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Title: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Bill, KD0HG on June 07, 2009, 10:16:54 PM I'm looking at a 2000 ex-Colorado State Patrol Crown Vic for my son.
On an earlier thread here, it seemed that several of youse are happy Crown Vic owners...Any comments, pro or con, on the cop version? Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: k4kyv on June 07, 2009, 10:29:09 PM Does he plan to stick a couple dozen mag-mount antennas all over the roof and trunk, and wear an orange vest while driving it?
Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Bill, KD0HG on June 07, 2009, 10:58:49 PM No, my son is more or a Blues Brothers-Timtron type...Looking forward to freaking out his friends by pulling up at their homes in a police car.
His insurance is going to be affordable, too, compared to a Rice Rocket. Interestingly, one of the options this cop Crown Vic has is a knife guard in the front seat backs..A sheet of steel in there. The driver can can lock all the doors and windows. Limited slip real axle, a calibrated 140 MPH speedo. Beefier transmission.Oil cooler..This one has a built-in roll bar. Big alternator and battery. Eat your heart out, Volvo. Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Pete, WA2CWA on June 07, 2009, 11:01:25 PM I wouldn't even get in one of those turkey's. It's got to be one of the most dangerous cars on the road.
Check this link on some history: http://www.crownvictoriasafetyalert.com/ Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: w3jn on June 07, 2009, 11:03:29 PM Very much pro. Only problem I've had (184K mi, bought it with 45K) is the coils - I've replaced 6 of the 8. A fan relay went out. A headlight wire chafed against the frame and shorted intermittently. And a wire that someone had spliced previously went intermittent. That's it, and the last set of tires lasted 130K mi! You can get the coils on eBay for pretty cheap - $40 or so each. NAPA gets about $120 IIRC each.
A buddy (N9MC) has bought two ex-Colorado Crown Vic P71s and he's very pleased with 'em. You'll get pretty much the same gas mileage as the stock CV. Difference is that the P71 has an oil cooler, heavier duty this-n-that, conduit for running cables to the trunk, and a puke-in-it-and-hose-it-out interior. The one thing I don't like about it is the seats, compared to my Suburban, or the Sebring my wife used to have. Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: w3jn on June 07, 2009, 11:14:25 PM I wouldn't even get in one of those turkey's. It's got to be one of the most dangerous cars on the road. Check this link on some history: http://www.crownvictoriasafetyalert.com/ LOL that's pretty funny... From wkipedia Quote The reports that the cars were more prone to fires during a rear collision was a simple combination of four things. First, most law enforcement agencies rely heavily on the Crown Victoria as their primary vehicle, meaning that any police-related auto accident is very likely to involve a Crown Victoria. Second, the accidents occurred as the result of the officers intentionally parking their vehicles close to active traffic to shield a stopped motorist - something most civilians would never do. Third, the impacting vehicle was often traveling at, or above, the posted legal limit (70-75 mph in most jurisdictions). The condition was exacerbated by police equipment installers drilling over the package tray in the luggage compartment. Due to the gas tank's orientation, drilling through the package tray may result in drilling into the gas tank. Installers also used screws set directly into the bulkhead and facing the fuel tank. In the event of a high-energy collision, these screws could be forced into the tank, both rupturing the tank and possibly acting as a spark source. Long bolts for mounting heavier equipment were also directly suspect. The manufacturer provided an aftermarket shield to help prevent these items from puncturing the tank during impact. Further, many investigations, both performed by federal/state agencies, and the police department themselves, have found that removable items in the trunk were improperly stowed. These items became tank-piercing projectiles during the rear-collision scenarios. Ford's second solution came in the form of a recall kit including patterns to mark unsafe areas (to drill) in the luggage compartment. <snip> Despite numerous court cases charging Ford with partial liability for fires caused in accidents, the company has never been found liable in a Crown Victoria accident. Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Pete, WA2CWA on June 07, 2009, 11:24:38 PM This is even funnier:
From wkipedia Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: KF1Z on June 07, 2009, 11:30:34 PM Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: W2VW on June 08, 2009, 01:35:35 AM I wouldn't even get in one of those turkey's. I bet you would have no problem if it were an ARRL staff car. Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: AMroo on June 08, 2009, 02:24:27 AM One trend I have found when buying many things from cars to Radio gear. If you do research on the net- take into account that those who already won one will do any thing to defend it, it's normal to try to justify a choice to yourself and others even if it was a totally bad one. The worst offenders are the forums for a particular such item, were people with that particular item group together. Ask them it's all good they never tell you the bad. I find a good one is do do a search on - "product" problems - then you stand a chance of picking up the issues. Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: WZ1M on June 08, 2009, 04:10:19 AM FORD, They will nickle dime you to death.........................
Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: w3jn on June 08, 2009, 07:05:18 AM One trend I have found when buying many things from cars to Radio gear. If you do research on the net- take into account that those who already won one will do any thing to defend it, it's normal to try to justify a choice to yourself and others even if it was a totally bad one. The worst offenders are the forums for a particular such item, were people with that particular item group together. Ask them it's all good they never tell you the bad. I find a good one is do do a search on - "product" problems - then you stand a chance of picking up the issues. Not sure what your point is - I told all the bad there is to tell about mine. Seeing as they made a bazillion of these things I'm sure others have had worse - and better - experiences than I. If you compare two of the websites devoted to exposing vehicle problems (apparently run by the same people), Camry has "369 problems" vs Crown Vic "67 problems" (whatever that means). The converse of your point is true as well - that being those dissatisfied for one reason or another band together and can't say a good word at all about the product. Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: W1GFH on June 08, 2009, 08:26:03 AM No, my son is more or a Blues Brothers-Timtron type...Looking forward to freaking out his friends by pulling up at their homes in a police car. (Elwood Blues floors the pedal and jumps over an open drawbridge) Jake: Car's got a lot of pickup. Elwood: It's got a cop motor, a 440 cubic inch plant, it's got cop tires, cop suspensions, cop shocks. It's a model made before catalytic converters so it'll run good on regular gas. What do you say, is it the new Bluesmobile or what? - The Blues Brothers, 1980 Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: W2PFY on June 08, 2009, 09:04:28 AM Round here the taxi companies eat them up. Trouble is the front set in this taxi was fixed and you had about 8 inches of foot room in the back seat. Guess they build them that way so unruly people in the back would have less leg room to get into trouble with.
Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: W3SLK on June 08, 2009, 09:12:56 AM Elwood said, (via W1GFH):
Quote It's got a cop motor, a 440 cubic inch plant, it's got cop tires, cop suspensions, cop shocks. It's a model made before catalytic converters so it'll run good on regular gas. What do you say, is it the new Bluesmobile or what? Jake: Fix the lighter! Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: W2ZE on June 08, 2009, 09:21:27 AM Quote I wouldn't even get in one of those turkey's. It's got to be one of the most dangerous cars on the road. Check this link on some history: http://www.crownvictoriasafetyalert.com/ I read it on the internet, it must be true. Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Bill, KD0HG on June 08, 2009, 10:20:45 AM Very much pro. Only problem I've had (184K mi, bought it with 45K) is the coils - I've replaced 6 of the 8. A fan relay went out. A headlight wire chafed against the frame and shorted intermittently. And a wire that someone had spliced previously went intermittent. That's it, and the last set of tires lasted 130K mi! You can get the coils on eBay for pretty cheap - $40 or so each. NAPA gets about $120 IIRC each. A buddy (N9MC) has bought two ex-Colorado Crown Vic P71s and he's very pleased with 'em. You'll get pretty much the same gas mileage as the stock CV. Difference is that the P71 has an oil cooler, heavier duty this-n-that, conduit for running cables to the trunk, and a puke-in-it-and-hose-it-out interior. The one thing I don't like about it is the seats, compared to my Suburban, or the Sebring my wife used to have. Thanks for the info..I once owned a 2000 F-150 with the same coil setup on a 5.4L. What sort of mileage do you get? One intangible is that everyone around here, including myself, seems to give a Crown Vic a long look and a wide berth. That's a safety plus, one would think. The 20 year olds around here wouldn't be seen in a mini van, "crossover" or SUV- Totally uncool. They like the classic American full-sized cars now. OK, so be it. We looked at a Lincoln Town Car and a Cadaverlac last week, but they were too beat. Another criteria is his budget is < $4K. He only needs to commute a short distance to work and school and to carry an amp and a couple of bass guitars in the trunk on weekends. I may disable the lighter... Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Steve - WB3HUZ on June 08, 2009, 11:11:50 AM If you ever find an LX model in good shape get it. It has the same motor and exhaust system as the cop car but none of the extra weight and complication of the radio/lights wiring and a superior air suspension. They usually have comfy seats too.
Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: WB2YGF on June 08, 2009, 12:32:09 PM As a young HAM, I drove a 1973 Plymouth Fury III. It was a popular cop car. With all the ham antennas, I was asked more than once if I was undercover. :)
Lots of trunk room for the 10M FM GE Prog line. Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Art on June 08, 2009, 02:15:33 PM Great vehicle, all the cop equipment gives it a good start. Then you get to the utilization of the individual vehicle. There's going to be a difference between those that have been primarily used on the highway and city use. You will also want to make sure the frame is straight. Mine was outstanding for 100K+ miles and relatively cheap to insure.
Just fix the lighter. . . . Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Bill, KD0HG on June 08, 2009, 04:03:46 PM Well, it's a done deal. 2000 silver Crown Vic Police for $2,650. Frame straight, drives straight hands-off, pulls good and the tranny shifts solid. Excellent brakes and 75% rubber. A bit over 100K miles. Ex-Colorado State Patrol, Carfax verifies, so it's all highway miles and has had regular maintenance. Was last used in Craig, Colo., which is a rural area in the northwest corner of the state.
The lighter is missing- LOL. One interesting feature is that there is a pair of brass posts in the trunk which are cabled to the battery up front. Looks like for jump-starting other vehicles from the rear. Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: w3jn on June 08, 2009, 05:51:53 PM Elwood said, (via W1GFH): Quote It's got a cop motor, a 440 cubic inch plant, it's got cop tires, cop suspensions, cop shocks. It's a model made before catalytic converters so it'll run good on regular gas. What do you say, is it the new Bluesmobile or what? Jake: Fix the lighter! LOL Good deal, Bill. My '98 P71 is my 18 YO kid's favorite car to drive, of the 4 in the stable. The only bad thing about having the P71 is people ahead of you slow WAY down which can be frustrating on a 2 lane road ;) I get 23 MPG winter/summer commuting to work (1/2 2 lane hwy with plenty of stoplights, 1/2 interstate/parkway, sometimes stop-n-go). Regarding the jumper terminals, I had a '78 Plymouth Fury ex-MN State Patrol car that had a little hose reel under the hood, with a tee and valve off the fuel pump. Just the thing for giving a stranded motorist a gallon or so of gas. And Pete thinks the gas tank in the P71 is a fire hazard ;D Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Bill, KD0HG on June 08, 2009, 06:03:50 PM Tnx for info..My son is going to learn how to do an oil change this weekend. Just picked up a filter and 5 qts of oil. Tranny fluid and filter is next. Prolly similar to my Ford F-250 setup and the wife's Grand Cherokee- Drop the pan and oil, change the filter, and fill it up.
I don't know, but if there's a safer car for being rear-ended or hitting a tree at 75 MPH I'd like to know what it is. The thing has air bags, at least. You know what- If I was rear ended by a drunk at 75 MPH, i wouldn't be suing Ford for the consequences. That's the way I am. (If I survived) There's a 1/2" hole in the roof where the wiring for the candles came through...I need to find out where you get those nice rubber plugs for ex-two-way antenna holes. Or I can hang a few Larsen VHF antennas on the top... ;D Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: w3jn on June 08, 2009, 06:07:11 PM Changing the earl is a bit more of a PITA due to the oil cooler. You needs ta do some gymnastics with the filter to get it in and out, which usually ends up with earl all over the driveway.
Good edumacation for the boy, though. The thing is really easy to work on, relatively speaking, should it ever need it. Only work I've done myself is brakes, tracking down those afore-mentioned electrical gremlins, and changing the Earl of Crankcase. The coil packs I had done at a local shop. Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Bill, KD0HG on June 08, 2009, 06:10:23 PM That's where living on a farm with a gravel driveway comes in handy!
The more spilled earl, the better! Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: KF1Z on June 08, 2009, 06:54:03 PM That's where living on a farm with a gravel driveway comes in handy! The more spilled earl, the better! Helps keep the dust down! Also helps to keep those pesky enviro-mentals on the edge of a stroke too ;D Many benefits. Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Pete, WA2CWA on June 08, 2009, 07:39:32 PM And Pete thinks the gas tank in the P71 is a fire hazard ;D I just posted a link http://www.crownvictoriasafetyalert.com/ on what has been reported around the country over the years with the police and fleet versions of this car. You can draw your own conclusions on how you value the safety of anyone getting into one of these turkeys. Personally, I wouldn't touch one with a 50 foot pole. And, of course, they don't need lighters, since some of them can light up themselves if you rub them the wrong way. This car must be a "big momma" relation to the Ford Pinto. Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: W2VW on June 08, 2009, 08:26:48 PM Changing the earl is a bit more of a PITA due to the oil cooler. You needs ta do some gymnastics with the filter to get it in and out, which usually ends up with earl all over the driveway. The earl filter comes out easy if you cut the wheels all the way to one side. I forget which. Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: w3jn on June 08, 2009, 09:32:43 PM And Pete thinks the gas tank in the P71 is a fire hazard ;D I just posted a link http://www.crownvictoriasafetyalert.com/ on what has been reported around the country over the years with the police and fleet versions of this car. You can draw your own conclusions on how you value the safety of anyone getting into one of these turkeys. Personally, I wouldn't touch one with a 50 foot pole. And, of course, they don't need lighters, since some of them can light up themselves if you rub them the wrong way. This car must be a "big momma" relation to the Ford Pinto. OMG I better run, not walk, down to the car RIGHT NOW and make sure it hasn't caught on fire :o :o In reality, 26 fires involving rear-end collisions out of a population of several million CV, Town Car, and Grand Marquis. NHTSA concluded: Quote ODI Findings: * The crash energy levels associated with post rear impact fuel tank failures in the CVPI vehicles are significantly greater than the levels in FMVSS 301 tests. * Fuel tank failures during high-speed rear impacts can result from numerous causes in addition to the hex-headed bolt and U-brackets identified in the Ford TSB.� Crash reports identify many causes for loss of fuel system integrity during a high-energy rear crash, such as puncture from a deformed frame rail, lower shock absorber supports, or stowed items in the trunk, hydrostatic rupture, and other causes. * Based on analysis of FARS data, the risk of fire per fatal rear crash in the subject vehicles is comparable to that of the GM B-body vehicle (Caprice). * The vast majority of reported post rear crash fires in the subject vehicles (over 80%) occurred in CVPI vehicles, even though they constitute less than 15% of the total Panther vehicle production. * The Florida Highway Patrol Study did not identify a difference between the post rear impact fire risk in CVPI vehicles and that of the Caprice police vehicles. * Ford-sponsored testing indicates that the subject vehicles are not unique in their inability to maintain fuel tank integrity in at least one example of a severe rear impact crash.� * There have been numerous high-energy rear crashes involving CVPI vehicles within the scope of Ford�s TSB that exhibited little or no fuel loss and no fire.� I think your hysteria is a bit misplaced, Pete. Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Bill, KD0HG on June 08, 2009, 09:39:50 PM One more time:
What vehicle out there is safest in a 75 MPH rear-ender? Pete, do you know? Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: K6JEK on June 08, 2009, 09:57:18 PM If I understood what I read in all those posts, there is a not-very-expensive shield kit available to provide extra protection for the fuel tank.
"The board met in special session Friday and voted to buy 18 protective Kevlar shields designed for the trunks of Ford Crown Victoria police vehicles. The shields cost about $271 each and will be purchased from Donnell Ford, Boardman." It might be reasonable to add one (if it doesn't already have it) for additional peace of mind or simply rely on the statistics of teen drivers: a) they aren't likely to have much gas in the tank anyway b) they are more likely to hit something than to be hit by someone else. That car is such a good deal I feel like looking for one myself although I don't need one, don't know what I'd do with it, but what a lot of car for such a modest price. Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Ralph W3GL on June 08, 2009, 10:13:20 PM " This car must be a "big momma" relation to the Ford Pinto. " Gee, I wonder where I can find a replacement for my old '73 Pinto Squire? Just checked EPay Motors and there is one out there @ $2400 buy it now or best offer...Guess the CV is a better buy. ::) Actually, I have had 4 Pintos in the last 37 years and all things considered they were great little rides... Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Pete, WA2CWA on June 08, 2009, 10:14:32 PM I think your hysteria is a bit misplaced, Pete. Sorry, no hysteria here. I only reported or linked to documented news items. Someone once said, "In short, the truth often hurts, but failure to acknowledge the truth can hurt even more." (ed. but maybe not today) And another tidbit I found from autosafety.org: "Ford Admits Crown Vic Failed Crash Test - Ford announced Sept. 27, it would install fuel tank shields on some 350,000 Crown Vic police cars, touting a crash test it claimed showed the shields effective at speeds up to 75 miles per hour. However, a Ford official acknowledged in a deposition taken last month that the crash-tested tank actually leaked more than 40 ounces of a fuel substitute known as Stoddard. Federal standards limit fuel tank leaks in crash tests to no more than one ounce." Ya want more, try this: http://www.autosafety.org/campaigns/26 Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Fred k2dx on June 08, 2009, 10:17:11 PM Well, whatever it is... we can bet it is a full sized American V8 sedan or SUV with rear wheel drive and a real frame under it LOL.
JN that's real respectable mileage too. I consider the money spent on fuel in my full size vehicles cheap insurance. I was rear ended once in my full size K5 Blazer, some lower back compression for me and a tailgate and quarter panel for the truck. The other car, a 70's Cutlass was totalled. The front bumper, grille, header panel and one fender were completely ripped off. The frame was bent. My frame was fine. That's why I always remember the truism; Big vehicle always wins. It's physics. Bill that's a fine choice for your boy, he will like it. It's a safe car too. It's no accident cops like them. Those power points in the truck could be used for jumper cables, but that's the main battery B+ connection for the trunk mounted electronics as well. BTW what is the main statewide radio sytem out there? Have they gone trunking exclusively or is there still high power vhf or low band with 100 watt radios? The Crown Vics/Mercury Grand Marquis are the last decent sedans. The tree huggers can go you know where! Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Pete, WA2CWA on June 08, 2009, 10:26:13 PM One more time: What vehicle out there is safest in a 75 MPH rear-ender? Pete, do you know? Don't know. Do they even test for this type of impact for fuel tank explosion? According to this news item: "Ford's Panther line of cars, which consists of the Crown Victoria, Lincoln Town Car and Grand Marquis, is the oldest auto platform in North America. They are the only cars still designed with the fuel tank located outside the protection of the rear axle and within the car's "crush zone." No other passenger cars manufactured on this continent have retained this fuel tank position because it has been considered too dangerous." Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Bill, KD0HG on June 08, 2009, 11:56:11 PM Couple of comments after a day-
My son loves driving it. So do I. It handles a lot like a smaller car, firm and precise rack-n-pinon steering. Lot of guts and the trans shifts like a rock when you put your foot in it. Great roar out of the tail pipe-wham-shift.. Very comfortable ride, great back seat. Cavernous trunk. Got a few things to fix, the rear windows won't operate except from the driver's position. The radio stinks. Yes, there is a built-in roll bar and knife-proof steel in the backs of the front seats. A lot of other vehicles stay w-a-a-y away from you, thinking it's a cop car. I went down the interstate with the cruise locked down at the speed limit and no one passed me for 10 miles. I guess that's a safety feature..? Except for the 140 MPH speedo which impressed the boy. Extremely comfortable, front seats and rear. Very similar ride to a Volvo 850 or large Beemer. Tight shocks and springs. Haven't tried a bootlegger's turn in it yet. Seems to be getting around 22-23 MPG so far. Fred: The city of Denver is on a 800 MHz GE trunked system, the Colorado State Patrol and everyone else is still on 150 MHz VHF. The CSP still uses the 100 watt VHF Motorola rigs. Probably better than using a trunked system in our rough terrain. Some of the rural electric utilities are still on low-band. Now I need to get a Smokey Bear hat to totally freak people out. Where can I find a good Motrac? Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Opcom on June 09, 2009, 12:18:45 AM I had an '02 civilian one. It was just fine. I can only imagine the cop one would be a little better. The horsepower is low on them (200 something) for such a big car, but then what HP isn't low today.
Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: w3jn on June 09, 2009, 08:02:37 AM Sorry, no hysteria here. I only reported or linked to documented news items. Someone once said, "In short, the truth often hurts, but failure to acknowledge the truth can hurt even more." (ed. but maybe not today) And another tidbit I found from autosafety.org: "Ford Admits Crown Vic Failed Crash Test - Ford announced Sept. 27, it would install fuel tank shields on some 350,000 Crown Vic police cars, touting a crash test it claimed showed the shields effective at speeds up to 75 miles per hour. However, a Ford official acknowledged in a deposition taken last month that the crash-tested tank actually leaked more than 40 ounces of a fuel substitute known as Stoddard. Federal standards limit fuel tank leaks in crash tests to no more than one ounce." Ya want more, try this: http://www.autosafety.org/campaigns/26 No hysteria, Pete? Physician, heal thyself: Quote from: WA2CWA You can draw your own conclusions on how you value the safety of anyone getting into one of these turkeys. Personally, I wouldn't touch one with a 50 foot pole. And, of course, they don't need lighters, since some of them can light up themselves if you rub them the wrong way. This car must be a "big momma" relation to the Ford Pinto. Uhh.... where's the evidence of *that*?? Also, the NHTSA has no standards for 75-MPH rear-end collisions. This is all a bunch of BS, and NHTSA said as much in their conclusion. Quote from: NHTSA * The crash energy levels associated with post rear impact fuel tank failures in the CVPI vehicles are significantly greater than the levels in FMVSS 301 tests. Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: WA3VJB on June 09, 2009, 08:21:48 AM I'm looking at a 2000 ex-Colorado State Patrol Crown Vic for my son. On an earlier thread here, it seemed that several of youse are happy Crown Vic owners...Any comments, pro or con, on the cop version? My brother KC4CMR has had two of them over the years, a 1992 and his 1999. Both have been excellent. It's true about the equipment mounting -- a municipal radio shop that he's familiar with told a story about how the chief installer put a sheet metal screw right through the trunk and into the gas tank of a brand new Crown Vic that had just come off the truck. First sign of a problem was a little puddle at first fill up. A new gas tank and lots of red faces later, they went through and checked the whole fleet. Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: K6JEK on June 09, 2009, 10:49:17 AM http://www.qmuniforms.com/product.asp?category=200301403&status=P4&sku=P2228
or http://www.galls.com/style.html?assort=general_catalog&style=HW257 or best of all (scroll down a little to the felt one) http://www.reddiamondonline.com/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=39 Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: KB5MD on June 09, 2009, 10:55:46 AM I manufacture and install graphic packages for several counties and municipalities on their police vehicles and the majority are crown vics. I have always wondered what the hole in the rear door is for. It is located underneath the side molding on all crown vics.
Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: W4EWH on June 09, 2009, 11:18:19 AM I'm looking at a 2000 ex-Colorado State Patrol Crown Vic for my son. On an earlier thread here, it seemed that several of youse are happy Crown Vic owners...Any comments, pro or con, on the cop version? My wife's car used to be a Taurus SHO, which we bought from the GSA auction. It had been a FPS "cop" car, with oil cooler, heavy-duty alternator, knife shield, and dual exhausts. Every mechanic that saw it remarked on how nicely it was outfitted. There are intangible benefits to driving an ex-cop car: I was on 495 once, doing ~75, when a state police cruiser came up behind me and turned on his alternating headlights instead of the blue lights. I took the hint; he obviously assumed I was driving an unmarked police car. If the siren/howler/etc electronics come with it, that's a big plus: you can lock the setting to "Horn", and connect it to your horn button, so that anyone you beep at will straighten up as if they'd been tassered. However, you must relocate the unit to the engine compartment so that it can't be changed to siren mode. Real cops won't like the sound, but they'll let you slide if you can prove it used to be a police car. If the one you're looking at has the searchlight in the driver's-side post (the one you aim with a handle inside the car), then you'll be amazed at how quickly people get out of your way when you're behind them in the passing lane. The 2 meter antenna helps a little, but everyone "knows" what the searchlight means! 73, Bill W1AC Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Fred k2dx on June 09, 2009, 12:19:00 PM We had two loaded Grand Marquis (cousins of CV) and they were excellant cars, the ex still has the last one. I had the occasion to drive many types of cop vehicles thru work for the last 23 years, and none compared IMHO to the CV's. The Chargers sucked even, at least the ones with the package around here in that they were geared WAY to high. With the OD no need for it and no hole shot at all. The rear visibility was poor for parking. The Caprices were fair, lively but the amount of glass was like a fishbowl - great for solar heating! - and funky looking. The FWD Chevy Impala's were very uncomfortable, and a V-6? Ha. FWD is crap for handling.
Here's a question: Who knows what was the fastest stock cop car - both 1/4 mile time AND top end, for over 20 years, from around 1970 into the 1990's? Not sure but also probably the heaviest/biggest and certainly intimidating? Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Bill, KD0HG on June 09, 2009, 01:41:31 PM I Googled up the 1969 Dodge Polara 440, 375 HP that the California Highway Patrol had ordered.
Don't know about the 1/4 mile, but a claimed 140 MPH top end. Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Fred k2dx on June 09, 2009, 01:58:38 PM Yeah, that was a deceiving 375 hp, the torque was like 490 ft/lbs @ ~2500 rpm. The 1/4 mile time was in the low 14's, 0-60 six seconds... nothing tested faster for cop cars until Chevy put the Corvette engine in the smaller and lighter Caprice! I think the '440 Magnum' tested at 145 (147 another source) mph , that could be influenced by altitude, temp, etc. Chrysler put the engine into 300's as well. Those are respectable numbers for a true land yacht!
Single 4bbl, high compression heads, dual points, dual snorkle air cleaner, special cam, steel crank, cast iron headers... "Hit it Jake!" Here's a link : http://www.allpar.com/squads/history.html Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: w3jn on June 09, 2009, 07:20:58 PM The '78 Fury and Monaco were a bit smaller than the full size Polara and older Furies. The A38 police package topped out with a 440/4barrel. I once buried the 140 MPH certified speedometer in mine - yeah, I was young and dumb. Was rock stable til about 130 or so, then the front end started lifting. It'd do 0-60-0 in less than a city block... That thing had NASCAR stiff suspension, too
It wasn't nearly as reliable as my CV - carburetor etc - but was a LOT more fun to drive ;D Mine was very much like this one, except no decals... (http://www.sportscarmarket.com/auctions/getimage.php?scm_num=42287) Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: W2JTD on June 09, 2009, 08:05:04 PM Maggie and I have a Vic. Run it to Deerfield every year. Nice ride, but with the ass-end drive, you gotta accept the fishtailing on a wet road. Non-cop version - old lady version. Not bad for shaggin' in the back seat, if you leave one door open.
Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: w3jn on June 09, 2009, 09:18:40 PM How many times did your CV catch fire, Paul ;D
Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: The Slab Bacon on June 10, 2009, 08:07:14 AM Not bad for shaggin' in the back seat, if you leave one door open. If youse guys werent 12' tall, that wouldnt be a problem!! ;D ;D Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: W1GFH on June 10, 2009, 12:39:04 PM The only cop car I was ever interested in was the Ozzie Ford police "Interceptor" in Mad Max. I especially thought the jump seat for the German Shepherd was cool...
(http://www.madmaxmovies.com/cars/mad-max-interceptor/images/cots/Interior.jpg) Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: WD8BIL on June 12, 2009, 03:09:46 PM Quote FORD, They will nickle dime you to death......................... Alot depends on PM. I'm driving my 3rd Ford pickup and all have gone >250K mi. I know I've spent less on the last 2 than my neighbor has on his li'l TOYota. Again, it's all in the preventive maintenence. Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Bill, KD0HG on August 20, 2009, 10:11:53 PM FWIW, my son was driving the Crown Vic and he wasT-Boned on the right passenger door by a Ford Expedition at 30+ (maybe 40)MPH last weekend.
Both he and his girlfriend walked away, the car was totaled. Insurance paid off, and I bought him a 2004 ex- Colorado State Patrol Crown Vic today with the proceeds. 119,000 miles on it. This newer one has side airbags in the doors, a roll bar and an automatic fire-suppression system that fires off in the event of an impact. Also shuts off the fuel system. And it runs like a bat out of hell if you put your foot in it. A 2004 P71 Police package for $3400. Eat your heart out, Volvo. That 4,000# 20 MPG Police Crown VIc saved both his and girl friends life. They would have been toast in a lightweight ricebox. God bless.Thank you. Pictures to follow. Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Steve - WB3HUZ on August 20, 2009, 11:57:42 PM Wow. Glad everyone was OK fine. Gotta love the big metal.
Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: w3jn on August 21, 2009, 04:50:03 AM I thought if you barely touched them, they caught fire???
Seriously, glad everyone's OK, Bill. Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: WA3VJB on August 21, 2009, 06:53:39 AM Yeah boy, there IS a good sense of security in a hooptie like these. Glad they walked away from it, Bill.
I "somewhat" miss my 1987 Dodge Diplomat. Only because it was a cool car to drive. Still had the center radio tray, arrest cage, Kojack light, and some plastic cuffs. Missing the door handles in the back, hmm. And the lock-pullups, hmm. Loved the remote trunk release, and the single key system. Auction purchase price $350 with 71,000 in 1992. Sold for $900 with 130,000 in 2008. Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: The Slab Bacon on August 21, 2009, 09:04:08 AM <snip> Auction purchase price $350 with 71,000 in 1992.
Sold for $900 with 130,000 in 2008. <snip> "Now, thats quite a message!!" ;D ;D Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: WA1GFZ on August 21, 2009, 10:25:02 AM I'll pass on a yuppie crap box and prefer a real car with a frame under it.
Or I will drive a truck with a real frame under it. Roads full of idiots Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Bill, KD0HG on August 21, 2009, 10:43:43 AM LOL!
Most of the Colorado State Patrol cars are silver-gray Crown Vics with black trim like the one I bought. Denver cops have white ones. When we first drove it home from Denver, we took I-25 for 50 miles. I was in the lead doing the speed limit in the right lane and my son was driving the cop car about 1/4 mile behind me. Instead of the usual bunch of weaving jerks, people passed him s-l-o-w-l-y at no more than 5-10 MPH over the limit and used their turn signals before changing lanes in front or behind him. Incredible. The car idiot-proofed a large bubble of traffic around him. I could see in my rear-view that no one wanted to hang around him in traffic. Glad they left the black spotlight on the driver's door.. This newer Vic has a "Police Trunk Pack" in it, which is a large plastic box with dividers to hold equipment. Has a label stating that it's DuPont Kevlar, which I think is designed to deflect gun fire from the rear. There are also Kevlar blankets in the front doors which a cop can theoretically duck behind in a shootout. Think I'll drive it the next time I visit Chicago... Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: K1JJ on August 21, 2009, 11:02:28 AM The car idiot-proofed a large bubble of traffic around him. I could see in my rear-view that no one wanted to hang around him in traffic. Glad they left the black spotlight on the driver's door.. "The car idiot-proofed a large bubble of traffic around him." HA! That's a funny line and so true, Bill. I regret not picking up an auction Crown Vic after buying an '04 Pontiac Grand AM two years ago. Better yet, I saw an all-black Ford "Intercepter" last month in the parking lot. What a classy looking car that was. It had no chrome or trim of any kind, except for the Interceptor insigia. - like a Men in Black car. As for the idiot-proofed bubble, I have an old Boy Scout campaign hat that looks something like a state trooper's hat. I once wore it at Hosstraders. Once in a while I'll wear it while driving and watch the bubble form. Hanging a uniform on the rear hook at the window would complete the effect... ;D But there's nothing like your spotlight on the driver's door to cornvince everyone to stay away. T Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: WA1GFZ on August 21, 2009, 11:06:52 AM Tom,
I saw the state is unloading a bunch of cars to save money maybe you can still get one. I liked the old ones with a 351 overhead cam. Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Bill, KD0HG on August 21, 2009, 12:52:59 PM I bet Tom looks cute in a Boy Scout uniform...
Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: WA1GFZ on August 21, 2009, 01:00:48 PM Nothing like a small antenna sticking up out of the trunk lid
Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: w1vtp on August 21, 2009, 01:43:24 PM Couldn't get the first post to take -- I'm trying again
I am a satisfied owner of a Crown Vic... It is a 2001. It gets really good MPG (about 25 - 28). It also handles well. I was coming home one night and some drugged out @#% hung a 90 deg from my right side and stopped right in front of me. I did a quick tweak of the steering wheel while laying on the breaks. The ABS worked like a charm, I drove right around him no sweat. I'll never forget the dazed "deer in the headlights" look on the idiot. The family was with me in the car -- they can attest that that maneuver should NEVER had worked -- but it did. I'm looking at my FIRST repair at 108K miles. A squeaky front end is probably either a dried out ball joint or tie rod end. That's it for repairs. Oh Yeah. Did I tell you the brakes work GREAT? Al, Satisfied VIC owner Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: W3LSN on August 22, 2009, 12:35:41 AM I manufacture and install graphic packages for several counties and municipalities on their police vehicles and the majority are crown vics. Hopefully you're not the one responsible for this? Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Bill, KD0HG on August 22, 2009, 10:51:58 AM Here's a pic of the new Crown Vic. Also a pic of one of the sheets of yellow Kevlar bulletproofing, this one attached to the cop toolbox in the trunk.
Same stuff is inside the doors. Maybe 3/8" thick. I don't know what that stuff costs, but it's got to be pricey. Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Steve - WB3HUZ on August 22, 2009, 03:03:11 PM Nice ride. I've always liked the blacked out grill look.
Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: KL7OF on August 22, 2009, 04:05:10 PM Nothing like a land yacht!
Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: KB2WIG on August 22, 2009, 08:52:35 PM " Same stuff is inside the doors. Maybe 3/8" thick.
I don't know what that stuff costs, but it's got to be pricey. " In the late 1990's, a 'pop in' kevlar door panel was around $1K. These things were retrofitted, and placed inside the driver or passenger door. This may be of interest..... not as much as the UAV. http://cache.jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/02/The_EM50_UrbanAssaultVehicle.jpg klc Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Bill, KD0HG on August 22, 2009, 11:27:21 PM WHY would you want to bulletproof a bus?
What IS that thing? Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: w3jn on August 23, 2009, 01:22:52 AM You never saw "Stripes"????
Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: W2JBL on August 24, 2009, 12:32:30 AM I own a 1998 Crown Vic P71 and love it. they are very easy to modify for better handling and more power. the rear suspension is derived from an oval track sprint/modified design and is excellent. I have a few mods in mine- urethane suspension bushings, air lift bags with daul feed in the rear springs to fine tune the handling, Afco oval track gas shocks, some extra bars welded in to reinforce the frame, and urethane GM style body mounts to stiffen it more. I cut the entire front out of the cold air intake box (good for 10HP) and re-flashed the ECM with a Hypertech power programmer (+20 HP and 30ft lbs torque ), and put a road race alignment on the front end: -.5 degree camber, 1/8" (total for both wheels ) toe- out, +5 degrees caster. I also have a Ford Motorsport 3:55 rear end gear (standard on some P71 packages but not mine) and the superb Ford Motorsport limited slip differential, way better than stock P71 positraction. i'm somewhere around 250-260Hp with the engine. the 2004
is near 270, with a better tranny and software in the ECM. I love the car. it's literally a 4000 pound Mustang, handles like Dale Earhardt in old #3, is King Kong strong, and reliable. it also scares the crap out of the "insurgents"... Oh yes- Bill don't tell your son but I disabled the RPM and top speed limiter in my software package. I have PEGGED that 140 speedo. the car has an outstanding aero package, but you need to get the nose down, and the rear up a tad if you go much over 100 or front end lift is a problem. Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: Bill, KD0HG on August 24, 2009, 10:06:05 AM Thanks for interesting info. While I'm a traditionalist, I'm starting to really like the Ford modular engines. I think the 4.6 = the old 302, the 5.4 = the 351 and the 6.8 = the old bulletproof 460?
I was wondering about the high speeds and the tires, so I checked out the state-issued rubber on the thing. Goodyear Eagle Ultra Grip GW2, all-season mud/snow. The big surprise is they're V speed rated, or 149 MPH. $136 a pop, which is a bargain for what they are. A 149 MPH rated snow tire? Never would have believed it. No wonder the CSP buys them. Title: Re: Crown Vic Police Interceptor? Post by: k4kyv on August 25, 2009, 11:12:15 PM Wonder how many Crown Vics ended up in the Kash for Klunkers scrap pile. AMfone - Dedicated to Amplitude Modulation on the Amateur Radio Bands
I heard that Russia has started its own "Rubles for Wrecks" program, somewhat modelled after ours. But they only allow trade-ins for a Russian car, and people who live there know that Russian-made cars suck, so it hasn't exactly been a smashing success so far. |