Video: Making a Crown Victoria handle as well a sports car

https://www.youtube.com/embed/1umWh4wmr-g

Can you turn an old cop car into a canyon-carving sports sedan?

Jim Leonard, the owner of this 2008 Ford Crown Victoria P71, explains how he did just that.

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Scotty Con Queso
Scotty Con Queso UltraDork
8/1/23 11:16 a.m.

Awesome stuff.  Jim is a great dude!  

J.A. Ackley
J.A. Ackley Senior Editor
8/2/23 9:48 a.m.

The Crown Vics are certainly a growing class in the oval-track world. It's no wonder why.

AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter)
AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter) PowerDork
8/2/23 10:11 a.m.

Now I'm looking at LS powered Caprice police cars again.

edizzle89
edizzle89 SuperDork
8/2/23 1:13 p.m.

 

I found removing 1100+ lbs helps quite a bit too

HalfAssedStillFast
HalfAssedStillFast New Reader
10/13/23 11:56 a.m.
edizzle89 said:

 

I found removing 1100+ lbs helps quite a bit too

Do you have a write up on Vickolas somewhere?

Pete. (l33t FS)
Pete. (l33t FS) MegaDork
10/13/23 7:34 p.m.

I am not going to say that I have slid a PD's P71 around while taking an offramp too fast, but the suspension on those worked well with the police spec tires and vice versa.

The tires were like $200 each in 1998 dollars.  That was about as expensive as tires got.  Even Gatorbacks, known for being silly expensive, were about $200-250 each.

Javelin
Javelin MegaDork
10/14/23 3:33 a.m.

Yes. 

tester (Forum Supporter)
tester (Forum Supporter) HalfDork
3/25/24 11:37 a.m.

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

The chassis, suspension, and steering were updated in 2003.  The later cars have rack and pinion steering and other improvements. 

Pete. (l33t FS)
Pete. (l33t FS) MegaDork
3/25/24 7:55 p.m.

In reply to tester (Forum Supporter) :

They look a lot like Volvo was told to go to town on it.  At least, the construction methods between its front end and a P2 chassis Volvo are very similar. 

And curse those damned obtuse-cone ball joint and tie rod tapers.  GM didn't see a need to do that.

jkstill
jkstill New Reader
6/16/24 2:21 p.m.

In reply to Javelin :

looks like you have a ticket under the wiper there. 

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