User Panel
Posted: 7/29/2022 1:24:59 AM EDT
Engine and drive train parts are durable and in abundance. They’re still around dirt cheap, including rust free interceptors from the southwest. One could probably make a pretty badass car on a budget fairly easy.
Anyone with experience have any pros or cons before I start looking for one? I know it’s be a bit of work, but something like this would be fun as hell. If they completed this car properly it would look great too. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRDXAbRR/?k=1 |
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Cool project car!
A lot of good parts available and a lot of mustang parts will work with it. Like superchargers. Attached File |
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The main appeal of the Crown Vic was its interior roominess, ride comfort and durability.
Building one up doesn't exploit any of those traits. |
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Don't we have a member who's screen name is CrownVic with such?
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A popular gear head youtuber named Cleetus McFarland built a Crown Vic and called it "Neighbor". Batshit doesn't even begin to describe it.
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There was a dide some time ago that put a built Triton V-10 into one. It integrated really well, he had to do a little custom work to make the speed sensors work right was about all.
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Crown Vic owner here (2010 CVPI). They're essentially the best evolution of body on frame sedans ever made. Not as good as unibody for handling and chassis rigidity but they handle quite well with significant suspension mods. You'll want to get the suspension/brakes sorted before you even think about anything powertrain related.
Adtr.net is your friend for performance anything panther platform related. |
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My buddy, who collects vintage Mustangs, has one. Its an ex-FBI car, has all the cop stuff.
But its maroon. And its still a rolling couch. If it had GPS it would have “Village Inn” marked as s favorite… but only before five. Can’t be staying up all night! |
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Vortech Supercharged Crown Vic | 450HP Six Speed Manual Cop Car |
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Quoted: https://bringatrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2003_mercury_marauder_1579548849113f387bc94826image0.jpeg I'd rather start here... View Quote Step up to the town car. It’s my daily driver , and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. |
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If you decide to pursue a performance build, ditch the 4.6 2 valve. Go straight to a Coyote swap.
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Quoted: Step up to the town car. It’s my daily driver , and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: https://bringatrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2003_mercury_marauder_1579548849113f387bc94826image0.jpeg I'd rather start here... Step up to the town car. It’s my daily driver , and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Perhaps you don't understand what that car actually is... 2003 Mercury Marauder: Regular Car Reviews Mercury Marauder. |
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Quoted: I’m just finishing up a ‘31 Vicky. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/240604/C6075EA7-B0C5-4D20-A847-CB454F3D673C_jpe-2469195.JPG View Quote Please... PLEASE, Put Ford power in it. Please... |
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Quoted: https://bringatrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2003_mercury_marauder_1579548849113f387bc94826image0.jpeg I'd rather start here... View Quote In 2007 I was looking for a car to get around in and test drove and almost purchased a used 2004 Marauder with low miles. I wanted more interior space so I bought an Explorer instead. Man oh man do I regret that decision… |
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I'd do a 5.0l/10spd coyote swap if it was me. If not you can supercharge them pretty easy.
A lot of it comes down to how much money you're wanting to throw at it. It never winds up being anywhere near as cheap or easy as you think it will be. |
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Quoted: Cool project car! A lot of good parts available and a lot of mustang parts will work with it. Like superchargers. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/209044/1999-ford-crown-victoria-front-right-vie-2469172.JPG View Quote Attached File |
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There's one with a supercharged 5.4 out of a lightning and a tko 6 speed local to me.
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Quoted: Perhaps you don't understand what that car actually is... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTJq7WU0VdU Mercury Marauder. View Quote IIRC they were great cars that nobody bought. If I was going to get another sedan, a crown vic is exactly what I'd get. Gimme dat rolling couch! Gotta get to the restaurant before 5 to get the early bird special! |
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I'm a GM guy and former LE, was really impressed with the last gen of CVPI after years of Chevys. Fully geared up with emergency equipment my issued unit ran an informal 8 sec 0-60. Handled great in sticky situations. Not a fan of Ford electronics, dash layouts or that crazy cam phaser BS when I later bought a Lincoln Navigator with the 5.4 3V but when they run, they run like a bat outta hell. I think the Charger is a better performing chassis but every ghetto whore has one these days and I always want something just a little unique.
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I seriously looked at it as a DD option. What made me pass was
1) Time/Cost of a manual swap - I've got too much else going on for that level of effort 2) 4.6 is fairly lousy MPG / HP ratio |
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Quoted: IIRC they were great cars that nobody bought. If I was going to get another sedan, a crown vic is exactly what I'd get. Gimme dat rolling couch! Gotta get to the restaurant before 5 to get the early bird special! View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Perhaps you don't understand what that car actually is... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTJq7WU0VdU Mercury Marauder. IIRC they were great cars that nobody bought. If I was going to get another sedan, a crown vic is exactly what I'd get. Gimme dat rolling couch! Gotta get to the restaurant before 5 to get the early bird special! Personally I like the regular panthers because I like the bench seats for better road head and parking lot sex shenanigans. . That said I'd love to find a dark pearl blue marauder and slap a blower on it and call it a day. |
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Mercury Marauders are pushing $20k these days. At that cost I’d just trade my daily in on a new RT/used SRT Challenger.
Though if I found a cheap Magnum RT that wasn’t beat to shit by ghetto trash I might jump on it. |
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The real problem with the Marauder these days is 9/10 times they are clapped out.
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Quoted: I’m just finishing up a ‘31 Vicky. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/240604/C6075EA7-B0C5-4D20-A847-CB454F3D673C_jpe-2469195.JPG View Quote Awesome. There is a '36 sitting in a garage around here that is complete, the interior has long snce rotted away but all the metal bits are there and only surface rusted. I can have it for free if I want...really tempted to put it on a newer frame and throw a big v8 in it. Need the space and time before tackling that project. Usee to want a Marauder in the worst way, now I'd settle for one of the cushier panther platform cars and do some suspension work and power adders. Really don't need, just want and can't justify it taking up space. Great cars and damn near bulletproof. |
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I’ve owned several Crown Vics/Grand Marquis and they are one of my favorite cars for the price/quality etc. My current DD is an 03 CV sport. The only major issue with the cars is that they are woefully underpowered. One day I will LS swap one.
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Someone here did a manual swap on one. ToledoXJ?
That sounds like it would be fun to play with. |
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Quoted: If you decide to pursue a performance build, ditch the 4.6 2 valve. Go straight to a Coyote swap. View Quote |
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I was thinking about doing the SHTF version.
Lift kit, off road tires, zombie clearing bumpers. etc. |
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Quoted: Why these haven't come back into production is baffling. View Quote Not really. They were floppy boats that got 17-18 MPG. There are two major constraints here: 1) CAFE MPG requirements. CAFE breaks vehicles into "cars" and "trucks." Cars have higher requirements than trucks. A unibody mom wagon like a Ford Edge, Honda Odyssey, or even a Toyota RAV4 gets graded and averaged as a "truck." The Crown Vic was graded as a car. A "truck" that gets 30 MPG helps corporate averages while a car that gets 17 hurts A LOT. For that reason alone, manufacturers have a huge incentive to push the market into SUVs and CUVs. 2) Platform engineering. Manufacturers are consolidating platforms and drivetrains to save on development costs, and some are going to pretty extreme lengths to do it. Toyota is boiling down their platforms to just two sets: one for unibody vehicles and one for BOF vehicles. This consolidation is the entire reason why Peugeot is merging with Fiat Chrysler. There is also a growing number of systems and vehicles co-developed by competing manufacturers. The F-150 and Silverado use the same 10 speed transmission that Ford and GM collaborated on. Toyota got in bed with BMW for the Supra/Z4. Toyota is also in bed with Mazda for a new I6 powered SUV thing. GM is in bed with Honda for a new EV CUV. A car like the Crown Vic can't share much engineering with any other model unless they were to literally slap a sedan body on a lowered F-150 at which point, you still have the CAFE problem. |
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My dick is as hard as Chinese arithmetic! Drove many thousands of miles in Vic cruisers. Best Prowl car ever. |
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The coils are on the spark plug wires and tend to go bad so if you keep engine stock you probably want to replace along with plugs when u get it, if they look like they have been there for awhile. If they are really old they can be a pita to get out.
If you can find the grandpa car it’s better then cop car as far as how abused they will be. Keep in mind there things are ~ 20 years old so things wear out. |
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These cars are tanks. They aren't the most powerful, but they are made to take abuse and with regular maintenance will last a long time. I currently own two of them. an '05 P71, and an '08 LX. If Ford still made them, I'd buy a new one tomorrow.
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Attached File
My daily driver, never a cop car. Got it cheap, did a 4K mile road trip in it. I’ll drive it anywhere right now. I drove them for 20 years as cop cars. I like them. |
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