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GOVDEALS.COM
GovDeals provides services to various governmental agencies that allow them to sell surplus and confiscated items via the Internet.

In other words, here's a great source for getting some cool deals on retired cop cars, fire trucks, ambulances, you name it! Check'em out at GovDeals .
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The George Barris Connection: Fact or Fiction?

There always seems to be an air of doubt when it comes to the question of who built what TV Car. Often times, the name George Barris will come up; usually lending itself to confusion and more doubt. If you do not think so, Google him some time on the Batmobile...

In spite of what TV LAND aired during the 2004 Top 10 TV Cars list, George Barris did NOT create the Starsky and Hutch Gran Torino. However, George Barris did purchase the rights to the TV series Starsky & Hutch Gran Torinos' "IMAGE ."

According to George Grenier, then transportation chief for Spelling-Goldberg Productions during the time "Starsky & Hutch" was being made, the idea for the Torino's design was a synthesis of many ideas of production executives.    

"We use cars from Ford Motor Company's Studio-TV Car Loan Program," Grenier said. "I checked the entire Ford line and spotted a stock Gran Torino that had possibilities. We painted it tomato red, added a wild white stripe - and a star was born."

"Of course, we had to make some modifications to the vehicle for the purpose of stunts performed on the show. The car had mags, oversized tires, air shocks and hijackers on the rear end to cause a severe rake." (Courtesy of Service Life, pages 3-7, Volume 8, Number 2, March-April 1976 Issue. (c)1976 Ford Motor Company).

(ABOVE: The King Of Kustomizers, George Barris with Erik "Ponch" Estrada at the Police-Cops For Tops Car Show)

In 2005, an email from Barris Kustom Industries confirmed that they had built 2 Starsky & Hutch Gran Torinos: One which at the time was in the Volo Museum and the other one, a 1975 Gran Torino that was used in the 2004 movie and later sold on May 14, 2005 at the Petersen's Automotive Museum Auction . The Barris source knew of no other Starsky & Hutch Torinos having been built by Barris Kustom Industries.

The 2004 movie "hero cars" built by Movie Mike Walsh at Premiere Studio Rentals and the other screen used units by Cinema Vehicle Services were visually modified from the TV versions, thus creating their own "image." Particular attention to detail was given to these movie units, so much so that it is hard to distinguish them apart from one another.

I assume such measures, whether intentional or by accident, would not violate any existing copyrights related to the image of the TV series Starsky & Hutch Gran Torinos.
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* * * STARSKY AND HUTCH's WORST NIGHTMARE * * * HORRIFYING AND GRAPHIC PHOTO * * *

Anyone who has ever been in law enforcement prays that they will never get a call like this on their watch...or while they're sleeping on their watch.

* * * * WARNING * * WARNING * * WARNING ---- The photo is extremely graphic. * * * *

There really are some sick people in this world...

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  NOVEMBER's CHOICE FOR OUR MONTHLY "TH IS IS SOOO-O-O WRONG, " CLASSIC COMPETITION:

Stop H.S.C. (Heinous Stripe Crimes) today by purchasing a Detective Brent S&H TV STRIPE KIT available at Detective Brent's Starsky & Hutch Garage .   Tell him, Officer Terry sent you to report in for duty.

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