Building and Driving a Las Vegas Metro Police Car to Vegas

Building the Las Vegas Metro Police Interceptor

• 🛠️ The project began with a 2008 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, purchased from an auction, which was then meticulously cleaned, prepped, and painted.
• 💡 Key modifications included installing a Vector light bar, a Touchmaster siren controller, a Go Rhino push bumper, and replacing damaged parts like the bumper cover, trunk lid, and windshield.
• 🚔 The car, a former K9 unit, underwent a transformation including the removal of the K9 cage, installation of back seats, door panels, seat belts, and a prisoner partition.
• ✨ Upgrades continued with a modern Federal Signal Vision light bar, a third brake light deck, and refurbished wheels, aiming for an authentic Las Vegas Metro appearance.

Refurbishment and Road Trip Preparations

• ⛽ Initial issues included a dim light bar and a malfunctioning gas pump, which led to extensive troubleshooting, including replacing the charcoal canister and discovering a crushed fuel tank.
• 🔧 Under the hood, the windshield wiper motor housing cover was reattached, overspray was removed, oil was changed, and the engine received a tune-up.
• 🔊 The push bar and associated lights were removed and refurbished, and the tire speaker was reconnected.
• ⚡ Rewiring the light bar to run directly from the battery resolved dimness issues and ensured the hideaway lights functioned correctly.

The Journey to Las Vegas and Public Reactions

• 💥 A minor collision damaged the grill, which was subsequently repaired and repainted to look like new.
• 🧼 Window tint was removed, and a broken corner light bulb was replaced.
• 📻 A Motorola CDM radio was installed in the center console, along with an additional cup holder and missing faceplates.
• 💡 A dome light was hardwired, and a bracket for the siren controller was securely mounted to the roof, enhancing the car's official look.
• 🚗 After a new fuel tank was installed and the trunk pack was fitted, the car was registered, and the trip to Las Vegas commenced with the vehicle covered to avoid attention.

Vegas Experiences and Car Show Participation

• 👮 A close encounter with a Metro SUV turned positive when the officer recognized the creator from YouTube, alleviating fears of getting into trouble.
• 🤝 The creator met with local Crown Vic enthusiasts ('Panther guys') for a car wash before the Injured Police Officer Fund (IPOF) car show.
• 🏆 At the IPOF event, the Vegas Project was displayed in a dedicated police interceptor section and received an award for outstanding vehicle.
• 🎤 The event featured a performance of the national anthem and a Code 3 parade through Boulder City, Nevada, allowing for legal use of lights and sirens.
• 🌟 The creator expressed gratitude to channel members and highlighted the possibility of having their names permanently installed in the car.