The Keystone Cops, about 1915, stars of the silent screen comedies

The Keystone Cops was a series of silent film comedies featuring a totally incompetent group of policemen who frequently were part of train robberies, train crashes (spectacular), cars that fell apart and motorcycle mayhem . They may have invented the car chase scene (as they were invented about the same time as movies and cheap cars)

These bumbling lawmen were often depicted crowded onto their jalopy to the point of overflowing into the street as they chased down the bad guys

A Hollywood movie prop special above, the 1924 special breakaway Model T

Above a 1921 Model T
Below is a movie prop Hupmobile

For more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keystone_Kops