Winkler Police Chief Ryan Hunt recently rolled up to the studio in what looked like a classic police cruiser—but the story behind the car reveals a personal passion project years in the making.
Not a new police cruiser—
“It might look that way, but no, it’s my own personal vehicle,” said Chief Hunt. “I did buy a nice little red emergency light kind of from back in the olden days to put on my roof. It just detaches with the mag.” He added that he also created old-style Winkler Police Service logos for the car doors—also magnetic. “So it’s just for show and fun.”
When asked if he’d use the car in parades, Hunt responded, “Yeah, we might put it in a parade this year.” But don’t expect it to show up on a crime scene. “Probably not,” he laughed. “Oh no, probably not.”
Related stories:
- Motorist experiences offal mishap north of Altona
- Classic Car Show raises $11,000 for Buhler Active Living Center
A 1972 Oldsmobile restored from the ground up
The car in question? A striking 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme.
“I’ve had this car since 2006,” said the Chief. “And I’ve slowly kind of been working on it a little bit since then. The last three or four years, I was working on it pretty fast and furious and I just got it finished.”
Describing the process, Hunt explained, “I had the whole car apart—completely apart. Every bolt and screw off of it and the body off the frame. Everything was apart and then try to get it all back together again and hope it works.”
From auto body to law enforcement
Restoring cars isn’t just a hobby—it’s a return to Hunt’s roots.
“That was my first career,” he said. “Right out of high school I started working on cars. I did auto body for quite a few years—did collision repair and restoration. I actually enjoy working on them more so than I do driving them.”
What does he enjoy most? “The bodywork, mostly. Just trying to make everything—all the panels—line up and make it look nice,” he said. “A big part of it is just I can work out in my shop. It’s peace and quiet, and nobody bothers me.”
A cool car with classic vibes
While the Cutlass Supreme might not have been a traditional police vehicle, Chief Hunt’s version certainly turns heads. “I think it’s a cool car,” he said. “I’ve always been kind of into that era of cars—‘68 to ‘72-ish. The Chevelles, Camaros, Mustangs. And I ended up with this car. So that’s why.”
Under the hood, the Oldsmobile packs a classic punch. “It’s an Olds 350, which for all the young people nowadays, that would be a 5.7 litre motor. And it goes pretty good.”
The rotating red light on the roof? “It doesn’t make any noise—just the light,” Hunt said. “It’s an actual old emergency light from an emergency vehicle.” He located it through a Facebook group and purchased it from someone in Indiana.
Will we see it around town?
As for summer plans, Chief Hunt says he’ll be out for a cruise or two. “It’ll just be driving around the area a little bit. I might go to a couple of car shows,” he said. “I enjoy going to car shows and looking at them, but I’m not sure if I want to take my own car there. It’s a lot of work.”
His dream car to restore next? “A ‘69 Chevelle, probably.”