The one where I bought a P71

Just snagged this P71 in an online auction. Driving out to pick it up next week, hopefully Monday.

Linky goodness, since I #(*@^! it up the first time.

Miata. P71. Just need a Suburban for a GRM trifecta.

JeffHarbert wrote: Just snagged this P71 in an online auction. Driving out to pick it up next week, hopefully Monday. https://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?fa=Main.Item&itemid=41&acctid=1820 Miata. P71. Just need a Suburban for a GRM trifecta.

I thought the GRM holy trinity was Miata, P71, E30?

Tom_Spangler wrote:

JeffHarbert wrote: Just snagged this P71 in an online auction. Driving out to pick it up next week, hopefully Monday. https://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?fa=Main.Item&itemid=41&acctid=1820 Miata. P71. Just need a Suburban for a GRM trifecta.

I thought the GRM holy trinity was Miata, P71, E30?

I thought it was Miata, P71 and XJ Cherokee

Welcome to the 2/3 club.

I thought the last part of the trinity was a E36 M3.

Oddly, when I think of what should be in my real life stable it is, in fact, p71, Miata, suburban.

In reply to NickD:

I always thought it was the XJ as well, but maybe the 'Burban makes more sense since it can actually tow. This is a surprisingly contentious subject.

We need to form a committee and sit down to nail down what the GRM Trifecta actually is.

Furious_E wrote: In reply to NickD: I always thought it was the XJ as well, but maybe the 'Burban makes more sense since it can actually tow. This is a surprisingly contentious subject.

With the right hitch, a p71 can tow a miata.

Maybe it should be a suburban, to tow the p71

The old GRM Pertaverate was:

Miata: sports car
E30: sports car with roof (maybe update to add e36 too)
P71: "sports car" that must have a real back seat
XJ: go anywhere
Chevy Astro: 5k towing with seating capability (maybe update to Suburban/Tahoe as Astros become extinct)

I'm gonna vote that we swap the XJ on the list for a ZJ. Yeah, it's heavier, but at this point, they're almost the same price. And the ZJ would let us change the purpose from "go anywhere" to "go anywhere with heated leather and V8 noises"

Plus, the ZJ suspension is coils all around, has decent geometry and has better rear shock mounting than the XJ, so it's easier / cheaper to get one ready for being used in creative ways on a low budget

RevRico wrote:

Furious_E wrote: In reply to NickD: I always thought it was the XJ as well, but maybe the 'Burban makes more sense since it can actually tow. This is a surprisingly contentious subject.

With the right hitch, a p71 can tow a miata. Maybe it should be a suburban, to tow the p71

It is clearly Suburban towing the P71 towing the Miata.

penultimeta wrote:

RevRico wrote:

Furious_E wrote: In reply to NickD: I always thought it was the XJ as well, but maybe the 'Burban makes more sense since it can actually tow. This is a surprisingly contentious subject.

With the right hitch, a p71 can tow a miata. Maybe it should be a suburban, to tow the p71

It is clearly Suburban towing the P71 towing the Miata.

I must post my double trailer photo

It should be miata + P71 + wildcard.

We can allow for a small amount of variation amongst the ranks.

Link for those who want to look: https://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?fa=Main.Item&itemid=41&acctid=1820 Fire Chief car!

What I'm reading is the third slot in the trifecta is open. Maybe a poll?

In reply to rslifkin:

ZJs are like a LOT heavier, though, are't they? An XJ isn't much over 3k stock, thought the ZJ was up around 4k. Also, you can bolt those wonderful heated leather ZJ seats right into an XJ

ZJ suspension is half a copy/paste job from the XJ and it doesn't get much easier than leaf springs for going up or down on a budget. You've got me on the shock mounts, those do suck big balls. But on the bright side, the rear sway bar mounts work perfectly as bar pin eliminators when you inevitably lift it and ditch the rear bar anyways.

And finally, I'm just gonna leave this here.

Yeah, the ZJ is about 1000 lbs heavier. It's significant. The front suspension is the same as an XJ. The rear is basically the front 4 link flipped the other way and without the steering bits. Less concern for wheel hop / axle wrap than the leaf springs, which is nice. And no issues with leaf packs binding up like they had to work around on that XJ.

Plus, the ZJ unibody is less of a wet noodle, so by the time you stiffen the XJ one up a bit, you've soaked up some of the weight difference. And there's a few ZJ weight reduction tricks out there. It'll never be as light as an XJ, but getting a V8 ZJ down to 3800-ish lbs with the interior intact should be quite possible.

The good news is, ZJ springs (and front XJ springs) are shaped in a way that they can be cut at the bottom with no issues, so "making" springs is easy. Just need to find a set of springs of a known spring rate and that will give the correct ride height or higher and then start cutting until you get it right (and calculate the spring rate to be about what you want).

That's how I ended up with cut 3" lift coils in the front of my ZJ and cut up Moog progressive coils for the front of an early Bronco in the rear of mine... Good shocks, bigger front sway bar, rear sway bar thrown off a cliff (to get rid of the horrible binding in the end link design) and we're good to go!

Plus... V8 noises. And either of the stock V8s will happily tolerate having some boost stuffed into them and will get close to 500whp without exploding if you're a little bit careful about the setup.

Score on the P71, good price.

I think getting the fire department vehicle may mean an easier service life.

My last Crown Vic was a slick top (no light bar, also no A pillar spotlight) auction P71 with full civilian interior. Bought it figuring that it wouldn't have been used as a patrol car. Turned out to have been used as the designated "catch car". Work orders in the car showed a new set of tires every 8,000 miles, brakes every 12,000.

Still ran great for years, then gave it to my dad for several more years of use/abuse. Still think of getting another.

I've said it before, but P71 Fire-mobiles are the best. Basically outfitted like the cop version but never run as hard. At my volunteer station, command had red P71s 'til last year when the county gave them police spec Tahoes.

rslifkin wrote: Plus... V8 noises. And either of the stock V8s will happily tolerate having some boost stuffed into them and will get close to 500whp without exploding if you're a little bit careful about the setup.

Those things will do a lot. The son of the owner of the place I worked in high school had a VERY well built white ZJ that was a project several years prior. It was impressive. Got ebayed during my time there too, but I was in no position to buy it.

Nice find on the P71, now what is the evil plans for modifications?

The trifecta was miata, p71, Astro/safari, for sure. At least it used to be.

In reply to TIGMOTORSPORTS:

Remove the livery and take the paint down to the original white. It's already flaking off in spots, so I'm hoping it won't be too hard. I'd like to avoid a respray if possible. We'll see how that goes.

KYB shocks, Addco antiroll bars, and a set of 18in American Racing AR922 wheels. Maybe a stronger set of control arms for the rear axle. Timing of these will depend on the current condition of the car. Won't know that til I bring the car home.

Add the airbox and MAF from a Marauder and reflash the ECU. This is reported to add 15hp or so. (ETA: I just read that 2004+ P71/P7Bs already have these Marauder parts. Just have to reflash the ECU. I'll confirm and report back.) And I'd eventually like stainless headers and dual exhaust with X-pipe. Do the j-mod to the 4R70W to firm up shifts. I'll probably add a bigger tranny cooler when I do that.

Swap out the vinyl rear seat with a black or gray cloth seat from a local junkyard. Maybe replace the carpet with something nicer and add a little Dynamat while I'm in there.

I'll probably add a push bar to the front for giggles, but also as a place to mount some driving lights. I live in BFE, and my local rural roads are dark as hell at night.

Then top it off with a kickass stereo system, and this one will be done. Ish. Is a GRMer's car ever really done?

Hah. Eaton makes 2in lift springs for the Crown Vic. I wonder if I could squeeze 31s into the wheel wells.

Welcome to the madness of Panther ownership. We hope you enjoy your stay .