
Jul 14, 2010
1,639
S.W. Ohio USA
The local U.S. Marshals had an unmarked maroon Astro van in my area until just a couple of years ago. It had an ancient red and blue Smith & Wesson lightbar on it, and it still blended in! Yours is definitely better.
 

Respondcode3

Member
May 23, 2010
1,936
Northen Il USA
The local ATF had a plain blue Chevy astro van years ago. They had magnetic signs on the side with some made up motorcycle repair shop. The agent who drove it totally looked the part of a biker. He was in traffic and some real biker asked him if he had a catalog for his business and he told him no but call the phone # on the side they will send you one...He said the guys look was priceless.
 

C17LVFD

Member
May 21, 2010
1,537
Harrisburg, PA
pdk9 said:
+1. def agree with u there, but it's still another clean install that u did seth. ;)


sorry to be slightly off-topic, but do u work on these installs in bet. air-medic runs? i've noticed the pics of ur installs are often on the landing pad by the water

PDK,


Thanks! So, I generally don't work on these projects at work, because we need to have expeditious launch times... going inside to clean up isn't really an option, and being dirty at patient bedside isn't an option either. If we're down for weather or maintanence then, my time is my time. The owner of the marina/heliport graciously lets me do my installs in our hangar hence the pictures on the pier. Plenty of space to work, beautiful views of the harbor, and just a hop skip and a jump from home.


Thank you all for the compliments!! At delivery I was told the vehicle will be for serving warrents, and "they" feel that the lighting is more than adequate... Siren tone wise... the van has the Unitrol Wail & Yelp, Phaser & PowerCall tones in the hands-free list :D
 

toon80

Member
May 24, 2010
2,487
Laval, Canada
whackersanonymous said:
Montreal Police use a ton of minivans, they also use pole lights on them. They use minivans for fire and ems as well.

The pole light is actually telescopic. It raises and stand out better when the car is surrounded by a crowd, such as a manifestation escort.... These pole lights were blue at first, but are slowly switching to green; probably for the chief officer's command car.
 

DispatchGuy

New Member
Oct 21, 2011
10
New Jersey
lafd55 said:
I have seen those vans used in florida alot, especially in the show "the real women of broward county" i believed it was called. looks good though, probably is an undercover unit, lights are hidden enough so you dont necessarily see them, but noticable when on.[/Q]

Police Women of Broward County :)
 

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