can you make ford sedans sporty?

i've been lusting (as some of you may know (or not) ) for an american sedan , especially 8?-91 crown vics , but grand marquis too , how would one make a GT, tarmac rally, hot rod, street /strip bruiser sedan out of these? ideas suggestions ? styling cues ? previous experience?

I'm sure you could put a fiberglass copy of the body over a tube frame and get a pretty sporty Crown Vic.

In all seriousness i bet a good circle track shop could setup a custom afco coilover kit with very stiff springs and it would handle very well.

Route I would take is a Ford Fairmont or Mercury Zypher

You can get them in 2 door or 4 door and they share a chassis with the mustangs of the era (fox chassis), many of the aftermarket parts fit.

or.. if you want the larger sedans, just look here http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2052022

Start here:

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/reader-rides/565/

Drop a 1st gen CV/GM body onto a 03+ P71 chassis. Bolts right up and your chassis will be miles ahead of an early panther. But that still leaves power issues.

yes. whatever will you do to make power from a P.I. 4.6. hmmmm...

I don't think i've ever said this before but that two door Fairmont is hot looking!

ADTR.net has some cool stuff for Panthers.

belteshazzar wrote: yes. whatever will you do to make power from a P.I. 4.6. hmmmm...

I know what your answer was.

LTD: the four door Mustang.

The FAMED LTD LX.

belteshazzar wrote: yes. whatever will you do to make power from a P.I. 4.6. hmmmm...

ditch it for an LSx

The first car I ever really modified was a 91' Grand Marquis. Not a likely suspect for a young person's car but I had fun learning on it. Take a look at http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/ tons of information there. So to answer your question, you can make it fun and sporty but realize it is also like driving your favorite couch.

In reply to Appleseed:

As an interim car my dad picked up the Merc verson of that with the V6 and an auto. He put some HD shocks on it and I was supprised at ow well it went around corners after that.

I wonder if there are any of those ^ left that are not beat to death?

i didn't know fairmonts came in a 2dr...what year i that?

and that brown crown is awesome...

All fairmonts from 78-83 came available as a two door sedan or fastback. More commonly called:

Box Tops

Futura (ford) / Z7 (merc)

I SO totally want a "box top" (as you say) Fairmont.

That's a car I'd buy a one-way plane ticket to go get one from a rust free area.

Mustang in sleeper body.

Some day...if I can ever find one without rust.

Clem

DO WANT the Griz-mobile cone rat.

Can't believe no one's posted this one:

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2572611

I'm pretty sure you could actually order a Fairmont/Zephyr with a V8 and a 4-on-the-floor. Granted, it was a 255 c.i. 115-hp POS V8, but it's still a SBF.

yes.. the Ford Fairmont/Mercury Zepher and the Ford LTD/Mercury Marquis were Mustangs in drag.. makes for a good sleeper platform

yes. whatever will you do to make power from a P.I. 4.6. hmmmm...

Well, i snagged an old engine builder magazine from half price books for $1 and the 4.6 was the lowest achiever out of 20+ motors.. guys managed just under 400chp on an ENGINE COMPETITION BUILD. Had to lol.... That and the 1961 ford dump truck motor were the lowest HP makers of the bunch.

But how much power do you really need? Depends on if you want to go fast, i guess.. I raced a 250hp later p71 in my 3.5L dodge intrepid, went well for me..

So if you're shooting higher than dodge-intrepid-levels of speed, i say turbo or swap.

Nitroracer wrote:

Way back in the day, I knew someone with a wagon like that: built transmission, Konis, big anti-roll bars, etc. It was a cool cruiser.