Interesting how you did not have to constantly use the word “aggressive” in this review, which I believe breaks all laws of TH-cam auto journalism. No small thing. Just a terrific, informed, relevant review. Respect.
Great video Zack. I am a retired LEO and proud owner of my second '95-'96 Chevy Caprice 9C1 which I already done mods to it like ,boxed the frame, put on Vogtland lowering springs, change to Bilstein shocks all around, put on bigger swaybars, change to a TruTrac LSD w/3.73 gears and run 275/40-18 tire mounted on 18" x 9.5" rear C5 Corvette wheels and also some other stuff that I probably forgot. Granted there is a lot more aftermarket stuff for the GM 1977-1996 B-Body available especially after the introduction of the '94-'96 Impala SS. There is a company that even makes a BW/Tremec manual transmission conversion kit. But it's great to see that the Ford Panther platform finally get some enthusiast and aftermarket love. Fun fact the 1977-1996 GM B-Body shares the same Herb Adams designed front suspension as the 2nd Gen F-Body that why there were known as great handlers from the beginning in spite of their size. The then downsized 1977 B-Body beat a stock Porsche 911 on the skidpad according to the car mags of the day.
Minus having no interior and keeping the 4.6, this is basically exactly how I'd build a crown vic. They cop cars are surprisingly good right out of the box. My dad took one to Pacific Raceways here in WA for a track day and he'd get dusted on the straights by the Miatas, but he was doing times that were competitive with way "better" cars. Might be a driver mod, but still, a 4000 lb auto yacht has no business handling as good as they do.
That is badass. As a foreigner, That generation of Crown Vic is a serious icon of Americana to the rest of the world as it is to you all. To see this is so cool. A real hark back to true hot-rodding. Having fun with the most unexpected car. Brilliant 👏🏻 🇺🇸
I have a 2011 Police interceptor. 5 speed coming as soon as ADTR has more peddle assemblies. Installed the adjustable coilovers all four corners, Metco aluminum rear trailing arms and Metco Watts link all from ADTR. Big sway bars front and rear. I have a 2022 Bronco but drive the Vic 90% of the time because it so freaking fun!!!
"in the wet, it was absolutely scary" Can confirm, had multiple CVPI's as my first cars and always kept them stock as I bought them, with police spec. Even in drizzle I've lost control and sent one over a curb divider, and nearly lost control in traffic just by applying gas a little too hard. Don't underestimate these things, I drive like a grandma now in rain.
This is my favorite Zack video so far. Just letting him be a goofy smart ass. Seems like he really enjoyed himself, and was able to do it how he wanted. Well done, dude.
I KNOW zach has basically taken over one takes and i loveeee his one takes but sometimes it'd be nice to see matt in a viewer car from time to time again . much love habibi
I'm a mechanic who daily drives an 07 p71 My perspective is that these cars are handicapped primarily by 4 things if the goal is track or canyons- extreme weight, a solid rear axle, the engine being too far forward, and a terrible hesitation prone automatic transmission. Relative to other panthers it has considerably more power than most, better brakes, much less sway, and a limited slip differential. And yet it STILL handles in a way reminiscent of 60's galaxies. When I get a new daily my goal is to death kart mine including a junkyard IRS swap and a much further back engine, probably dog housing it like I've done on similar builds.
@@juanray2614 Definitely limited slip, I don't recall the ratio. But given the 15 mpg highway and ability to jump off the line rather hard I'd have thought it might be a 3.73.
I had a 97 Grand Marquis and I can vouch for the loose wobbly steering. It was so bad it was dangerous at highway speeds. The car would wander all over the road and you had to constantly apply correction to keep it running in the same relative direction.
Absolutely love everything about this car. I was literally talking to my 78 year old father the other day about building a Crown Vic and what shows up on my YT feed?
Lmao I met Austin at Big O when he needed an alignment for this car. He was a chill guy. His crown was just sitting there, it’s funny to see it in this video.
I know this is from a year ago. But this is fantastic. The time he put in alone was admirable. I continue to plan to build my personal Vic in a manner that's similar. Fantastic cars.
Probably my favorite thing about this build is that he built it to spite the autocross people who told him "its the wrong car" edit: I have a 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis which according to google search weighs 4038lbs so I thought the full stripped interior would be less than 3800lbs
I love how so much work went into converting it and making it handle, but the numbers on the side are just stuck on with tape :)))) Excellent priorities
All the thumbs up .. I've taken my 84K mile "05 Crown Vic LX from stock to coil overed, monster sway bared, tuned, 5 speed swapped, 4:10 geared, fiberglass hooded fun daily driver.. Next big plans are the Godzilla swap sometime over the winter of 2023/24 .. Looks quicker than it is, but it isn't a slouch .. P.S. 5 Speed Swap is a MUST (Unless you don't have function of your legs, or you are a female that can't drive a stick in heels).
Handling should come first in all categories when the mods list begins for your car. That’s why JDM cars are really great applicants for every variant of racing
Good to see you guys back to your roots, driving viewer's crazy cars on mountain roads! I would narrow the rear end, and throw some 345's in the back or some 295+ size tire depending on area available, matched to an appropriate front set of tires.
I own and bought the last year of the Merc Grand Marquis. This car has never let me down even pushing it to the limit! I've raced her through those very roads you shot on today. She has never let me down, even with the wife screaming through the corners!
This car makes me want a Vic again. Having one of these with some coilovers, sway bars, and some sticky tires purely as a weekend or backup car would be _so_ nice.
Great phrase “…trying to turn a cow into a cheetah.” Isn’t that every “performance SUV?” The difference is this works, illustrating what you can do when you ignore the Bs of how “sick” the exhaust sounds and how “aggressive” that carbon fiber splitter is, and how wide the tires are. The funny thing is, the performance wouldn’t be that different with a full interior.
A lot of autocross guys I've met are the ultimate weight weenies. They will put up with a horrible daily just to eek out that last .01 of a second by completely gutting the interior.
This totally deserves a full interior. I too have an ex-k9 unit and it’s horrible without back seats. It’s loud, and the CV produces so much heat 🥵 That car is so simple, that with the two front seats already installed, all you need is the carpet, door panels, and rear bench. Not much.
those three questions you opened up with ... I've seriously been asking myself these same questions for for 15 years (like, seriously). thanks for the video!
Nice, my Townie has a few of those mods! though mine is a '99 with air suspension so I have to figure out other ways to go about tightening the steering and suspension up. Nice to see he also went with Marty for his tune!
Doug Norridin from Global West Suspension has been making these big American sedans handle with the best of any european sedans for years. He is a suspension genius. This is no surprise to what he does.
hey! thats where i rolled my car and totaled it!! right at the beginning with the tighter switch backs where the road takes a longer turn with the open space and trails on the left side lmao
I've always dreamed of a road course series where only former patrol cars can be used. You'd be allowed to remove whatever you wanted, but only wear items could be upgraded. It wouldn't be fast, but it would be cheap and fun!
Update on my earlier comment…I have now completed the 5 speed swap on my 2011 Vic. All I can say is it is super hard to talk with such a big smile on my face. OMG a Vic with a 5 speed and a bunch of adtr suspension mods IS A BLAST to drive. It is still a stock motor but with a manual trans, but no way feels like a stock motor with the auto trans. Although it does have a Marty tune so I’m sure that makes a difference. Funny how people can’t quite figure the sound of it with the push bumper and spots. For a fun completely different out of the norm driver car. Get a nice Vic and do the swap. I have had so many guys say “I didn’t know they made a manual crown vic” Well worth the effort to do the swap…the ROI is worth it.
Crown Vic p71 are great from factory. Simply put a 4 door mustang (same driveline 99-04 any mustang motor and transmission from 79-04 fits with heavy duty brakes and a watts link ………..simple set up I had p71 08 or later w tremec 3650 lsd in rear w 3:55. If motor swap 351w or just add turbo or supercharger to 4.6
You’d be surprised how much low profile tires will change the handling of a grandpa driven CV/MGM or a TC(panther platform). I have slightly smaller tires on 18” wheels on my TC and it can decent curves at 30-40+ mph than with the regular size 16/17” tires- along with d+s rotors and P71 sway bars/springs- and about an 1.5-2” lower- it’s amazingly better than stock.
Crown Vic's aren't that terrible of a platform. Double wishbone front suspension, Rear wheel drive, LSD, and basically a 50/50 weight distribution isn't a bad starting point. They're slow but the weight / lateral grip distribution front to back is surprisingly even and balanced.
its surprising to me that more people don’t modify crown vics. i had a stock civilian 03 model for about 3 years (and thanks to the used car prices of 2022 i was able to sell it for a profit) and i actually loved the way the car handled. no, it was not sports car-like whatsoever, but it felt relatively well balanced for what it is. it corned shockingly well for its size and weight, and i never felt uncomfortable hustling it around on a windy mountain road. ok, the 2v 4.6 is not very powerful from the factory, nor is it great for modifying, but torque never felt like an issue for that car. again, this was a civilian model with a front bench seat. not bad all things considered. the only “modifications” done to that car were a cold air intake, a set of sn95 mustang wheels which actually looked quite good on the car, and bfg advantage t/a sport tires. again, it was no sports car, and would struggle to keep up with really anything in a straight line, but considering it was a $3000 super clean old lady owned example (and by the way required little more than regular maintenance, and when stuff did break it was dirt cheap to fix) i’d say it was a fantastic buy. i really enjoyed that car. it went on long trips and did a lot of pizza deliveries and doordash. never left me stranded, never even saw a check engine light or anything. i sold it to a girl who lives one town over from me (over snapchat of all things) and so i still see the car every once in a while. good stuff. go buy one. and do the manual swap. i think it’s totally worth it.
I just got a Mercury Grand Marquis and I have a Mercedes E320. I was thinking of swapping the E320 to an E55 but now I think I'll do some mods to the Marquis (de Sade) and have my space and carry it too. Trunk is massive, can rent it out as a B&B
Actually, it is still possible to heel and toe downshift with that pedal positioning. You would just reverse it NASCAR style. Instead of holding the brake with the ball of your foot and dabbing the throttle with your heel, you would do the opposite, which is heel on the brakes and ball of the foot dabs the throttle as demonstrated in this onboard footage. th-cam.com/video/7DhtCbSayj0/w-d-xo.html
Pretty cool. I wonder where all the weight is on these? Seen some easy swaps like hood and trunk, I wonder if the actual beam bumpers and hangars are extra heavy. Maybe ECU swap so you can remove all that crap. Just have to get a megasquirt or something. I bet if it were tubbed, that could help. Guess there is even more potential there. I wonder if all the deadening was removed. As well as any undercoating.
Your wheels make me wish I didn’t build mine as a twin turbo sleeper. I may have to abort that now and put those wheels on it. Your 3 questions answered 😂 1. Yes 2. They’re 100 times better 3. Yes
he didnt "add" swaybars he replaced the swaybars with bigger ones. I know the 2000 civilain didnt even have a front swaybar not sure on new ones. but the front sway bar totally changes how this car handles a turn lol. I know cuz I added one to my 2000 and it was night and day LOL. my sport has same suspension as a PI but air suspension in back. not only is the car reliable but its cheap and easy to work on. sure the intake manifold is going to crack eventually but its pretty easy to replace just dont be dumb and replace it with a metal one LOL...
The computers in the doors might be part of the interceptor pack, as in an easy way to add the extra electronics by just fitting different door to the standard chassis?
Big fat square tires and a reasonably stiff suspension that isn’t lowered outside the working geometry of the suspension design will make just about any rwd car handle like a race car.
Another option to one of these old police cars would be a Chevy Caprice. It’s the only way to get one in the states and they come with a monster 6.0 LS motor. I bet if you gutted one and gave it some good tires it would be a track monster.
Nice! I’ve had P71’s all my life. The best car made. SAP is what you want. I did heads cams headers yata yata on my channel. I miss the times when ppl didn’t want them 😔
Build list, some of us want to build clones of this beast....I've got a all aluminum 5.3l LS lm7 that I'd love to stuff in a auto crossed P71. Along with a couple turbos
You are 100% correct. The panther platform has a rather large following. Why there isn't more aftermarket support for it, doesn't make much sense to me. For example there are two companies that make headers for the car. And they're a thousand bucks a pair! Which is pretty ridiculous imho. These cars also benefit heavily from a turbo (as does any 4.6 2v powered car). I'm in the middle of Designing, what I feel will be, a relatively easy to install at home "kit". For a single under hood turbo set-up (on my 03 cvpi). Prototype manifolds and other key parts are well underway. ( Hopefully spring of '25 I'll have something avalible.) It would be great to see the aftermarket pick up the ball on this, and run with it. Hell even a brisk walk with it would be something lol! Because I believe the pent up demand is there for good, reasonably priced performace parts for our cars.
And there is still the IRS mod to be installed, where you take the complete back end from a late 90's Lincoln Mark VIII and stick it under the Panther chassis.
You really don’t need it to maximize the handling. Get the right dampers, big stiff sway bars and the right rubber and all an IRS rear end will give you is a slightly smoother ride. If you’re really convinced the solid rear axle is disrupting proper suspension geometry - buy into another hotly debated bit of either genius or snake oil- the watts link. Solid rear axles have never held performance cars back- motor trend got a 1.08 skid pad with a fOX body non-irs car modified by JBA that also did a 4 second 0-60 time, a quarter mile in the 11s and out performed tuner Porsches, corvettes and a Ferrari and a Lamborghini. And tmobkevyibeky speaking fox body mustangs suck- but the bones are there to make a car that can turn pretty decently.
holy shit these in-video adds are a bummer... you guys have to figure out a way around how you do them now... we already get bombarded by TH-cam ads them we have to deal with yours too. youre double monitizing and we feel it.
Eh, after 2004 they were slightly better above 100mph than the earlier ones. With no external light bar they’re good for about 135 mph stock, though they don’t feel ideal going that fast.
Interesting how you did not have to constantly use the word “aggressive” in this review, which I believe breaks all laws of TH-cam auto journalism. No small thing. Just a terrific, informed, relevant review. Respect.
Zach is a word wizard. Truly a gem to the automotive journalism realm
More NASCAR than NASCAR
Great video Zack. I am a retired LEO and proud owner of my second '95-'96 Chevy Caprice 9C1 which I already done mods to it like ,boxed the frame, put on Vogtland lowering springs, change to Bilstein shocks all around, put on bigger swaybars, change to a TruTrac LSD w/3.73 gears and run 275/40-18 tire mounted on 18" x 9.5" rear C5 Corvette wheels and also some other stuff that I probably forgot.
Granted there is a lot more aftermarket stuff for the GM 1977-1996 B-Body available especially after the introduction of the '94-'96 Impala SS. There is a company that even makes a BW/Tremec manual transmission conversion kit. But it's great to see that the Ford Panther platform finally get some enthusiast and aftermarket love. Fun fact the 1977-1996 GM B-Body shares the same Herb Adams designed front suspension as the 2nd Gen F-Body that why there were known as great handlers from the beginning in spite of their size. The then downsized 1977 B-Body beat a stock Porsche 911 on the skidpad according to the car mags of the day.
Minus having no interior and keeping the 4.6, this is basically exactly how I'd build a crown vic. They cop cars are surprisingly good right out of the box. My dad took one to Pacific Raceways here in WA for a track day and he'd get dusted on the straights by the Miatas, but he was doing times that were competitive with way "better" cars. Might be a driver mod, but still, a 4000 lb auto yacht has no business handling as good as they do.
Yep keep the interior
Why get rid of the 4.6 at that point it's just a different car with a crown vic shell
I really hope Zach continues to be compensated for his contribution at the smoking tire.
*Fixed spelling of Zachs name
Matt pays him in Ralph Lauren Polos
He is a full time employee of TST.
Back in my day Zach was HATED when Matt stopped reviewing fan cars. I always loved him before and after the transition. Fascinating
@@Finnspin_unicycles I'm aware I just hope hes being compensated in a way that I feel he deserves.
@@PigglyWigglyDeluxe i remember that aswell
Matt reviewed this car years ago. It's great to see there progression of this ride
Don't let Cleetus McFarland get his hands on this.
That is badass. As a foreigner, That generation of Crown Vic is a serious icon of Americana to the rest of the world as it is to you all. To see this is so cool. A real hark back to true hot-rodding. Having fun with the most unexpected car. Brilliant 👏🏻 🇺🇸
I have a 2011 Police interceptor. 5 speed coming as soon as ADTR has more peddle assemblies. Installed the adjustable coilovers all four corners, Metco aluminum rear trailing arms and Metco Watts link all from ADTR. Big sway bars front and rear. I have a 2022 Bronco but drive the Vic 90% of the time because it so freaking fun!!!
"in the wet, it was absolutely scary"
Can confirm, had multiple CVPI's as my first cars and always kept them stock as I bought them, with police spec. Even in drizzle I've lost control and sent one over a curb divider, and nearly lost control in traffic just by applying gas a little too hard.
Don't underestimate these things, I drive like a grandma now in rain.
The police tires are terrible, a thought that I confirmed with an on-duty police officer.
Yeah I've learned my lesson too, I've spun out going up a hill in my vic
@@zackklapman3569 The upshot is the ability to do second gear figure 8's with 4 people on board if it's wet and your parking lot is big enough...
My P71 swapped ends on a long sweeping highway corner in the rain during my commute, and from them on I drove extra slow in the rain
i have some bridgestone turanzas on mine, such a big difference in the rain now, definitely not scary.
Zack is a natural comedian
Zack is a natural 🤡 FIFY
@@Twobarpsipussy
Except he isn't funny like at all.
This is my favorite Zack video so far. Just letting him be a goofy smart ass. Seems like he really enjoyed himself, and was able to do it how he wanted. Well done, dude.
I KNOW zach has basically taken over one takes and i loveeee his one takes but sometimes it'd be nice to see matt in a viewer car from time to time again . much love habibi
I'm a mechanic who daily drives an 07 p71
My perspective is that these cars are handicapped primarily by 4 things if the goal is track or canyons- extreme weight, a solid rear axle, the engine being too far forward, and a terrible hesitation prone automatic transmission. Relative to other panthers it has considerably more power than most, better brakes, much less sway, and a limited slip differential. And yet it STILL handles in a way reminiscent of 60's galaxies.
When I get a new daily my goal is to death kart mine including a junkyard IRS swap and a much further back engine, probably dog housing it like I've done on similar builds.
The 07 P71 crown Vic police interceptor has the 3.27 limited slip?
@@juanray2614 Definitely limited slip, I don't recall the ratio. But given the 15 mpg highway and ability to jump off the line rather hard I'd have thought it might be a 3.73.
The P71s had an aluminum driveshaft from the factory, versus the steel units regular Vics got. Hell, Ford even stamped "POLICE" on it.
When something so ridiculous turns out so well, it's absolutely praise worthy. I want one!
a manual swap makes any v8 car, awesome
I had a 97 Grand Marquis and I can vouch for the loose wobbly steering. It was so bad it was dangerous at highway speeds. The car would wander all over the road and you had to constantly apply correction to keep it running in the same relative direction.
Zach is fantastic at these reviews. Brilliant on camera, super fun to watch these modded builds!
At my local autox we had a father son team with a crown Vic interceptor they got at police auction. It was so cool to see it out there
Subtle self invite to freedom 500 🇺🇸
killer team tho for Lemullets Matt x Zack
Nah we need someone just as insane as Zack behind the wheel. Bring back Morningstar. Tom x Zack Freedom 500
Imagine this is how they were set up
This is probably the coolest car I've seen on your channel!
Yeah mine is similar but not as fabricated & more bolt ons for power
Absolutely love everything about this car. I was literally talking to my 78 year old father the other day about building a Crown Vic and what shows up on my YT feed?
Lmao I met Austin at Big O when he needed an alignment for this car. He was a chill guy. His crown was just sitting there, it’s funny to see it in this video.
So cool seeing the NFT shirt that I designed on a One Take! Great review of a wacky car.
I know this is from a year ago. But this is fantastic. The time he put in alone was admirable. I continue to plan to build my personal Vic in a manner that's similar. Fantastic cars.
Probably my favorite thing about this build is that he built it to spite the autocross people who told him "its the wrong car"
edit: I have a 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis which according to google search weighs 4038lbs so I thought the full stripped interior would be less than 3800lbs
I love how so much work went into converting it and making it handle, but the numbers on the side are just stuck on with tape :))))
Excellent priorities
All the thumbs up .. I've taken my 84K mile "05 Crown Vic LX from stock to coil overed, monster sway bared, tuned, 5 speed swapped, 4:10 geared, fiberglass hooded fun daily driver.. Next big plans are the Godzilla swap sometime over the winter of 2023/24 .. Looks quicker than it is, but it isn't a slouch .. P.S. 5 Speed Swap is a MUST (Unless you don't have function of your legs, or you are a female that can't drive a stick in heels).
Making a fourth gen Mustang in to a Autocross car would have obviously made way more sense. But this way more fun and original. I like it!
Crew cab mustang
Basically a crown Vic is a mustang just heavier with 4 doors.
Handling should come first in all categories when the mods list begins for your car. That’s why JDM cars are really great applicants for every variant of racing
4:15 McGruff The Crime Dog FTW
Good to see you guys back to your roots, driving viewer's crazy cars on mountain roads!
I would narrow the rear end, and throw some 345's in the back or some 295+ size tire depending on area available, matched to an appropriate front set of tires.
The rear ends were narrower in the 2002 and older cars. I don't know how much, at least 1 inch per side, and shock mounts will be different.
I own and bought the last year of the Merc Grand Marquis. This car has never let me down even pushing it to the limit! I've raced her through those very roads you shot on today. She has never let me down, even with the wife screaming through the corners!
Austin and his crown vic are a big inspiration for me and my g37 sedan. Turning a barge into a speedboat isnt easy
G37 is a barge?
Its not a small car. @@invalidusername_5101
This car makes me want a Vic again. Having one of these with some coilovers, sway bars, and some sticky tires purely as a weekend or backup car would be _so_ nice.
Great phrase “…trying to turn a cow into a cheetah.” Isn’t that every “performance SUV?” The difference is this works, illustrating what you can do when you ignore the Bs of how “sick” the exhaust sounds and how “aggressive” that carbon fiber splitter is, and how wide the tires are. The funny thing is, the performance wouldn’t be that different with a full interior.
Both cows and Crown Vic’s are known for their ability to idle.
A lot of autocross guys I've met are the ultimate weight weenies. They will put up with a horrible daily just to eek out that last .01 of a second by completely gutting the interior.
This totally deserves a full interior. I too have an ex-k9 unit and it’s horrible without back seats. It’s loud, and the CV produces so much heat 🥵 That car is so simple, that with the two front seats already installed, all you need is the carpet, door panels, and rear bench. Not much.
those three questions you opened up with ... I've seriously been asking myself these same questions for for 15 years (like, seriously). thanks for the video!
Nice, my Townie has a few of those mods! though mine is a '99 with air suspension so I have to figure out other ways to go about tightening the steering and suspension up. Nice to see he also went with Marty for his tune!
Finally the Panther Platform has returned to The Smoking Tire!
Doug Norridin from Global West Suspension has been making these big American sedans handle with the best of any european sedans for years. He is a suspension genius. This is no surprise to what he does.
hey! thats where i rolled my car and totaled it!! right at the beginning with the tighter switch backs where the road takes a longer turn with the open space and trails on the left side lmao
I've always dreamed of a road course series where only former patrol cars can be used. You'd be allowed to remove whatever you wanted, but only wear items could be upgraded. It wouldn't be fast, but it would be cheap and fun!
Spec P71
1/3 rd of the Champcar field.
Update on my earlier comment…I have now completed the 5 speed swap on my 2011 Vic. All I can say is it is super hard to talk with such a big smile on my face. OMG a Vic with a 5 speed and a bunch of adtr suspension mods IS A BLAST to drive. It is still a stock motor but with a manual trans, but no way feels like a stock motor with the auto trans. Although it does have a Marty tune so I’m sure that makes a difference. Funny how people can’t quite figure the sound of it with the push bumper and spots. For a fun completely different out of the norm driver car. Get a nice Vic and do the swap. I have had so many guys say “I didn’t know they made a manual crown vic” Well worth the effort to do the swap…the ROI is worth it.
Crown Vic p71 are great from factory. Simply put a 4 door mustang (same driveline 99-04 any mustang motor and transmission from 79-04 fits with heavy duty brakes and a watts link ………..simple set up I had p71 08 or later w tremec 3650 lsd in rear w 3:55. If motor swap 351w or just add turbo or supercharger to 4.6
Good thing Matt didn’t test this one he would want one!
It's the CamMaster's younger brother!
You’d be surprised how much low profile tires will change the handling of a grandpa driven CV/MGM or a TC(panther platform). I have slightly smaller tires on 18” wheels on my TC and it can decent curves at 30-40+ mph than with the regular size 16/17” tires- along with d+s rotors and P71 sway bars/springs- and about an 1.5-2” lower- it’s amazingly better than stock.
Even though the explorer replaced these in law enforcement...they still make my heart drop when I see them driving behind me...😒
That car was really grounded to the ground.
Crown Vic's aren't that terrible of a platform. Double wishbone front suspension, Rear wheel drive, LSD, and basically a 50/50 weight distribution isn't a bad starting point. They're slow but the weight / lateral grip distribution front to back is surprisingly even and balanced.
Watching this car go around corners is a bit unnerving. It really looks like they sped up the footage. Amazing car, kudos to the owner.
Beautifully shot video. I don't know if you got new cameras recently but it looks fantastic.
Well I think Austin made his point in the end. Nice review Zack
its surprising to me that more people don’t modify crown vics. i had a stock civilian 03 model for about 3 years (and thanks to the used car prices of 2022 i was able to sell it for a profit) and i actually loved the way the car handled. no, it was not sports car-like whatsoever, but it felt relatively well balanced for what it is. it corned shockingly well for its size and weight, and i never felt uncomfortable hustling it around on a windy mountain road. ok, the 2v 4.6 is not very powerful from the factory, nor is it great for modifying, but torque never felt like an issue for that car. again, this was a civilian model with a front bench seat. not bad all things considered. the only “modifications” done to that car were a cold air intake, a set of sn95 mustang wheels which actually looked quite good on the car, and bfg advantage t/a sport tires. again, it was no sports car, and would struggle to keep up with really anything in a straight line, but considering it was a $3000 super clean old lady owned example (and by the way required little more than regular maintenance, and when stuff did break it was dirt cheap to fix) i’d say it was a fantastic buy. i really enjoyed that car. it went on long trips and did a lot of pizza deliveries and doordash. never left me stranded, never even saw a check engine light or anything. i sold it to a girl who lives one town over from me (over snapchat of all things) and so i still see the car every once in a while. good stuff. go buy one. and do the manual swap. i think it’s totally worth it.
I just got a Mercury Grand Marquis and I have a Mercedes E320. I was thinking of swapping the E320 to an E55 but now I think I'll do some mods to the Marquis (de Sade) and have my space and carry it too. Trunk is massive, can rent it out as a B&B
I'm at a point in my life where I think I need this
Now we need a 30 vid of this car ripping around an autocross
Now that was a great TheSmokingTire video. That's the ticket.
Actually, it is still possible to heel and toe downshift with that pedal positioning. You would just reverse it NASCAR style. Instead of holding the brake with the ball of your foot and dabbing the throttle with your heel, you would do the opposite, which is heel on the brakes and ball of the foot dabs the throttle as demonstrated in this onboard footage.
th-cam.com/video/7DhtCbSayj0/w-d-xo.html
Pretty cool. I wonder where all the weight is on these? Seen some easy swaps like hood and trunk, I wonder if the actual beam bumpers and hangars are extra heavy. Maybe ECU swap so you can remove all that crap. Just have to get a megasquirt or something. I bet if it were tubbed, that could help. Guess there is even more potential there. I wonder if all the deadening was removed. As well as any undercoating.
Your wheels make me wish I didn’t build mine as a twin turbo sleeper. I may have to abort that now and put those wheels on it.
Your 3 questions answered 😂
1. Yes
2. They’re 100 times better
3. Yes
The modules like on the door are like little stand alone on the police car, so if you swap in a coyote you can leave doors alone , so on so fourth
he didnt "add" swaybars he replaced the swaybars with bigger ones. I know the 2000 civilain didnt even have a front swaybar not sure on new ones. but the front sway bar totally changes how this car handles a turn lol. I know cuz I added one to my 2000 and it was night and day LOL. my sport has same suspension as a PI but air suspension in back. not only is the car reliable but its cheap and easy to work on. sure the intake manifold is going to crack eventually but its pretty easy to replace just dont be dumb and replace it with a metal one LOL...
Office Oversteer. Lets make this a thing lol
WHAT A FANTASTIC BIT OF KIT !!
The computers in the doors might be part of the interceptor pack, as in an easy way to add the extra electronics by just fitting different door to the standard chassis?
Drove a crown vic in the Lucky Dog race at Atlanta Motorsports Park a couple of months ago.
What would be the most performance increasing thing on the list? Maybe the wider tires for keeping grip while turning?
Gives me strong Corbin vibes.
this thing sounds insanely good
This is one of the OneTake greats!
Cleetus approved crown vic.
Cool car but what's up with the Model T style steering wheel? That thing is near vertical!
My thoughts too. Steer with your chin in this car
I'm tall, I forgot to tell him he could tilt the steering wheel down. Lol
Big fat square tires and a reasonably stiff suspension that isn’t lowered outside the working geometry of the suspension design will make just about any rwd car handle like a race car.
Another option to one of these old police cars would be a Chevy Caprice. It’s the only way to get one in the states and they come with a monster 6.0 LS motor. I bet if you gutted one and gave it some good tires it would be a track monster.
I want to drive one!
Nice! I’ve had P71’s all my life. The best car made. SAP is what you want. I did heads cams headers yata yata on my channel. I miss the times when ppl didn’t want them 😔
Build list, some of us want to build clones of this beast....I've got a all aluminum 5.3l LS lm7 that I'd love to stuff in a auto crossed P71. Along with a couple turbos
Awesome awesome awesome - this car rips
The lack of aftermarket support for these cars is insulting. Companies could make good money from people modding $900 auctioned cop cars
You are 100% correct. The panther platform has a rather large following. Why there isn't more aftermarket support for it, doesn't make much sense to me. For example there are two companies that make headers for the car. And they're a thousand bucks a pair! Which is pretty ridiculous imho. These cars also benefit heavily from a turbo (as does any 4.6 2v powered car). I'm in the middle of Designing, what I feel will be, a relatively easy to install at home "kit". For a single under hood turbo set-up (on my 03 cvpi). Prototype manifolds and other key parts are well underway. ( Hopefully spring of '25 I'll have something avalible.) It would be great to see the aftermarket pick up the ball on this, and run with it. Hell even a brisk walk with it would be something lol! Because I believe the pent up demand is there for good, reasonably priced performace parts for our cars.
Taking notes for a Lincoln Town Car sleeper idea...
And there is still the IRS mod to be installed, where you take the complete back end from a late 90's Lincoln Mark VIII and stick it under the Panther chassis.
You really don’t need it to maximize the handling. Get the right dampers, big stiff sway bars and the right rubber and all an IRS rear end will give you is a slightly smoother ride. If you’re really convinced the solid rear axle is disrupting proper suspension geometry - buy into another hotly debated bit of either genius or snake oil- the watts link. Solid rear axles have never held performance cars back- motor trend got a 1.08 skid pad with a fOX body non-irs car modified by JBA that also did a 4 second 0-60 time, a quarter mile in the 11s and out performed tuner Porsches, corvettes and a Ferrari and a Lamborghini. And tmobkevyibeky speaking fox body mustangs suck- but the bones are there to make a car that can turn pretty decently.
BEING A P71, THE DRIVESHAFT IS A HOLLOW LARGE DIAMETER THIN WALL SHAFT WITH A CARBOARD INSERT.
What’s some good lowering springs for the 07 crown Vic police interceptor. Not too expensive something to just lower it cheaply. Badass Vic tho bro.
Got my tr3650 from my old stang still can’t wait to to throw it in my p71
holy shit these in-video adds are a bummer... you guys have to figure out a way around how you do them now... we already get bombarded by TH-cam ads them we have to deal with yours too. youre double monitizing and we feel it.
That seat with no cage or harness just looks ridiculous! Hahaha
THE RACE BOAT lmfao
Is this super troopers part 3? Oh wait, Zack is not from Vermont.😅🏁🍾
I have ALWAYS wanted a sleeper manual crown vic!!!!
Zack for President
Yeah man these cars are sleepers. Jaw dropping. Wow factors. My whole channel is based on Panthers!
Great review and this car looks fun and exciting to drive.
Thank you for making my mustang look reasonable.
The hardest part of the manual swap, Hands down is getting the godforsaken trans crossmember down!!!
The owner needs to take this car to the Freedom Factory and set the Crown Vic record there. I’m sure it will do it.
I've got a stock from the force p71, it's a daily driver but want a little more kick to it. Any ideas
Zack has big shoes to fill with One Takes but he makes a really good video
Eh, after 2004 they were slightly better above 100mph than the earlier ones. With no external light bar they’re good for about 135 mph stock, though they don’t feel ideal going that fast.
I think the pedal box might be made for men with bigger ummm... shoes.