Denali Project

[MoFire390 118]

first time seeing this post i must have been sleeping...great job with it...but i must say after seening the mods done to the truck it got me thinking on weather it is a VIP truck or a gov't truck...to me the light sceme says gov't truck especially with the engine mods,sway bar and exghaust work that was done...but reguardless of such...great job with the truck looks like it was very well thought out...

[TL2L31 8]

Let me see if I get this straight... If this was my truck and I tricked it out this way it would be OK but if it is an official vehicle to be used by emergency responders that would be ridiculous?

Have you looked at most emergency vehicles these days? They're comparably equipped. So the base vehicle is the Denali package, perhaps there's a reason for the power that we don't know about.

Since we don't know who owns or operates it, or why it is equipped as it is, how can we judge the ridiculousness?

Chris, I have to agree with you and an earlier post. This vehicle has a luxury and performance package for a reason,and alot of horsepower was added here. Seems to me (my opinion),that some VERY HIGH rnking official and asscociates might be in transit and it probably needs to try to outrun a threat if necessary. With the constant terror threats these days, I understand.

[Guest bigal8]

Chris. The difference between it being your vehicle and the government's is that tax dollars pay for the latter. You can buy a car and add 100k worth of lights and sirens to it. No one would complain - it's your money after all. But if the government spends that money, which could be going to better use, then it becomes a problem. I personally think it's a waste of money.

[TL2L31 8]

Chris. The difference between it being your vehicle and the government's is that tax dollars pay for the latter. You can buy a car and add 100k worth of lights and sirens to it. No one would complain - it's your money after all. But if the government spends that money, which could be going to better use, then it becomes a problem. I personally think it's a waste of money.

We dont know who the vehicle is for so its all speculation anyway.

[helicopper 1,050]

Chris. The difference between it being your vehicle and the government's is that tax dollars pay for the latter. You can buy a car and add 100k worth of lights and sirens to it. No one would complain - it's your money after all. But if the government spends that money, which could be going to better use, then it becomes a problem. I personally think it's a waste of money.

It is kind of funny that most of that money being spent on outfitting your own vehicle (not you specifically) is that the majority of the lights installed will be illegal as soon you flick them on. That's a waste of money but you're right, it's yours to waste!

Not knowing who it's for or what it's used for how can you come to the conclusion that it's a waste of money? If it is the government and it's outfitted as it is to protect a high-ranking member of the cabinet or senior administration official, is that really a waste?

If you want to discuss wasteful spending, how much do the taxpayer's spend on fire chief's vehicles in Westchester County? 50x3x50K is about 7.5 MILLION dollars. I'd say there are much more cost effective ways to accomplish the same thing and the savings could be put to training, staffing (where appropriate), new equipment, and other things that would actually benefit the taxpayer. On the police side it's probably about 2 MILLION dollars and savings could be realized there too. I personally think that's a waste of money.

[Guest bigal8]

Chris, while I agree there are plenty of ways fire departments can save money, your discussion of chief vehicles is a red herring. Just because fire departments waste money doesn't mean its OK for other government agencies to do so.

About the speculation of who owns the car. Yes, of course I don't know who owns that car. All I'm saying is that unless it's being used for very specific, high profile people, then it's a waste of money. Just because we don't know everything about something doesn't mean we can't discuss it!

[hv911 0]

First of all Amazing Job on this Vehicle. Second i saw someone had posted the they didnt think a local guy would be doing governmental vehicles for VIP type people, not to start a fight but i happen to know for a fact of a few companies (Local's) who handle Gov't VIP type installs, Haight Fire for example in newburgh Did the install on The Vehicle used by The Base commander of the Armed Forces in New York. Just figured id share that.

Also i have a question for you Meat, correct me if im wrong but are those the "NEW" Whelen Vertex lights i see in the front headlight on your video? Just wasnt sure if they were in fact the Whelen Vertex's or not because you said you were useing axixtech lights.

Thanks and again,

Great job.

[Mark Z 18]

. . . Second i saw someone had posted the they didnt think a local guy would be doing governmental vehicles for VIP type people. . . . . . . . . . . .

Let him keep thinking that. . . . that kind of thinking makes it easier getting this type done and kept quiet. . . because that kind of stuff doesn't get done around here. . . . .

[hv911 0]

Let him keep thinking that. . . . that kind of thinking makes it easier getting this type done and kept quiet. . . because that kind of stuff doesn't get done around here. . . . .

Agreed, i just find it funny, how many people think that local companies dont do this type of work for governmental agencies. lol almost as if the government just calls a black-op hotline and a fully lit G-Car pops out of the sky lol

[64FFMJK 21]

Agreed, i just find it funny, how many people think that local companies dont do this type of work for governmental agencies. lol almost as if the government just calls a black-op hotline and a fully lit G-Car pops out of the sky lol

This is true the Government uses all kinds of companies to outfit its vehicles and equipment, AND THEN SHOVES A NON DISCLOSURE down your throat. So if this is a FED vehicle which I highly doubt I would say someone else in a vehicle with lights and sirens will come a knocking.

If this is a VIP vehicle good for them, if tax dollars paid for it, I don't really care since I see much worse wastes of tax dollars every day at work.

[64FFMJK 21]

We dont know who the vehicle is for so its all speculation anyway.

If this is such a big deal then pay to have the plate run by the DMV. Its easy enough to read the plate in the video and some of his pic's.

Remeber thanks to FOIL there are almost no secrets anymore.

[helicopper 1,050]

Chris, while I agree there are plenty of ways fire departments can save money, your discussion of chief vehicles is a red herring. Just because fire departments waste money doesn't mean its OK for other government agencies to do so.

About the speculation of who owns the car. Yes, of course I don't know who owns that car. All I'm saying is that unless it's being used for very specific, high profile people, then it's a waste of money. Just because we don't know everything about something doesn't mean we can't discuss it!

I think we're going to have to agree to disagree about the term red herring in this context, my point is that there's a long history of exorbitant spending in the fire service for chief's vehicles (and to a lesser extent in police departments) but that is ignored/overlooked/accepted. I'm not trying to divert the discussion away from this vehicle, which we're all speculating about (myself included), but it's small potatoes compared to what we spend as a county or as a state on non-fire suppression vehicles.

Just because some other government agencies waste money doesn't mean we should overlook the questionable spending in other services.

[hv911 0]

Just because some other government agencies waste money doesn't mean we should overlook the questionable spending in other services.

I dont know if i agree with you here. I understand your point, but how can we truly call anything questionable if we dont know why they purchased it in the first place. I will concede that YES some departments and agencies get equipment in vehicles sometimes just because they can, but this in my oppinion is rarely the case. Most if not all of the equipment you see in vehicles now a days is not only needed but necessary to maintain the safety of those it is meant to transport, and while more expensive doesnt always mean better, you do get what you pay for.

if you take a look at most of the equipment going into vehicles now a days you can find a very rational and logical explanation of instaling it. LED lights, while they do cost more as compared to conventional strobe or halogen lights of the past, are ten times brighter and more effective at moving traffic and grabbing attention, a 200 W siren system as opposed to a conventional 100 W only enhances the vehicles chances at moving traffic. Engine mods and such, give more power to the vehicle to either chase down or outrun.

My point here is that, until we know (and we never will) the true purpose of this vehicle and/or who is useing it, we can not in good faith sit here and say that anything installed in this or anyother vehilce is money spent questionably. For the sole reason that we do not know why the department or agency originally opted to have it installed in the first place. I dont really think it should matter how much money they spend on these cars, as long as the equipment does its job and helps to keep the occupants safe and helps them do their job more effectively, it really shouldnt matter. After all safety and effectivness is the number one goal when it comes to outfitting a vehicle isnt it?

And if it happens to look kick a** in the process of accomplishing that goal, EVEN BETTER!