Restoring and Recreating a Bluesmobile
By Sgt. Jim Post, Kansas City P.D., retired
WE’RE ON A MISSION FROM GOD. The most popular movie clone hands down is the
Bluesmobile from the 1980 hit “The Blues Brothers.” This was not even a police
movie but this is one of the most recognizable cruisers ever to hit the big
screen. Based on the 1974 Dodge Royal Monaco, there have been copies built in
America, Canada and overseas. Many other 4-door sedans are used too, but to be
correct the base unit has to be a ’74 Monaco with a 440 cop motor. (Actually a
mix of ex-Chicago squads were purchased for the movie. Most were 360 small
blocks, and only the “jump” cars had the 440s.) The frenzy for cars from the
movie has also resulted in copies of the Chicago and Illinois State squads (from
the movie) being built, as well as the fictional “before” version, a Mount
Prospect cruiser.
A correct-appearing Bluesmobile can be built from a 1975 or 1976 Monaco fitted
with the front clip from a 1974 since all three years are the same behind the
firewall. Bluesmobiles can be built from civilian models too, but you have to
deal with vinyl tops and fancy interiors.
FORGET WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT RESTORATIONS. Building a Bluesmobile is great fun.
Forget everything you know about restoration because you’re not trying to get a
pristine end product here; the nastier the better. Hopefully you can start with
a real cop car—rubber floor mats, radio-delete, 140 speedo and black vinyl
seats. If not, you’ll have to try to duplicate this stark interior.
The exterior is a real hoot as you’ll do things to this car you’ll never do to
another car. The car has to look old and beat up. In the furniture business they
call this antiquing, weathering or distressing…planned destruction. Play the
movie a half dozen times and study the accompanying photos. Of course, the top
and front doors are white. Tell your painter you don’t want a good job…if you
use the two step color coat/clear coat process, skip the clear coat. Or you can
have it shot black primer with a little gloss black mixed in. The last one I
built for friends was shot with color coat only and then we spent an entire day
“scuffing” the entire car with Scotchbrite® pads. Then take some rattle cans of
flat black, semi-flat black and gloss black and spray spots here and there.
Don’t forget the red oxide primer on the left from fender.
Next come the markings. You will be trying to duplicate the look of emblems and
lettering scraped off (and not with much care). The star remnants are a simple
five-pointed affair that you can mask off and paint with the flat black. Don’t
fill it all in, and after removing the tape, sand/scuff what’s left. The “P-1”
on the rear doors is a similar process: mask off the outlines, spray with flat
white and scuff the results. You can also brush paint the P-1 with a nearly dry
3-inch house brush. The front fender lettering is a bit more time consuming. My
favorite method is to have a sign shop make two sets of 1 ˝-inch tall block
lettering that read “TO PROTECT AND SERVE.” (The slogan is centered over the
front wheelwells.) I begin by painting the area with flat white paint and then
apply the lettering to the white area. I then repaint the entire area (right
over the lettering) with semi-flat black. Then the vinyl letters are peeled off
leaving the white lettering only. The lettering can then be aged further with
sandpaper or spraying more black. Another method would be to use a stencil, but
the vinyl lettering has worked quite well for several projects I’ve been
involved with.
Next you can break out your choice of denting and scratching implements and work
your way around the car distressing it. Be sure to scuff the paint on the top of
the front fender ridges and other places of normal wear. I’m always amused when
children (too young to be fans of the movie) first see my Bluesmobile. Their
first question is “why does it look so bad?” If they only know how long it took
to get it that way.
The red-oxide and flat black colors can be used to age the hub-cap-less rims
too. You can add a set of crude push bumpers (per the plans we’ve included on
page 46) and an Illinois “BDR-529” license tag. Finally, cover the dash with an
assortment of trash, cigarette butts and a Chicago street map and you’re ready
to go cruising.
Recently there have been a number of the “Blues Brothers 2000” Bluesmobiles
replicated too. Due to the scarcity of the old Mopars and the generous
availability of the base car (1991 Crown Vics) many collectors are going that
direction. The same techniques apply. One builder did provide a unique tip. He
duplicated the partially removed lettering by painting over rubber cement spots
and then removing it. The result is outstanding and looks like the original.
I’ve owned a couple dozen restored cruisers (and some pretty rare ones at that)
but none attract the attention of a Bluesmobile. Thumbs up, “hoots and hollers”
accompany camera flashes as I drive down the road.
Movie and TV cars are usually more popular with civilians than restored genuine
police cars. These are what they remember and enjoy.
This article is lifted from Cpl. Edwin Sanow's and Sgt. James Post's excellent book, Police Cars, Restoring, Collecting & Showing America's Finest Sedans.
Page 46 Jim Post's beautifully drafted push bumper design.
Page 46A My own crudely drawn but practical pushbar design.