Gladewater Police Department’s ‘Unit 53’ black-and-white cruiser has a growing list of appearances ahead after it received so much needed TLC courtesy of Gladewater Public Works Director Brian Smith. Originally a civilian vehicle, the 1951 Chevrolet Custom Deluxe was transformed by the Kilgore College Automotive Technology Program at GPD’s request back in 2016 before time caught up with it and another round of maintenance was necessary to get it back on the road this year.
Brian Smith feels a bit handcuffed when he’s sidelined watching someone else do the work – Gladewater’s Public Works director would much rather be the one wielding the chainsaw at a downed tree or the shovel in the hole at a water leak.
Needless to say, when City Manager Charlie Smith gave him the green light to go hands-on with an auto restoration, the lifelong mechanic didn’t need to be asked twice.
That goes double when the car in question is a classic.
Years back, former Gladewater Police Chief Robert Vine began investigating the possibility of rolling out a vintage vehicle in the community. From downtown parades to special events, it seemed a fun way to spark awareness of the department’s efforts.
Collecting more than $10,000 donations, GPD’s efforts soon discovered the perfect candidate in a 1951 Chevrolet Custom Deluxe that had, up until that point, logged its miles as a civilian vehicle. Entrusting their new retro ride to the instructors and students of the Kilgore College Automotive back in 2016, Gladewater Police Department soon welcomed the transformed black-and-white ‘Unit 53’ into the fleet.
After a stunning debut and some years of service, the antique gave up the ghost, eventually relegated to storage in a warehouse.
Until, of course, Charlie Smith – a former police chief himself – pointed his latest City of Gladewater recruit at the opportunity.
Challenge accepted: “Nobody took the time to drive it and keep it up,” Brian Smith said. “The valves were stuck, the points and all were froze up. Nothing was working. The brakes were completely gone. All the master cylinders and wheel cylinders were leaking.”
Sounds like fun, he thought.
“The rest is history,” says Gladewater Police Chief Kyle Ready. “Brian got to work on it. He did a lot of it on his own on the weekends.”
Smith’s been a mechanic all his life.
“From the time I went to high school, I was in shop,” the public works chief said. “I’ve been in the mechanic field ever since I was old enough to work.
“It’s just a hobby, really. I just love bringing stuff back to life and working on things.”
With time and TLC, new points, some key conversions, and much more besides, Unit 53’s rolling again.
“It actually runs good and smooth now,” Ready said. “It’s a functioning unit and can be utilized for patrol – one of our sergeants said he’s gonna take it out on Saturdays just to stop some cars through downtown.”
When the weather’s right, of course.
“There’s no A/C in it at all — it’s a bit tough to drive during the summer.”
A new itinerary is taking shape. GPD has already received a request from an individual in Shreveport inviting Unit 53 to participate in a Mardi Gras parade.
Currently on display outside City Hall, “We’re going to take it different places. We want the public to have access to it,” Brian Smith said, whether it’s through an appearance at the fireworks show at Lake Gladewater on the Fourth of July, for a community gathering at Bumblebee Park, for first responder events or simply on display at the police station. “We want the public to have access to it. We’re also going to use it as an outreach for children, passing out sno-cone coupons and things like that. We’ll get more in touch with the neighborhoods and the kids and the community.
“It’s actually part of the active fleet,” and with regular care Unit 53 will stay on patrol.