‘CODE 3’ CARS FROM THE GOLDEN AGE OF TELEVISION

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I’d never heard of the TV show ‘Code 3’ because it was from the Golden Era of television, and I started watching TV in the post Golden Era.

I like these old TV shows because they give a truer sense of what people drove back in the old days—in other words, you’ll see more four-door sedans than two-door hardtops.

Jerry Sutherland

‘Code 3’ was advertised as a real-life look at the daily adventures of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department because it was sanctioned by them, plus they acted as technical advisers. They pulled actual cases from their files and presented them as half-hour dramas. It was like ‘Dragnet’ with better acting–but the same wooden level of humor.

Ford was clearly the main sponsor of ‘Code 3’ because every frontline police car was a Ford. Most of the uniformed guys drove ’55 or ’56 Ford Fairlane Mainline four-door sedans. They pounded on them a little, but ‘Code 3’ (police jargon for an emergency lights and siren scenario) didn’t push the limits of the cars.

All the police cars had decals in the rear passenger windows to let the bad guys know the cavalry was coming.

I don’t know how accurate that was, but it was kind of subtle—just like the cops in the show.

Plainclothes guys drove older four-door sedans like ’53 Ford Mainline sedans. I guess they thought the uniformed Los Angeles Sheriffs deserved nice cars because they worked harder.

There was also a ’53 Ford four-door used in an arson investigation by the detectives on the case.

That three-year-old car tells you where arson investigators stood on the Los Angeles Sheriff food chain.

There were a few fancy cars on ‘Code 3’ because some of the bad guys liked to travel in style so one used a ’56 Lincoln convertible—a car that had a retail price close to that of a starter home back in 1956.  

Who said crime didn’t pay back in 1956?

There were a couple of shoebox Ford convertibles in ‘Code 3’.

Both were a little removed from stock because they were driven by teenaged punks—and we all know 50s era punks thought cars that weren’t custom were square.

There were other punk-driven cars in ‘Code 3’.

A period-correct street rod appeared in the series when young hoodlums messed with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department.  

There were a few non-Ford cars in ‘Code 3’ including a slightly customized 1st Gen Vette.

The owner wasn’t a street punk—he was just a serial killer.

A 1956 Chevy two-door sedan made an appearance on the show.

It was only used in a brief driving-skills competition sequence to show young hoodlums how to drive safely, but it stood out because well…it was a Chevy. 

A 1956 IHC Travelall made two appearances on ‘Code 3’.   

This was typecasting at its finest because the Travelalls played roles as utility vehicles, but they were police vehicles. Nothing said utility vehicle better then a 1956 IHC Travelall.

There was a brief flash of an early 50s Caddy ambulance in one episode.

That makes sense too because a big Cadillac platform was the first draft pick for ambulances/hearses back in ’56. 

‘Code 3’ used Willys Jeeps as police vehicles in two episodes.

That also makes sense because big chunks of their territory were hills and deserted in 1956—long before urban sprawl turned the desert into high-end condos.

I’m not sure what I learned from ‘Code 3’ because most of their police work seemed to be hug-a-thug more than club-a-thug—but maybe that’s how the Sheriffs rolled back in ‘56.

No problem– they sure drove cool cars. 

Jerry Sutherland

By: Jerry Sutherland

Jerry Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer with a primary focus on the collector car hobby. His work has been published in many outlets and publications, including the National Post, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post,  Vancouver Sun and The Truth About Cars. He is also a regular contributor to Auto Roundup Publications.

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