CHP tour

The CHP is one of the largest users of emergency vehicles in the world. Thousands of vehicles ranging from autos to trucks to motorcycles to boats get deployed and retired yearly. This doesn't happen by chance-it takes a well planned and executed system.

The photos below give you an idea of what it takes to not only put a vehicle into service but to also remove one. Enjoy the tour!

Image:	Narrative:
	Hundreds of new Crown Vics await entry on to the assembly line. They have been painted at this point and are ready for equipment. You can bet the FoMoCo folks try real hard to keep CHP happy!
	This is view of the entire production line. If you look at the floor you can see the "moving track" that pulls the cars through the assembly area. The movement can be programmed to determine how many cars they want to produce per day. Average is 10-15 cars per day, but can be speeded up to produce as many as 25 per day. Workers work around the moving car from beginning to end.
	This photo the same but from the rear as the cars are starting their trip down the line. Note how clean, organized and well lit the line area is.
	All cars are thoroughly inspected and Dynoed in-house prior to moving on to the assembly line. Cars that fail at this stage are returned to Ford!
	All radio and electronics are mounted on to a single master organizer which is installed in the trunk of the car as it moves down the line. The CHP designs and build a custom harness which requires only 1 electrical connection to the car..this helps prevent warranty problems due to improper wiring claims...
	This is a completed car that now awaits quality control which includes the car being driven by a professional driver on the CHP racetrack located behing the assembly facility. Car is run for 15 minutes at top speed with all emergency equipment on! If it passes, it goes on the road.
	This is the decal station where workers apply all decals to the cars as they move down the assembly line...A restorer's dream!!
	Signal Master setups with red/blue flashing lights assembled, tested and ready to go into slicktops.
	Vision lightbars assembled and tested ready to go on new cars moving down the line.
	More Visions ready to go. Each rack of 5 lights is worth about $7000. Again note how well organized everything is here. With the sheer volume of vehicles CHP services yearly, it's imperative!
	Mustang getting ready for the auction block. Note the additional holes in the bottom front passenger side of the bumper. These were added by CHP techs to allow for additional air into the air box and was performed on the car as it made its way down the line. CHP is known for making numerous mechanical improvements to their cars.
	White Mustang used by DOT/CHP coming out of service. These are getting complete mechanical overhauls before heading to the auction block including brakes and tires. The B&W cars also receive paint.
	Some Tahoes found their way into the DOT division of the CHP. The rear storage are is designed to carry all of the DOT special gear such as scales and other heavy equipment.
	These are Caprices that have been stripped of all emergency equipment and are waiting paint jobs and service to go to the auction block. All of the equipment coming off the cars goes to a refurbishment area where everything gets repainted, new bulbs, lenses. etc. so they can be used again in a new vehicle. Siren speakers get repainted with new speaker drivers installed.
	'94 Caprice coming out of service and getting ready for the auction block.
	These are the new BMW bikes that CHP is using. CHP keeps about 50 bikes on racks ready to go. Officers drive in with the old and drive out with the new.
	Here's another shot of the bikes getting assembled and the emergency equipment installed.