Surveillance vehicle

[eagles#1]

Time to up grade to a new vehicle leaning towards a mid size 4x4, what are you driving ??

[Jockey]

I am very happy with my Ford Territory..

[eagles#1]

hey Jockey nice vehicle lots of those around easy to blend in.
How about some of the lurkers put in their two cents worth its a forum people !!!.
Lets try and keep it from being boring.

[Farnsworth]

Not sure how good the quality would be but these are cheap
http://http://www.cherymotors.com.au/#

[NBInvestigations]

Holden Commodore, tinted windows...lots in Tasmania easy to blend in.

[BigGeorge]

http://investigateway.com.au/surveillan ... toria.html

Now, this I'd say is a surveillance vehicle.
 

BG

[NBInvestigations]

Love the switching headlight idea...going to get that rigged up for my car..

[Farnsworth]

Yeah, that is a pretty cool idea. Pretty straight forward to wire up too

[BigGeorge]

LOL!

We had a lot more great ideas than that, in the olden days! But yes, that van is an ideal surveillance vehicle. It's for the pros.

These days all the cool PIs just want to drive flash big 4WDs or Commodores with cool $2000 wheels and of course, tinted windows all round (I don't know if the tinted windows are meant to make people less suspicious??)

 

BG

[Jockey]

Tinted windows are the norm now with most vehicles on the road..The van is great however mostly more suited for a static position now days..I noticed in the UK the VW Caddy type vehicles are popular for surveillance..In my early days of the early 80's we drove panel vans and used super 8 cameras to film.....Ah how things have changed.......The territory I use now has dual battery set up, fridge in the rear stocked with iced tea and water, 12v kettle, laptop, mattress, pillows, sleeping bag and a bag full of tins of assorted tuna and salmon.. protein only no take away..

After all its my mobile office and home away from home..

[Catzeyes]

I use a White Getz 2011 with tinted windows for day and a dark green 1997 Mitsubishi Lancer without tinted windows for night.

[BigGeorge]

Jockey, when I formulated my tongue-in-cheek comments, I forgot that you use a four wheel drive! No offence!

I defer to your far greater experience in surveillance than I have. I only did about five years and you've been doing it for 30 years... oh, sorry, I meant... how many years has it been? You are THAT old??!!

Nah, seriously, if anyone knows about surveillance it is Jockey.

Tinted windows in my days were a no-no. Hey, I wouldn't even interview them for a job of they had tinted windows on their van. But times change. Now everyone's got them. Except me, but I don't need them for my Coles outings and medical appointments in Port Macquarie.



BG

[Jockey]

No offence taken BG, yeah in the early days there was no such thing as tinted windows...We used curtains on the windows back then and they didn't look too out of place..We used to get burnt a lot from people nearby or walking past when sitting in the front of the vehicle filming.. as you were so open in the vehicle...And I am a young 50 so they tell me and getting close to 30 yrs in the industry...No I don't no everything about surveillance and still make it up as I go along ...No matter how much planning you put into a job, it always goes in the other direction...So being flexible with your planning and thinking quick on your feet is what's needed...

[eagles#1]

Would be great to have a dedicated surveillance vehicle like that van BG but i know i don't earn enough to run two vehicles so anything i buy will have to serve dual rolls surv/family.
So think that would rule out the giant white van  :roll: .

[Catzeyes]

Just to tap in on the end of the tinted windows bit.  

Believe it or not, husband and I like the tinted windows because he has skin cancer.  In good ol' Qld. just 30 mins in the car a day with your arms exposed, will necessiate a monthly trip to Dr. Burney at the Molescan Bureau of Blotchey Mottled Skin if you are not diligent.