Police Fleet Expo - St. Louis

[C2Installs]

I wasn't certain about attending this year due to personal reasons, but I finally bit the bullet and booked the trip. Who else is going? Pretty good show for LE fleet purposes...the products display show is free this year for LE attendees, and the whole Expo, including after hour special events and all seminars, is only $99. St. Louis is pretty well centrally located, so I expect that a bunch of you are within a day's drive. All the "future" police cars will be there, that alone is worth the trip for upfit-minded folks.


So, who's going? Much better to attend and see this stuff in person than to fantasize on "teh internets."

 

[ryanm]

I was thinking about it. Wondering if it was worth going.

 

[C2Installs]

In this industry (like most) networking is very, very important if you need something down the road. Establishing contacts and relationships with manufacturers and their representatives, not the hokey-pokey, is what it's all about. An example...last year I had a Tremco anti-theft unit that went bad a week prior to the EXPO. I hadn't ever heard of one of these things going tits up, so I took it with me. The owner himself took it apart, saw that it was one of the few units they released that had a batch of bad relays (they had briefly substituted relay makers), and replaced the unit on the spot for me. There have been other instances...oh, lets just say a handful of unsolicited boxes brought by UPS over the years.


http://www.hendonpub.com/policefleetexpo/pfe/

 

[ryanm]

I'm signed up. Looks like fun.

 

[C2Installs]

Look for me at the Sound-Off booth or on the floor...

 

[cajunblitz]

Look for me at the Sound-Off booth...

Matt, I have advised an associate to look you up while he's there. His name is David Fischer from your neck of the woods. He's with Mountainview Ford / Mountainview EVS out of Chattanooga and is heavy in Code 3. I told him you'd be a great asset should he need assistance locally. If you don't get a chance to meet, PM me for his contact info.

 

[C2Installs]

Cool. Been talking to his Code3 rep, be good to meet him. BTW, can you PM me your phone#? I have a question RE a Rumbler.

 

[ryanm]

Well... Its off to a good start, Anyone else here?

 

[03crownvic]

Y'all make some pictures and give us a review of the new stuff....

 

[ryanm]

Y'all make some pictures and give us a review of the new stuff....

Oh, I plan to. I've got 20GB of flashcards for the camera.


The exhibit hall isn't open until tomorrow, unfortunately.

 

[ryanm]

(lots more photos to come. I took about 400... it just takes a while to upload on the cell card)


Intro to the Exhibit Hall!

 

[ryanm]

New Caprice!


Chevrolet did say that they are going to slide the gearshift 3" to the left of center of the console area.

 

[cajunblitz]

Love the photos so far. It looks like Whelenpalooza at the front of that Expo Hall. Just sayin'........

 

[Doug]

Nice shots! What are you shooting with? Looks like a high(er) end lens, considering how nicely it lit the trunk.


How about some shots of the eLB people staffing the booths?

 

[VolEms]

Keep on posting pics. Thanks.

 

[ryanm]

Nice shots! What are you shooting with? Looks like a high(er) end lens, considering how nicely it lit the trunk.

How about some shots of the eLB people staffing the booths?

Thanks! Not pro... but no slouch either on the equipment. Nikon D5000 with 18-200VR.


I don't know of any! If one of them chimes in I'd love to meet them.

 

[ryanm]

Love the photos so far. It looks like Whelenpalooza at the front of that Expo Hall. Just sayin'........

No idea here! I was confusing the pic with the Ford NGPI. Whoops.


Whose lights? These lights? Look an awful lot like this one from the NGPI. I got confused b/c I didn't think I'd posted it yet!!

 

[ryanm]

Ford Next-Gen Police Interceptor. Due for first-run production NOV01, 2011... mass production sometime after the first of the year of 2012. Orders accepted sometime after next July.


Sitting in this, it feels a LOT like my '08 Taurus... which I don't necessarily consider a bad thing... but a lot of people will.

 

[03crownvic]

Hmmm, the Ford is unit number 003, so is that a random number or does that mean there are a couple more prototypes running around?

 

[cajunblitz]

No idea here! I was confusing the pic with the Ford NGPI. Whoops.

I had an opportunity to see a different version of this vehicle a couple of weeks ago at a Chevy dealership and spoke with a couple of the GM Fleet guys about it. The unit they had didn't have the LED in the side insert, just some chrome trim insert, so I asked about that and was told that Whelen was given the "engineering info" on that area so they could develop an insert.


A funny thing was when I asked about the type of headlights on the car ( they appear to be HID, but they are just Halogen Projector), none of the GM Fleet guys knew what HID meant. I had to explain to them what a High Intensity Discharge fixture was. Pfffft!

 

[ryanm]

Chevrolet Tahoe / Impala

 

[ryanm]

I had an opportunity to see a different version of this vehicle a couple of weeks ago at a Chevy dealership and spoke with a couple of the GM Fleet guys about it. The unit they had didn't have the LED in the side insert, just some chrome trim insert, so I asked about that and was told that Whelen was given the "engineering info" on that area so they could develop an insert.


A funny thing was when I asked about the type of headlights on the car ( they appear to be HID, but they are just Halogen Projector), none of the GM Fleet guys knew what HID meant. I had to explain to them what a High Intensity Discharge fixture was. Pfffft!

Ford NGPI





The Shorewood PD car had very similar lights on it.

 

[cajunblitz]

Ford NGPI





The Shorewood PD car had very similar lights on it.

The LED in the NGPI is custom mounted behind the factory insert and the insert was cut out to fit. Since Whelen came out with flush mount grommet flanges for their LINZ6 LEDs, everyone's been going crazy flush mounting them everywhere, as you see in the Shorewood PD bumper fascia.

 

[ryanm]

Code3 Booth


Defender, rear

An RX2700, maybe? There were always people standing in front of the sign.

 

[ryanm]

Federal Signal Booth


(Vision SLR will come in later post)


The new Valor bar is prominently featured, though.


Valor Lightbar and ILS Rear Deck Interior Lightbar

 

[ryanm]

Whelen Booth





Wiring harness from one of their demo vehicles. So tired now that I can't remember which sedan!





MO State Police Tahoe, I believe

 

[ryanm]

FedSig Vision SLR


Let me preface this... I DO NOT like the Federal V-bars of OLD... but this thing is just entirely too cool. I would gladly run one of the Vision SLR bars if I had one.


I'm a gadget geek... and this thing has way too many control/programming options.


Want!


Plus, if you ever land helicoptors... the lights shining UP should be able to be seen a lot better than a traditional bar.

 

[ryanm]

New Charger. Minor redesign.


























Challenger

 

[cajunblitz]

You must be really tired! I think your Dodge interiors are backwards! Interesting changes in the Charger....I wonder if they will affect the way any aftermarket equipment made for the current versions mount? The rear end looks cool....nice taillights.

 

[ryanm]

You must be really tired! I think your Dodge interiors are backwards! Interesting changes in the Charger....I wonder if they will affect the way any aftermarket equipment made for the current versions mount? The rear end looks cool....nice taillights.

Yeah, I'm exhausted.


The new taillights have LEDs spaced all across the trunk lid. Kinda weird.


I was understanding that there would be few differences that affected equipment (yeah right) and either this redesign or next years will have doors that open 90 degrees (and bolt on/off for ease of service). I THINK that was the Dodge presentation.

 

[ryanm]

Rontan North America.


I wasn't quite sure what to expect here. I'd never seen a Rontan product before.


Their controllers were pretty neat. The lights were pretty bright... and plentiful.


I might have to try one or two.

 

[ryanm]

Tomar Sales Rep

 

[cajunblitz]

I stand corrected on the interior shots! I did some googling and came up with some spy photos of the 2011 Charger Pursuit that blew my mind. There's no way most of what is available for the current model Charger is going to fit that new body and interior!

 

[ryanm]

I stand corrected on the interior shots! I did some googling and came up with some spy photos of the 2011 Charger Pursuit that blew my mind. There's no way most of what is available for the current model Charger is going to fit that new body and interior!

Well... the Brazillian charger may not be quite the same thing!


My photos today of the (supposedly rarely seen, all new 2011) show a column shift, not a floor shift... so I dunno. Maybe Brazil is getting modified Civilian chargers?

 

[cajunblitz]

Well... the Brazillian charger may not be quite the same thing!


My photos today of the (supposedly rarely seen, all new 2011) show a column shift, not a floor shift... so I dunno. Maybe Brazil is getting modified Civilian chargers?

I'm pretty sure the Brazilian cars are just lit up civilian versions. The article about the one in the the photos said it's being used for a new Fast and the Furious movie they're shooting down there. Your photos are showing the real deal Pursuit Edition IMHO.

 

[ryanm]

I'm pretty sure the Brazilian cars are just lit up civilian versions. The article about the one in the the photos said it's being used for a new Fast and the Furious movie they're shooting down there. Your photos are showing the real deal Pursuit Edition IMHO.

Oh, OK. Dude, it's late! I'm getting tired.


I haven't even gotten to look through the Sound-Off and SVP pictures yet... and there were a LOT of those.

 

[cajunblitz]

Oh, OK. Dude, it's late! I'm getting tired.


I haven't even gotten to look through the Sound-Off and SVP pictures yet... and there were a LOT of those.

I tell you what your photos are awesome! I haven't seen so many quality shots from a show like that in a long time! thanks for doing that and posting them.....us less fortunate losers that work for loser companies that won't send us to those shows appreciate it! LOL! Go to sleep now!

 

[ryanm]

Philpott Ford (TX) Raptor

 

[ryanm]

I tell you what your photos are awesome! I haven't seen so many quality shots from a show like that in a long time! thanks for doing that and posting them.....us less fortunate losers that work for loser companies that won't send us to those shows appreciate it! LOL! Go to sleep now!

Thanks!


No company sent me!! This is vacation on my dime!

 

[EmerVehSolutions]

I saw number 001 when I was at the unveiling at MHQ this year it was equipped a lot differently, custom fiberglass console and the equipment in trunk was also different and it had License Plate Recognition Cameras on the feet of the Whelen Justice

Hmmm, the Ford is unit number 003, so is that a random number or does that mean there are a couple more prototypes running around?