How to make a CHEAP Crown Vic into a RACE Car
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 2 окт 2024
- #Masterworks - The only investments platform dedicated
to art investing: masterworks.ar...
The Crown Victoria became a legend while serving as the reliable choice for police departments and taxi services. Lately, thanks to people like Cleetus McFarland and, well, us, more people are seeing them as sleds for racing, drifting, or overlanding shenanigans. But can you actually make one go around a corner? Or a whole road course?
Use Off The Record! and ALWAYS fight your tickets! Enter code TST10 for a 10% discount on your first case on the Off The Record app, or go to off-the-record...
Want to watch the live stream, get ad-free podcasts, or exclusive podcasts? Join our Patreon: / thesmokingtirepodcast
Follow us!
T: @thesmokingtire @zackklapman
IG: @thesmokingtire @fakezackklapman
MODS:
Engine:
K&N drop in
F150 3v throttle body
SR performance plenum 41120
Mo's Speed Shop custom tune
Brakes/Wheels:
Wilwood Aerolite 6 piston 14" rotors kit
Wilwood SS brake lines
TCE Performance SS rear lines
04 Mustang GT Master Cylinder (Larger bore)
Wilwood Hi-temp race fluid
GT500 wheels with 275 RE71R
Chassis:
Seam welding / Frame bracing along door edges
Driveshaft Pro Custom Alum. driveshaft
Outcast Autoworks Adj. Motor Mounts
Suspension:
ADTR Front coilovers
750# 2.5 ID coilover
ADTR 1 3/8" Front swaybar
ADTR 1" rear swaybar
Custom 4" spherical & adj. front end links
Maximum Motorsports Ride Height adjusters MM5RRHA-2
Maximum Motorsports spherical lower control arms MM5RLCA-52
SPC camber bolts
Massive Speed Systems spherical Watts link
Energy Suspension Poly Rear end links
Interior:
Bimarco FIA racing seat
Grant suede steering wheel
Differential:
Ford Racing LSD w/ carbon clutch packs
Ford Racing 4.10 gears
Transmission:
Tremec 3650 swap
Exedy Mach 350 stage 1 clutch
ADTR pedal assembly
UPR shift arm
SR Performance firewall adjuster
Amp Distributing copper shifter bushing
Steeda Tri-Ax shifter
Borla XR-1 race mufflers
Check out our PODCAST! Over 100,000 listeners and counting!
RUclips: / thesmokingtirepodcast
Spotify: open.spotify.c...
Apple podcasts: podcasts.apple...
Google Podcasts: podcasts.googl...
NEW SHIRTS!
www.blipshift....
Neither Masterworks.io, LLC nor any of its affiliates are registered, licensed or supervised as a broker dealer or investment adviser by the securities and exchange commission (SEC), the financial industry regulatory authority (FINRA) or any other financial regulatory authority or licensed to provide any financial advice or services. For more information, go to www.masterwork...
Interesting how you did not have to constantly use the word “aggressive” in this review, which I believe breaks all laws of RUclips 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
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
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
Don't let Cleetus McFarland get his hands on this.
Matt reviewed this car years ago. It's great to see there progression of this ride
The P71s had an aluminum driveshaft from the factory, versus the steel units regular Vics got. Hell, Ford even stamped "POLICE" on it.
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
Zack is a natural comedian
Zack is a natural 🤡 FIFY
@@Twobarpsipussy
Except he isn't funny like at all.
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!!!
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.
"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.
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.
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.
a manual swap makes any v8 car, awesome
When something so ridiculous turns out so well, it's absolutely praise worthy. I want one!
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 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
That car was really grounded to the ground.
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.
Oh dear. Advertising one of these scam art apps huh. You seen any proof that they actually own any of these pieces?
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.
Now that was a great TheSmokingTire video. That's the ticket.
Office Oversteer. Lets make this a thing lol
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 RUclips ads them we have to deal with yours too. youre double monitizing and we feel it.
Zach is fantastic at these reviews. Brilliant on camera, super fun to watch these modded builds!
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.
ruclips.net/video/7DhtCbSayj0/видео.html
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
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...
I built something similar but with a turbo: ruclips.net/video/xIAuYcLmsYU/видео.html
RE-71Rs are magic tires. If you've ever read a review of a MK7 or MK8 GTI that praised its on-track handling or lack of understeer, it was thanks to the 71s that VW liked to fit on press cars that I will note - were never an option from the factory
I have rt660's which a similar tire, and the amount of grip out of them is insane.
How do they compare to RT660s? I want to start autocrossing and most people recommend those to me
I find them to be one of the worst of the 200TW tires on offer today (well, they're discontinued now). What made the RE71R so great was the grip from cold, they were great for Auto-x. They overheated easily on hot track days, which led to you killing them off easily. They were decent on the street and did surprisingly well in the rain for the aggressive tread pattern.
They don't make the 71s anymore, so anything you buy will be old stock from 2019/2020
RE71's are godly on the street and touge
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
What would be the most performance increasing thing on the list? Maybe the wider tires for keeping grip while turning?
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.
Good thing Matt didn’t test this one he would want one!
So cool seeing the NFT shirt that I designed on a One Take! Great review of a wacky car.
That seat with no cage or harness just looks ridiculous! Hahaha
4:15 McGruff The Crime Dog FTW
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
Finally the Panther Platform has returned to The Smoking Tire!
Operation Square Peg Round hole 😅😂😅😅😂😂😅😂😅
Beautifully shot video. I don't know if you got new cameras recently but it looks fantastic.
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.
It's a fat girl that can dance.....
I have 3.
One of mine is going in much the same direction as this one.
I'm NOT gutting my interior, though.
Even though the explorer replaced these in law enforcement...they still make my heart drop when I see them driving behind me...😒
I'm at a point in my life where I think I need this
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
Gone 135mph in a stock Crown Vic was perfectly fine
Zach is funny as fuck!! Better than Matt at that aspect
I think the pedal box might be made for men with bigger ummm... shoes.
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.
Fuck yeah bitches! Panther body for life!
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.
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.
Awesome awesome awesome - this car rips
Now we need a 30 vid of this car ripping around an autocross
The answer isn’t always Miata. This is proof
Is this super troopers part 3? Oh wait, Zack is not from Vermont.😅🏁🍾
Turning a sow’s ear into a silk purse. Kudos to the builder and to Zack for the humorous presentation.
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.
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.
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.
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.
manual swap everything torque converters are fun killers
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.
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
I'm normally into engines with cylinders divisible by 3 and 5 over ones divisible by 4 but dangit I've always loved the sound of the Ford Modular, just about my quintessential V8 sound. Lightweight and tune all the cars ✊ Also Maximum Motorsports, thank you for bringing out your yellow race mustang to my college car show when I was an RA in San Luis Obispo! You guys were too cool!
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!
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.
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
I dont get the surprise here... Its like everyone expecting an engine with a lot of miles to have lost half its power... its just silly. Unless its very worn out and actually broken it should have maintained most of it heck, if not gained a tiny bit...
People take all kinds of cars and make them handle and be fast... will it compete with a 250 - 300 hp Civic or a Miata, will it out be a Porsche killer nooo...
But ofc you can make these handle...
Old Volvo's are super soft and wiggly too, its like driving a waterbed down the road... yet people turn them in to track weapons too, drift cars, LS swap them... heck, the Volvo engines them selfs can put out really good power with some work...
If you can turn delivery vans and pickup trucks and Hummers in to capable track cars you sure as hell can with a Crown Vic... ^^
Yeah man these cars are sleepers. Jaw dropping. Wow factors. My whole channel is based on Panthers!
Are we not going to talk about that high steering position?
Any higher and it’d scrape the roof
I think at this point he should try and lose more weight. Granted it'd be expensive getting into carbon fiber body panels, but I'm sure that would REALLY bring the weight down a lot and thus give that 4.6l modular less to have to lug around the corners. I know that I for one would love to have actual carbon fiber panels for MY Vic
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
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
Gives me strong Corbin vibes.
This is great, CVPIs have so much potential and this is not good for me because I want to swap mine.😭
DO IT! It is so easy, I did it in a day.
@@commonsenseisdeadin2024 This is what every other panther owner tells me, yall make it seem so easy 😅. It would definetly be the biggest job ive done but i know i can do it. I need to find a tr3650
@@j.a.g.8689 the hardest part is getting the god forsaken trans cross member out. The clutch pedal was easy if you can weld it. Tip of advice, remove the wiper cowl completely. It gives you access to the top bolts of the trans plus you need to put the clutch cable through and make a reinforcement plate on the firewall. Also rear gears are a must! With 3.27s @ 80mph i needed to stay in 4th as 5th was too low of rpm to maintain speed. I swapped in 4.10s but the car is not back together fully to drive to give my opinion but 3.73s are probably a safe all around bet.
I went with a T45 because I personally like the feel of them so much more than a tr3650. I put the updated lugs in and new shift forks. I have a spare that I'm going to put the billet forks and lugs in and carbon fiber synchros and all brass pads. My car is not purpose built, I'm adding well over 500lbs (probably closer to 1000lbs) with the radio install and bag set up, town car leather, marauder center console, 20x10.5/9.5, cowl hood, marauder spoiler, Mach 1 chin, billet and aluminum sheet metal whatever i can. I had a drag project vic that I decided not to continue with at the time i needed to decide what projects to keep so i have a lot of bits of that on my current car (hence the cowl hood and sheet metal valve covers and 4.10s) i might swap a 6.0 powerstroke into that one cause the rust is getting to be too much in my f250 but she still runs good, but that is neither here nor there 😂.
Veered off topic there, sorry about that. I really love my panthers and I've had quite a few, the manual swap is by far the best mod I've done to one! It doesn't make it faster but it by far makes it so much more fun.
@@commonsenseisdeadin2024 no that's great, I need all the information I can get. For the t45, did you need to cut the crossmember so it would fit. But the padal sounds like the most complicated because I'm not sure how to add a pedal and especially the wire, but there are guides and videos everywhere
@@j.a.g.8689 Pierre made a very through step by step video of the clutch pedal fabrication. I thought about making a few to sell.
Yes i had to notch and drill the xmember which i am going to redo to correct drive line angle being substantially lower on air.
I did not need a driveshaft spacer. I used a cobra t45 but i don't think they are different length. My cars a 03 P71
Well I think Austin made his point in the end. Nice review Zack
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 😔
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.
The lack of aftermarket support for these cars is insulting. Companies could make good money from people modding $900 auctioned cop cars
That steering wheel is too school bus driver position for me
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 love it. Everyone should be able to do whatever tf they want to their cars. I mean, we're forced to take civics seriously now after decades of giving kids shit about their fart cans. I think big ass cars that handle should be a whole trend.
That’s because we were wrong for not realizing how great civics drive.
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
im going to the junkyard for a throttle body
this is like if someone's forza troll car got made in real life
Man if this thing was supercharged or turbo'd with a cam or headers like damn
Cleetus approved crown vic.
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!
Great review and this car looks fun and exciting to drive.
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.
Nahhhh 140mph in a stock crown vic plenty of times and im perfectly fine 😂. And a lot.of cops miss the vic a lot. I work with them so I would know 🤣
Click bait. Dont waste your time to see this video. Clicked on your channel because of crown vic. You started talking about art work which i dont even care about. Didnt even try to finish to see if you even got to the car stuff.
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.
The hardest part of the manual swap, Hands down is getting the godforsaken trans crossmember down!!!
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).
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
This doesn't help my weird fascination with Crown vic Builds.