Police Panda

[unclealec]

I have contracted to buy an ex-Devon & Cornwall Police Panda Morris 1000 TTA 786H.
I am in a romantic relationship with this car as (if I stretch matters slightly) it is one of the fleet that I used to drive when I was a member of that force.
When it arrives (see my post re. transportation) I will have a list of items needed. In the meantime however I am aware that all police bits save the headlining are no longer with the car.
It wil be a daily commuter car for me, so I have no intention of having it permanently logo'd up, but I am thinking magnetic signage and a removeable roof box, for shows and suchlike. I can fabricate and commission, but if anybody has done similar and has dimensions or plans it would be a great help.To the cognoscenti, the white doors will be enough to reveal its past.
If anybody has relevant items or ideas I would appreciate some tips or transactions.
I have found only monochrome images of TTA ***H batch D&C police cars so far; a colour one would be helpful.
I emailed the ex-Police MMOC Register early this month but have so far had no response. Does anybody know if their contact details have changed?
Also, does anybody have suggestions as to other sources that would be of help to me in this rebuild?

[simmitc]

Ex-police Register contact details are correct, just busy with other MMOC matters. Sorry.

[Steve Phillips]

Hi

BLATENT PLUG, so if admin isnt happy please remove this reply.

I have been making replica police signs and door graphics for the last 15 years or so,

Boxes are available bolt on/hard wired or magnetic with an internal battery to illuminate them,

Door graphics are available magnetic in one or two piece, (two piece allows the door to be opened with the sign still attached) or as a permanant graphic,

if I can help please PM me,

Regards

Steve

[unclealec]

Thanks for the replies.
Steve, PM sent.
I attach a monochrome photo of a TTA ***H Devon & Cornwall Panda Morris Minor successfully avoiding meaningful police work.
In Newquay where I had my experience with them they did not have radio equipment, just a Police box & blue light.

panda3.jpg (879.73 KiB) Viewed 72767 times

[svenedin]

Great photo!

Stephen

[firedrake1942]

TTA 907 H - a registration number allocated to the Devon area. Issued May to October 1970.

Still known to DVLA but un-taxed since April 1987.

Vehicle Details:
Vehicle make MORRIS
Date of first registration July 1970
Year of manufacture 1970
Cylinder capacity 1098 cc
Fuel type PETROL
Vehicle status Untaxed
Vehicle colour BLUE
Wheelplan 2 AXLE RIGID BODY
Date of last V5C (logbook) issued 21 October 1986

[cplnobbie]

Hi there what prices are we looking at please for the door graphics.
Regards
Anthony

Hi

BLATENT PLUG, so if admin isnt happy please remove this reply.

I have been making replica police signs and door graphics for the last 15 years or so,

Boxes are available bolt on/hard wired or magnetic with an internal battery to illuminate them,

Door graphics are available magnetic in one or two piece, (two piece allows the door to be opened with the sign still attached) or as a permanant graphic,

if I can help please PM me,

Regards

Steve

[Steve Phillips]

The magnetic signs are £75 for two signs (both sides of the vehicle)
The price is the same whether the signs are one piece "POLICE" or two piece "POL" "ICE"

I have sent you a private mail as well,

Steve

[unclealec]

Yur tis.
Let battle commence.

IMG_20250605_134137634_MFNR.jpg (1.22 MiB) Viewed 48927 times

[Paladin1962]

In my best Nigel Green impersonation....
"Alllllll right then; what's going on 'ERE?"

[unclealec]

Another opportunity to evaluate the extent of this rebuild today, following a forced relocation.
As supected, an alternator. If I go with repairing that which is fitted, can I go -ve earth, or am I stuck with the +ve earth?

IMG_20250827_150935133_MFNR.jpg (1.46 MiB) Viewed 46802 times

What's this? Just an oil pressure takeoff with a pressure chamber to avoid pulsing?

IMG_20250827_150927242_MFNR.jpg (987.05 KiB) Viewed 46802 times

and what can I tell from the engine number? Low compression?

IMG_20250827_150829194_MFNR.jpg (2.19 MiB) Viewed 46802 times

Still no reply from the ex-Police MMOC Register by the way. I see an email address for them in the current Practical Classics, so I will try that.

[Bill_qaz]

Isn't it just an electric oil pressure switch with a male bullet connector, for the wire?

[unclealec]

Ah, good point. It may well be. I shall check; if there is an orifice I will assume that I had better blank it off before cranking. If there is no hole I will assume that you are right. Must look closer.
There is a three-hole instrument cluster inside the cab with but one instrument (ammeter) so some further research is needed.
It is not yet in my workshop, having been made available for perusal following a forced relocation from friend's drive to friend's drive.
One can outstay one's welcome.

[svenedin]

I think that is a Lucas 4TR alternator control box not that I know anything about them! It seems there are many variants of the 4TR and it changed from the 1960's to the 1970's.

The engine number I am not entirely sure about either because it is a late number when the numbers and letters had changed. 10 is 1098cc V is vertical or inline. 190E is the model of car, H is high compression. 29997 is the engine number.

Stephen

[unclealec]

Thanks for that Stephen.
I shall try to find firms specialising in supplying vintage Lucas alternator spares - unless someone has any reccommendations?

[StillGotMy1stCar]

That is an oil pressure sender for an electrical oil pressure gauge. It might have some numbers on it to help identify it if you wanted to find a matching dash gauge.

Regards John

[unclealec]

Cheers John. IIRC this car has been off the road for ages, so I am guessing a Smiths electronic oil pressure gauge.
I will keep an eye out for one, unless of course someone reading this can help me out.

[geoberni]

As Stephen says, that is the Lucas 4TR alternator control box. As I understand it, the reason it carries the warning to OBSERVE POLARITY is that it could be used to control a Pos or Neg earth Alternator.
But what you can't do is just swap the connections over, the Alternator still has Diodes in it that are connected for the polarity of the item.
Towards the end of the separate Control Box era for alternators, Lucas made Pos and Neg Earth versions of the 11AC.
See this pdf link to the Land Rover Owners Club : https://www.lrsoc.com/forum/forum_files ... 20A1-5.pdf
It explains the colour coding of the output terminals in the first page of the 11AC (page 2 of the pdf)


The engine number is original for the car.
10V is as Stephen explained.
Engines were built with their ancillary equipment for fitment on the production line.
The 190 denoted an Alternator engine (Dynamo were 189).
The 'E' I'm not sure about, but the final 'H' before the 4 digits serial is the High Compression designator.

As the others have said, the other item appears to be an electrical Sender for an oil pressure gauge. It may have been a requirement by Devon & Cornwall Constabulary fleet buyers, or it might have been a later addition.

[Bill_qaz]

Wouldn't be easier to fit a later self contained alternator and just leave the old control box in place, but out of circuit for aesthetics?

[svenedin]

As Stephen says, that is the Lucas 4TR alternator control box. As I understand it, the reason it carries the warning to OBSERVE POLARITY is that it could be used to control a Pos or Neg earth Alternator.
But what you can't do is just swap the connections over, the Alternator still has Diodes in it that are connected for the polarity of the item.
Towards the end of the separate Control Box era for alternators, Lucas made Pos and Neg Earth versions of the 11AC.
See this pdf link to the Land Rover Owners Club : https://www.lrsoc.com/forum/forum_files ... 20A1-5.pdf
It explains the colour coding of the output terminals in the first page of the 11AC (page 2 of the pdf)


The engine number is original for the car.
10V is as Stephen explained.
Engines were built with their ancillary equipment for fitment on the production line.
The 190 denoted an Alternator engine (Dynamo were 189).
The 'E' I'm not sure about, but the final 'H' before the 4 digits serial is the High Compression designator.

As the others have said, the other item appears to be an electrical Sender for an oil pressure gauge. It may have been a requirement by Devon & Cornwall Constabulary fleet buyers, or it might have been a later addition.

E I think is closed-circuit breathing. PCV valve into manifold or very late cars into a breather type HS2 carburettor with stub pipe inlet. Earlier engine numbers 10MA and 10ME, E being closed-circuit breathing.

My car for instance (March 1969), 10MEUH. 10 1098cc; M Morris; E closed circuit breathing; U central gear change; H High compression

Stephen